One of the first things to plan is where you are going to live. Our advice would be to live in university accommodation. However, many people are still keen to source their own housing. In this guide, we will look at both options. We also have resources to help you plan your move and support you with living in an unfamiliar country. First, let's compare, UWS Residencies V Private Renting: (simply click to download the image)
FINDING & RENTING A HOME
Some people might want to rent their own home and if you do decide to do this; you should be cautious and plan carefully. As well as the resources available on our web links, there is also lots of information in UKCISA's and Bright Knowlege's housing guides. UWS has also produced this in-depth guide:
The best housing advice available is from Shelter Scotland. This is Scotland's housing charity and is information you can trust. We have selected the key areas and set these out for you below:
FINDING A HOME TO RENT
TENANCY RIGHTS
DEPOSITS
LANDLORD RESPONSIBILITES
ENDING A TENANCY
If you are thinking of coming to our London Campus; the equivalent advice is available on the Shelter England site.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
Before you agree to an accommodation contract; make sure it matches the timescales of your visa and academic year. A lease is legally binding, and it is critical it meets all of your needs. See UKCISA's guidance for more information.
There is a lot of reading but where you will live is one of the most important decisions you can make. To see how ready you are, try our housing quiz below:
GETTING READY
Once you have organised where you will live; you will want to start thinking about what life will be like once you get here. See the guides below on What to Bring, How to Manage Communal Living and Tackling Homesickness.
What Should I Bring?
Managing Living Away from Home
Brightside Resources on Surviving Living Away from Home
Save The Student: Dealing with Homsickness
Save the Student: Surviving Shared Living
BIlls...bills...bills...
You will also need to think about bills in your new home. If you are living in UWS accommodation; then some of the following costs are covered. If you are sourcing your own property, this will be a further area to include in your budget. (Click on the images below to find out more)
TV Licence
Streaming TV & Movies
Energy
Satellite/Cable TV
Broadband & Internet
Summer Storage
So now you are all set. You know where you will live and how much this will cost you. Click Back to Living Costs below and select your next area of expenditure to investigate.