Everything new university students need to know about student accommodation - and what to do if you miss out

• Many universities let you pick several halls of residence, ranking them in order of preference.
• You’re unfortunately not guaranteed to get your first pick.
• Halls can be very different in terms of both costs and amenities.
• There are also private halls available which might better suit your lifestyle.

A whole cohort of young people will be heading off to university shortly, many to a hall of residence which could be their very first home away from home.

A Levels results day has now been and gone, and almost four out of five of this year’s school leavers who plan on heading off to university managed to secure a spot in their first choice this year. Tens of thousands of others will be going through the Clearing process, which matches universities with leftover places in their courses to students without one locked in yet - some of who could end up studying in a city or part of the country they never expected.

All of them will need somewhere to live while they complete their studies. But how exactly do you go about getting a place in your university’s student accommodation? And what happens if you miss out?

Here’s what you need to know:

How to apply for your university’s halls of residence

Most universities with their own student accommodation will have an accommodation office, according to UCAS. Halls of residence are often reserved for first-year students, and are usually very close to campus with a lot of support in place - ideal for students leaving home for the first time.

Once you’ve got a confirmed spot at a university as a new undergraduate, information about how to contact this office and how to apply for a spot in a hall of residence should be sent directly to you. If not, each university should have a dedicated webpage you’ll be able to find with a quick Google search. The University of Sheffield’s is here, for example.

This page should also have details on when you will need to apply by. But even more importantly, it will have information about that university’s different halls. These can be quite different from each other in terms of cost, amenities (some might be catered while others aren’t, while others may have parking for students with cars), and general ‘vibe’ while living there.

Applying for a hall of residence is usually just a quick online form. A lot of students will be asked to choose several halls they would like to live in, rating them in order of preference. Halls are a popular option for new students, so you might not necessarily get into your first choice, UCAS advises.

According to Citizens Advice, you will usually have to pay a deposit up-front for your hall just like you would in a flat - something to keep in mind. Other payment dates throughout the year will usually be at the start of each term to line up with student loan payment dates. You usually won’t have to pay any other bills or council taxes for your hall - but each university and hall can be slightly different.

What other options are there?

While usually there are enough spaces available for the new undergraduate students who need them at a given university, this is unfortunately not always the case. If you end up in this position - or you’ve applied late or feel like the hall of residence life might not be for you - there are a few other options.

Halls of residence are usually owned by the university, but if you’re going to a university in a city or other larger centre, there are often privately-owned halls too. These are still for students but may service more than one local university, and may offer different amenities (such as private en suites rather than communal bathrooms) that university-owned halls that could make them a better fit for your lifestyle.

To find private halls, you can search your university in this UCAS tool. It will show all nearby options available to you, including private halls.

Your other option is to find an apartment or flat to rent - something many students do after their first year of study anyway. Shared housing is quite popular to keep costs down, but it can be difficult finding people to live with if you don’t already have friends planning to go to the same university as you.

Some universities offer their own ‘flatmate finder’ services to help match students up, like the University of London for example. For others, however, this might be up to you. Many established flats will advertise available rooms on sites like SpareRoom or Rightmove. It’s worth getting some help from people who have been through the process before to help you avoid scams, and navigate renting for the first time.

We’ve created a series of stories to help this year’s school leavers navigate going to university. If you’re going through the Clearing process, check out this piece here. If you need to know more about student loans and how to apply for them, try this one.