Student Accommodation in UK
If you are studying in England outside of London, it will usually be easier to find inexpensive accommodation and cover the costs of student life on a low income. There are many famous and reputable Universities throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including:
- Birmingham
- Cambridge
- Durham
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Oxford
- Warwick
- York
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- St Andrews
- Cardiff
- Queen's Belfast
There is a huge number of University students in the UK, both native and international, and there are many great Universities to choose between. Accommodation is not always cheap, but students studying in the north can typically expect to pay lower rent than those studying in the south. Each University will have accommodation on offer for its own students, such as halls of residence or University-owned flats and houses. Again, prices for halls of residence tend to be cheaper outside of London. For example, average cost of catered halls of residence*:
- In London - £126 per week (see Accommodation in London)
- In Manchester - £93 per week
- In Birmingham - £91 per week
- In Cardiff - £73 per week
- In Belfast - £86 per week
Certain famous Universities with an exceptional reputation will charge more for accommodation than others. Cambridge and Oxford are traditional Universities, famed in the UK and throughout the world for their history of outstanding education. Accommodation here is usually in traditional halls of residence, and there is a strong custom for all students and staff from the individual colleges to eat together. It is assumed that you will eat with the other students in-hall, but meals do cost extra. Cambridge and Oxford are among the most expensive Universities in the UK, both in terms of accommodation and student living costs. A single room with meals will cost approximately:
- Cambridge - £132 per week
- Oxford - £150 per week
Cambridge and Oxford do have shorter terms than other Universities however, so you will be paying these rates for fewer weeks. Accommodation prices vary between cities, but it is generally safe to assume that Universities outside of London will be cheaper overall than those in London. It is important to remember that the city in which you choose to study can have a dramatic impact on the cost of your studies. Studying in Cardiff rather than London would save you £2,120 each forty-week study year: over a three year course you can save £6,360 (€8,022) on accommodation costs alone. There are many fun, vibrant, multi-cultural Universities with a great reputation throughout the UK: make sure you do your research rather than make a city-based choice.
* Based on data from: Manchester Uni, Manchester Metropolitan Uni, Birmingham Uni, Birmingham City Uni, Cardiff Uni, Queen's Belfast Uni, Cambridge Uni and Oxford Uni.
