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Accommodation is a big factor when choosing which university to study at, especially when you are making a late application through Clearing. You might be worried that, as you are applying late in the year, you’ll struggle to find somewhere decent to live.
To make things easier for you, many top universities guarantee a place in their student halls of residence for ALL students - even those applying through Clearing or Adjustment 2020. Here’s a selection of the best guaranteed student accommodation offers we’ve seen.
[Note : if your preferred university is not listed here, it’s worth checking their Whatuni profile page
Aberystwyth University Clearing Accommodation st September 2020. They even offer you the chance to live with your friends (subject to room availability).
They offer a choice of catered or self-catered halls and also dedicated ‘Welsh Medium Residences’ specifically for Welsh-speaking students (or students who want to learn and immerse themselves in the Welsh language).
Accommodation is modern and spacious and ranges from standard single rooms with shared bathrooms right up to luxury Studio Apartments. Rents range from £85 - £168 and are inclusive of utilities, WIFI, insurance and, for catered options, your food allowance. All students living in university accommodation will also get free platinum membership for the university’s Sports Centre (which is home to a gym, swimming pool, sauna and climbing wall).
Students enjoy living in Aber’s accommodation so much they ranked them 4th best in the UK in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2020 their virtual 360-degree tours
Once you’ve accepted your Clearing offer, the accommodation office will be in touch with instructions for applying. During your application, you’ll be asked to list accommodation in order of preference and you’ll be asked to specify if you want to stay in mixed- or single-sex flats or if you have any special access needs. To complete the booking, you’ll need to pay a £100 Acceptance Fee and complete an Accommodation Licence Pack and online induction.
Northumbria University Clearing Accommodation Northumbria
There are 10 halls of residence in all (a mix of catered and self-catered), most of which are located very close to the Northumbria campus, with the exception of Trinity Square, which is located across the river. All rooms are bright and spacious, and in most halls, the common areas have recently undergone colourful and contemporary refurbishments. You can choose between standard rooms with share bathrooms or en-suite rooms, with prices ranging from £79 to £166 per week.
You can view videos and virtual tours of all halls of residence
The best thing about accommodation at Northumbria is their high-tech booking system
Not only that, once you have accepted your accommodation offer, you’ll be invited to join the university’s accommodation Facebook group so you can meet and get to know your new flatmates before you move in!
University of Central Lancashire Clearing Accommodation UCLAN’s
You’ll have the choice of eight halls of residence, ranging from self-contained flats for those that want to live alone, to more traditional halls offering both standard and en-suite rooms, with shared kitchen and lounge. All halls of residence are located very close to the UCLAN teaching buildings, students’ union and library, and are a short walk to the city centre. Prices range from £77 - £125 per week.
One of the biggest benefits of living in UCLAN’s student accommodation is the Residences Team. Not only do they provide support with accommodation issues students might have, they also organise plenty of fun activities and events throughout the year including Halloween, Christmas and Easter events, regular movie and games nights, and events to raise awareness of important issues.
Another reason to choose UCLAN accommodations is that you can choose to live with your friends if they are also heading to the uni. Simply put each other’s names down on the ‘Additional Notes’ section of your application and they will try their best to house you together.
If you want to accept the accommodation offer, you’ll need to pay an Advance Rent Payment of £250 and, unless you choose to pay your rent in full straight away, you’ll need to have a guarantor. This is someone over the age of 18 who will be liable for paying your rent should you be unable to.
If you decide after you’ve moved in that you don’t like your accommodation, or don’t get on well with those you are living with, you can apply to be moved to a different hall or flat.
Lancaster University Clearing Accommodation Lancaster
Accommodation at Lancaster is uniquely broken up into eight ‘colleges’. Each college is its own self-contained community, with its own unique identity. There’s accommodation – a mix of en-suite, standard (shared bathroom) and self-contained studio rooms – but also a pub and even a sports team in each college.
There are always events and activities taking place in each college, creating a strong community bond between residents. This sense of community is probably why student reviewers on Whatuni ranked Lancaster 5th for accommodation in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2020
Prices for rooms in the university’s colleges range from £94 - £190 per week. You can see what your money gets you by checking out their handy 360-degree accommodation tours
After you have accepted an offer to study at Lancaster, you’ll be sent an invite to apply for accommodation. Once you’ve completed the application, they will email you again with an offer that best matches the preferences you gave in your application. You will have only 7 days to accept the offer and you’ll need to pay a £200 security deposit to secure your room.
University of Worcester Clearing Accommodation th overall), the University of Worcester
Worcester was recently named in the Top 10 happiest places to live in the UK, being surrounded by beautiful countryside yet with all the amenities of a modern, vibrant city. The student accommodation on offer is also modern and vibrant, with most of their halls either recently built or renovated. You can view what’s on offer before you apply via their virtual tours
You can choose between standard or en-suite rooms in self-catered halls, with prices ranging from £105 - £169 per week. Rents include all utility bills, internet access, contents insurance and a handy free gym membership too! The university will also make sure you are living with other first-year students, so you’ll be able to find like-minded friends to share your experience with.
Applying is easy through the university’s website. As soon as you accept your offer of study, they will contact you with full instructions on how to fill in your online application. Once they have allocated you a room, they will send you an offer and you’ll need to pay a £300 damage deposit when signing your contract to secure the booking.
University of Plymouth Clearing Accommodation Plymouth
And to help you settle into university life and make friends, all students in university accommodation get access to the Residence Life programme, run by a team of hall volunteers. The team organise plenty of events throughout the year, including movie and game nights, sports activities and fundraising events. They also offer support on any accommodation issues you may have during your time in halls.
The halls themselves are located only a few minutes’ walk from both the university’s campus and the centre of Plymouth with all its attractions, shopping and nightlife. Halls are broken up into flats of between 3-10 students and you can choose between en-suite rooms with shared kitchen/lounge or studio rooms that come with their own kitchenettes. Rents range from £99-£180 and include all bills, WIFI and contents insurance.
All halls are self-catered, but if you don’t like cooking, you might be interested in the university’s brand-new catered halls package. It’s available from September 2020 and will enable you to enjoy pre-paid meals in the university’s award-winning campus cafes.
To apply for accommodation at Plymouth, you’ll need access to their accommodation portal, which you’ll be given once you’ve confirmed the university as your firm choice. You’ll ned to pay a £250 deposit within seven days of getting your room offer to secure the booking and pay four weeks’ rent before you move in.
University of Leicester Clearing Accommodation st September 2020 and a new first year student, Leicester
The Village is located a few miles from the University campus and contains eight unique halls of residence, many of which are large houses that have been converted. Rooms range from standard and en-suite single bedrooms to self-contained one-bed flats. If you are on a tight budget and don’t mind having a roommate there are even twin rooms available.
The Village is surrounded by plenty of green spaces, including the university’s Botanic Garden, where you can get some fresh air and relax away from lectures. There are also plenty of onsite facilities for you to enjoy, including:
Onsite university allotment – where you can grow your own fruit and veg
Classical and rock music rooms, plus a dance studio and cinema room
Dedicated study spaces, so you don’t have to go to the Uni campus
Onsite gym with swimming pool
Village pub, where you can socialise with other students
Oadby Food Court, where you can enjoy a wide range of high-quality food with your friends
A regular bus that travels from The Village to the university campus
Those who’d prefer city living over country and want to be closer to campus can opt for a room in The City, a set of purpose-built self-catered halls (with standard and en-suite rooms) located just a few minutes’ walk from the university’s teaching buildings and library and Leicester’s city centre. Students living in The City can access all of the amenities of The Village. A dedicated Residential Advisors team organise regular social events across both The Village and The City accommodation sites which are accessible for all students living in university accommodation.
Rental rates range from £85 - £180 per week and include all bills, WIFI and contents insurance. To get a good look at what’s on offer and which location you’d prefer to live in, you can view plenty of photos, videos and virtual tours
You’ll need to pay £250 to secure your accommodation offer, which will be deducted from your first rent instalment. If you change your mind about your offer, you can cancel your contract (though you may need to pay a £250 fee to do so).
University of Hertfordshire Clearing Accommodation th August 2020 (unless you have to undergo an interview for your chosen course, in which case you’ll need to have applied within 4 days of your interview).
There are two accommodation sites at Hertfordshire
As soon as you have accepted your Clearing/Adjustment offer, you’ll be emailed instructions for making your application. Note that when you apply you need to select a minimum of five room choices, so make sure you take a good look at the options before you apply to make your shortlist.
You’ll need to pay a security deposit of £150 to secure your accommodation. This will be returned at the end of your tenancy, provided you haven’t caused any damages to the room. It’s also worth noting that get a 7-day cooling off period in which you can cancel your booking should you change your mind after you’ve booked.
University of Aberdeen Clearing Accommodation University of Aberdeen th August 2020. They also guarantee that you’ll always be placed in accommodation with other 1st year students, so you can meet like-minded people.
Undergraduate accommodation is located in the Hillhead Student Village, which is located a short walk away from the university campus, next to the beautiful open spaces of Seaton Park. There are eight halls of residence for undergraduates, with a range of room options to choose from.
Most halls are self-catered, except Adam Smith House, which offers a catered package. There are also dedicated alcohol-free and quiet flats. All have free onsite parking, bike storage and laundry facilities. Rents range from £90-£148 per week (inclusive of bills, WIFI and insurance).
At the heart of Hillhead Student Village is the Headspace Building, home to a student bar, supermarket, gym, and study spaces. The onsite resident support team arrange lots of events for students to participate in, including cookery classes, exercise classes, quiz nights and open mic nights.
Once you’ve accepted your offer to study with the university, they will send you details about what accommodation is available and how to apply for it online. Note that all accommodation offers have an expiry date of 7 days. If you haven’t accepted your offer in that time, the university cannot guarantee they’ll make another offer. You’ll need to pay £100 and complete an online induction to secure your booking.
University of Staffordshire Staffordshire will guarantee you a place in student accommodation on their Stafford and Stoke on Trent campuses, provided that you apply by 6th September 2020, are studying for a full-time undergraduate course, and accept their offer of accommodation within four days of it being made.
In both locations, accommodation is located close to the university campus. In Stafford there is one halls of residence - all rooms are en-suite, with shared kitchen and lounge. The £115 per week rent includes all bills and insurance and free membership to the local gym.
In Stoke on Trent there are five halls of residence. Room options range from en-suite bedrooms in flats of 3-6 students or standard bedrooms in shared facility flats of 12-14 students. Rents range from £3,705 per year to £4,875 per year and includes all bills, contents insurance and free access to the Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre, with gym and football pitches. There is also an on-campus GP that you can access.
All halls have a dedicated ResLife team, made up of second and third-year students who organise social events and activities and also offer support if you have any issues with your accommodation or are feeling homesick and need someone to talk to.
You can apply for accommodation at Staffordshire via their ResLife accommodation portal.
Choosing Student Accommodation in Clearing
Location: When thinking about location you should consider not only the proximity of accommodation to the university campus, but also proximity to the local town/city centre, transport links and any open spaces.
Cost: Before deciding on a place to live, it’s worth checking how much maintenance loan you’ll be receiving this year and work out how much you can really afford. Don’t forget that your maintenance loan needs to cover living costs (food, study equipment, socialising) too.
Special needs/access requirements: If you have a disability, it’s important to find accommodation that you’ll be able to access and live in safely.
Here’s what else to consider:
How many people do you want to live with?
Do you want your own private bathroom and/or kitchen?
Do you want all-inclusive or would you rather manage your own bills?
Do you want access to security and/or maintenance teams?
What length of tenancy do you need?
Do you want social spaces and fun things to do included in your accommodation?
Things to Consider Before You Book Student Accommodation
You Might Not Get Your Preferred Room
What’s included in the rent?
Most university and private halls of residence are ‘all-inclusive’ which means you pay one weekly payment which covers rent and bills. But make sure you know exactly what’s included in this, so you aren’t surprised by any unexpected expenses later. You should also look at what’s provided in your room/flat. Some accommodation options might come with things like bedding, a TV, and cooking utensils but in others these are things you need to bring with you.
Read the terms and conditions
As dull as it may seem, it is worth reading through the terms and conditions of your contract before you sign it. Remember that once you’ve signed it, it becomes legally binding, so make sure you understand your responsibilities as a tenant. If there is anything you don’t understand or think isn’t right, speak to your parents.
What to Do Once You’ve Made Your Booking
Think about insurance
Some university and private halls come with insurance provided in their ‘all-inclusive’ rent, but this might just be basic coverage. If it’s not provided, or you have valuable items and want to get extra coverage, you should look at buying contents insurance. This way you are covered if your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged.
Start shopping
Probably the most exciting part on moving to university is shopping for all your accommodation essentials. If you have no idea what to take with you, our handy checklist
Don’t forget to buy things like a plant, some posters or some soft furnishings to give your accommodation that personal touch .
Get to know your new flatmates
Check Facebook to see if there are any groups set up for your halls, as this is a good way to start getting to know the people
NEXT:
- Complete Guide to Clearing 2020
- UCAS Adjustment: What is it and how does it work?
* Feature image courtesy of Northumbria University
