Short-Stay Student Accommodation in London

Not everyone needs a room for a full academic year. If you are in London for a summer course, an internship, a research visit or a language programme, a student residence can still work for a stay of a few weeks or a few months. You get a furnished room with bills and Wi-Fi included, and you pay one price for the whole stay.

How short can a stay be?

Two weeks is about the shortest stay most residences will accept, and only outside the busy weeks at the start of the academic year. Anything shorter is usually better suited to a hotel or serviced apartment, or to a homestay through our sister site London Homestays, where short stays are easier to arrange.

When short stays are easiest to find

September and October are the hardest months for a short stay. The academic year starts, and residences fill their rooms with university students on contracts of 40 to 51 weeks. During that period a residence will usually only take a shorter booking if a room comes free through a cancellation, and many set a minimum of 12 to 16 weeks.

Outside September and October there is usually more choice, although popular residences can still be full in summer.

If your dates start in September, apply as early as you can. If you can move your arrival date by a few days, tell us. It often opens up rooms that would otherwise be ruled out.

What it costs

Most rooms cost around £350 to £400 a week with bills included. Studios with their own kitchen in central areas cost more, often £450 a week or above. Short stays can cost a little more per week than a full-year contract in the same building. Every booking also has a one-off £50 booking fee.

When we send you options, each one shows the weekly rate and the total for your dates.

What is included

Bills and Wi-Fi are included in every residence we book. Rooms come furnished, and most residences also provide bedding and basic kitchen equipment. Each residence page lists what is included. A couple of our residences include breakfast and dinner, which can be good value if you are only in London for a few weeks and don’t want to stock a kitchen.

Who can stay

Most residences accept guests aged 18 and over. A small number accept 16 and 17 year olds. In that case the booking and the invoice are made out to a parent or guardian. Tell us your age when you apply and we will only suggest places that can take you.

How booking a short stay works

1. Send us your dates, where you will be studying or working, and your budget using our application form.
2. We check with the residences and usually reply the same working day with the rooms available, the weekly rate and the total.
3. When you choose a room, we ask the residence to hold it and send you an invoice for the full stay plus the £50 booking fee.
4. You pay by card or bank transfer. The room is secured once your payment arrives.
5. We send your booking confirmation, which you can use as proof of accommodation for your school, employer or visa application.

There is more detail in our guide on how to book a student residence in London.

Good to know before you book

• You pay for the whole stay up front. Residences don’t usually offer weekly or monthly payments.
• Your dates are fixed once the booking is made. A change is sometimes possible, but only if the residence agrees.
• Bookings made close to your arrival date are not refundable. Our booking terms set out the cancellation rules.
• We can’t arrange viewings. The photos and videos on each residence page are the best guide to the rooms.

Send us your dates