Five top tips to help you choose the right student accommodation

So you’ve chosen your preferred university and confirmed your first choice with UCAS. Now it’s time to make the next big decision and decide where you’ll live when you get there.

While university prospectuses and websites are full of bright pictures of academic facilities, your student accommodation will be a big part of your university experience, so it’s important to find somewhere that’s right for you.

The University of Lincoln consistently rates among the best in the UK for its convenient, centralised facilities in national surveys, with a variety of accommodation options on or within a few minutes’ walk of the main campus. With over 26 years of experience in the sector, residential services manager at Lincoln, Michael Ball, shares his top tips for making an accommodation choice.

Know your options

Before you can begin to narrow down your choices, you need to have a good understanding of what accommodation is available. From university accommodation both on and off campus to university partnership halls and private lettings, there are many options to choose from. Most universities will provide an accommodation guidewhich will give you an overview of the different types on offer and what facilities are included.

Cost

Again, take a look at the information provided by your chosen university to help you understand which options suit your budget. As prices change from year to year, these may not be included in glossy brochures so it’s important to speak to someone from the university who can give you the numbers you need. Depending on what accommodation you choose, a payment may be required before your student loan arrives so it’s important to know how much is due and when. Don’t forget to factor in bills. These are usually included in the price for university halls but aren’t for all types of accommodation, and you don’t want to be caught out with an unexpected bill.

Location, location, location

What one student considers a great location might not be so great for another. It’s a very personal decision and really depends on what you’re looking to do while you’re at university. Being able to fall out of bed straight into your lecture theatre might sound like a good idea but it may also have drawbacks if you want to take part in other activities on the other side of the campus or even in another part of the city. Try to get a good understanding of where accommodation and other key amenities are in relation to each other, and don’t forget to factor in transport costs.

Choose your resources carefully

You may think you’ve done all your research, but what if the information you’ve gathered isn’t quite right? Many students now use comparison sites and social media to help them with their decision but the information on these sites is not always accurate. Always make sure you read the information provided by the university itself and never be afraid to give them a call to check what you’ve read – no matter how odd you may think the question is.

Make the most of open days

Open days are a great opportunity for potential applicants to find out more about the courses they are interested in, get a feel for the university and explore the city - but, they are also a really good opportunity to take a look at the different types of accommodation and get an appreciation of where they are in relation to everything else. At Lincoln, accommodation tours are available throughout the day and there’s always an accommodation expert on hand to answer your questions.