If you come to the UK from abroad and are going to study at a local university, then you have to decide where you want to live for the next few years or so. Your choice will greatly depend on whether your educational institution has halls of residence for youngsters or not, the city you want to live and study in, the preferred area, with whom you want to share your living space, and how much you are willing to pay for it.
Because the current student housing supply is significantly lower than its demand, you have to start looking for accommodation as soon as you are accepted. Don’t waste that precious time and immediately begin to search for good options. Experts from Pro-Papers have gathered some advantages and disadvantages of different types of student real estate in England so that foreign youths can choose what they like most.
University Student Halls
First-year students are more likely to live in student halls managed by their educational institutions. These halls are not necessarily located within the university premises; therefore, be ready that you may have to use public transport to get to campus.
Nevertheless, this type of accommodation has many advantages. In terms of making new friends, sharing housing with others is a great chance to establish contacts with people of different backgrounds. There is also catering housing which is a good choice if you cannot or simply don’t want to cook for yourself.
If you are leaving your home for the first time, university housing can be a perfect starting point for you as it will gently prepare you for independent adult life but still prevent you from complications associated with paying utility bills and getting alone with annoying landlords. If you live far away from home, any contingent situation may happen and, in this case, you can always seek support from the housing office or your educational institution itself.
Along with many pros, there is something about this type of housing you may not like at all. First of all, you will never know who you will have to share communal areas with. Moreover, living with a bunch of young people is often associated with a lot of mess and noise. Nevertheless, by weighing all the pros and cons, you can decide on whether this option suits your preferences or not.
Private Halls
If for some reason, you don’t feel like living in a university hall, a private one can be a good choice for you. Even though this type of housing is more expensive than the previous one, it comes with better conditions and a wider choice of areas to live in. These buildings are usually located in places with good transport links and many culinary and shopping options.
If you want to meet many students from different universities, then a room in a private hall is definitely your cup of tea. However, when choosing among numerous service providers, check what communal spaces they offer and what kind of activities they initiate for their tenants so that the latter ones can meet each other and socialize in their spare time.
If we compare university and private halls, both of them share the same disadvantages as living with someone you don’t know and dealing with a lot of mess and noise. In addition, private halls offer their tenants many perks, such as cinema rooms, saunas, etc., which greatly add to the costs of renting and, for most students, eventually turn out to be one hundred percent useless.
Private Rented Real Estate
It is quite possible that you decide on living in a privately rented house. This type of accommodation usually becomes home for up to four or five people. The main advantage of private renting is the ability to choose who you will have to live with. This is a great choice for the second-year students who want to share living space with the friends they have made in their first year.
If you decide to follow this path, keep in mind that this type of accommodation may be cheaper than halls but usually comes with additional costs, including the Internet, TV, utilities, and more.
Along with dealing with all of those budgetary issues, you will have to interact with a landlord or letting agent in private. Don’t neglect to read a tenancy agreement carefully to be aware of your rights and obligations.
Staying at Home
For many young people, the feeling of freedom they get when they leave their homes and go to university cannot be compared with anything. But if you live in the UK and are going to study locally, then there is no need to move out, and living with your family seems to be a pretty good choice. With the exception of savings on rent and utility costs, you will avoid the stress an average student experiences when shares space with new people.
The main disadvantage of living at home is the lack of student life. Therefore, it will be more difficult for you to make friends from home than if you would stay in a hall or a privately rented apartment. To succeed socially, you will have to take part in numerous on-campus events or become a member of a sports club. No matter what option you choose, it is the best choice for you as long as you feel yourself like at home.
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