University Accommodation & Accommodation Services
There is a wide range of student housing available through your university. First and foremost, there are typical 'student digs'*. This is essentially housing supplied by your university, and is usually relatively cheap and basic. It may be based either in the city, or on the outskirts, generally depending on the size of the city where you are studying and the location of the University.
If you are a foreign student, you will usually be offered a room in the 'halls of residence': contact the UK university where you will be studying for more information. Halls of residence are blocks of housing where many students live together, usually each with a separate bedroom but sharing bathrooms and kitchens. If however you arrive in the UK before you have sorted out a place to live, and halls are no longer available, then there are other options to consider. A good place to start the search would be at the university itself. Make a trip to one of the university canteens, or to the Student Union offices or Housing office. Current students looking for new house mates often use the notice boards in these areas to post available rooms; there are also notices from students looking to meet other students who want to share a property and move in together. Your university may have an official accommodation noticeboard, where you should be able to find good offers for students. For more details of student accommodation including halls of residence, see Accommodation in London.
* A slang word for student halls of residence.
Private student housing association
If you have difficulties finding university accommodation or have perhaps applied too late to be considered, the next step would be to talk to the housing association at the university. Apart from managing the halls of residence, they may well have contacts to the 'private student housing association'. These are privately owned properties that have generally been renovated into either private student halls or smaller rental properties, available for students to share. Private housing does not tend to fill up as quickly as the halls do, since many UK students choose to live in halls of residence or organise their own accommodation. However, often the university will have nothing to do with managing these properties, and you will pay the rent to a private landlord. These private halls are often advertised online on rental search websites, but you should also ask your university's housing office if they have any recommendations.
Private shared accommodation
Apart from going through the university, students can also look independently for shared flats or studio flats. The internet is a good starting point for finding private properties to rent. There are often links from rental search websites to cheaper accommodation designed for students. The website accommodationforstudents.com is a great example of the online help available for students looking for a rental property. You can view accommodation options in all the UK's major cities, or search for properties near the individual university you will be attending whilst studying in the UK.
Student Unions
Every university has an organisation representing their students called the 'Students Union'. You can contact them for help finding accommodation. The Union is led by student leaders, most of whom have spent at least one year at the university, and who have access to a wide network of associations and friends who can recommend available rooms. The best way to contact the Student Union is usually via the university's official website, or to simply go to their office on the campus and ask them in person.
