FAQs for student residences

For a complete guide, please visit the page How to book a student residence.

Firstly select the student residence you would like to live in (if you are flexible, you can choose multiple options) and then complete the residence application form. Before booking please check the residence is available for the length of time you wish to stay i.e. don’t book a year round residence offering 42-week contracts if you only want to stay for a few weeks. Please also ensure the residence you are booking is within your budget. You can refine your results to only show the residences that are available and match your request by using the filters above the map. You can also view travel times and routes by entering your place of study or internship and clicking on the pin for an available residence.

Alternatively, if the room at the residence offers the option, you can Book Now and pay online by credit/debit card.

You will then receive an email asking you to confirm your details and shortly after that an offer of accommodation. If the residence you want to book is not available, you will be offered a close alternative. Before using the instant booking function please ensure you are eligible to stay in this residence. For example please do not book a residence for students aged 18+ if you are 16 years old. In such cases, your payment will be refunded.

The answer to this is simple, when do you want to have your room confirmed? Most residences insist on full payment in advance to book and confirm your room. We can usually hold the room for a short period (usually 24 hours) while payment is made but until the payment is made, the residence will leave the room open for other students to book.

If you wish to book during an off-peak period, with plenty of time prior to your arrival date, you may have time to shop around and come back to the option at a later date. However for popular zone 1 residences at peak times, the rooms sell quickly. In order to avoid disappointment, we would recommend booking the room as soon as you have made your choice.

If the room at the residence offers the option, you can Book Now and pay online by credit/debit card. The request to book the room is then immediately sent to the property manager who will confirm your booking as quickly as possible. In the very unlikely event, the room is not available, you would, of course, receive a full refund of your payment.

We also offer a reservation deposit scheme on selected residences, which means you can book straight away with a non-refundable deposit of around 20%.

This varies from residence to residence, we would advise checking at the point of booking. Generally, it is advisable to bring bed linen as well as basic cooking equipment/cutlery. Bedding and kitchen packs are often available from residence shops and can usually be booked prior to arrival. This will help to ensure everything is ready for you in your room when you arrive and help the move in process go as smoothly as possible.

All utilities such as gas, electric and water are almost always included as is wireless internet. TV licences are usually not included. On-site services such as security and reception staff is of course included, gyms are usually free to residents although an induction for a small fee is sometimes required.

This usually depends on the residence you wish to book, but generally a booking fee of £50 will apply.

The minimum contract depends on the residence you are booking and the time of year. From October each year most residences want to sell as many rooms as possible to long stay university students, therefore if you are booking in autumn or winter and want to stay for just a short period, you will have limited options.

From January through to May/June we will have some limited short term contracts available in addition to our usual short term residences. In the summer, we are able to offer a wide range of residences with stays as short as two weeks.

All of the residences vary in size and shape, therefore each residence has slightly different room types and availability. In general we thought the following definitions might help when choosing which room type to book.

Single room (shared bathroom) – This is a single bedroom, usually in a cluster apartment, which is a mini-apartment where you have your own bedroom but share the common areas with other students living in the apartment. If the room is not situated in a cluster apartment, the room will be on a floor with shared toilet and bathroom facilities with other students on that floor.

twin/multiple room (shared bathroom)Single en suite – This is similar to the single room with shared bathroom with the difference being the room has its own en suite bathroom and toilet.

A single en suite studio – Studios are larger than single rooms and often contain a kitchenette which means you can cook in your room. As these rooms are larger, there is usually more space for storage and can often include luxury items such as flat screen TV (subject to the studio booked). There are a range of studios available from classic studios up to premium or city studios. For further information on what your studio will contain, ask when booking.

Twin studios – These are the big brother of the single studios and contain many of the same features, except are even larger and contain two single beds. This is an ideal option if you are coming with a friend as the price is often per room and not per person.

Most student residences have an age restriction of 18 years old and above. However, in some cases we are able to find placements for students who are 16 or 17 years old. These residence rooms are limited so we will require some flexibility with your request. We will also require a letter from your parents stating they are happy for you to live alone in an adult student residence.

Yes we are able to accommodate friends or groups of friends either in twin rooms or in single rooms on the same floor or close to each other. This is of course subject to availability, therefore if you do wish to stay together as a pair or a group, we recommend booking early.

This depends on the residence, their rules on guests and their fire regulations. Most residence do allow some short stay guests (a night or two), but for security reasons all guests must be signed in at reception. If this is important to you, please let us know when booking and we will confirm the rules with the residence manager.

Of course. Please just let us know how we can help you and what additional assistance you will need and we will be happy to help in whichever way we can. There are limited rooms with additional space/wheelchair access, so if you think you may require one of these rooms please let us know as early as possible.