When your child is old enough to go to university (and that could be a frightening thought for some of you), they face many challenges – one of which is to decide on student accommodation. Where will they stay during their studies, and is one choice better than another? It’s a fairly big decision as this can impact everything from their social life to their studies, so let’s explore the possibilities in this guide.
Stay at Home
Yes, this is an option, and yes, a lot of parents may not like it!
Staying at home is a possibility for your kids when they go to university, but only if it benefits them and ends up being the best idea after weighing up all else. The key advantage to this is simple: it saves an absolute fortune. They won’t need as big a student loan because they don’t need to cover the cost of accommodation, which then makes university as a whole feel more affordable.
The downsides are also quite extensive:
- May be harder for your child to make friends and have a proper social life
- Doesn’t make sense if they have to travel far to make it to uni
- They still live at home with you, which adds to your energy bills, etc.
The only way this makes sense as a student accommodation choice is if you already live close to a university, your child is willing to pull their weight at home, and they may do a lot of their studying online anyway.
University Halls
When most students go to university, they pick university halls as the accommodation option for several reasons:
- It’s a great way to meet new people
- It throws them right into uni life
- It’s normally the “cheapest” accommodation option outside of staying at home
The idea of university halls is that they are managed by the university itself, which means all bills are included in the rent. Some halls are way better than others – you can get some really awful places in some universities that almost resemble prison cells, and that’s not an exaggeration. You definitely lack comfort here, but most students still opt for this as a choice because it is the best way to really immerse yourself in university and to make new friends.
As well as comfort being a big downside – many halls make you share bathrooms with other students – the killer disadvantage is that this option is usually only open to new students. First-years will normally have to find another accommodation choice when they move into their second and third years.
PBSA (Private Purpose-Built Student Accommodation)
If you want the all-around best accommodation option for university students, then PBSA is probably it. There’s only one possible downside – which we’ll talk about in a moment – but this type of accommodation is fantastic because it gives your child a very comfortable place to live. The key here is that PBSA is literally built for students, so everyone staying within the building will be a student who goes to one of the nearby universities.
Already, this offers ample chances to make friends, but as shown on the Host website, private purpose-built student accommodation also comes with all-inclusive bills and additional services. In other words, the price you pay every week will include all of the following:
- Wi-Fi and broadband
- Utility bills
- Various other amenities
On that last point, amenities can include social areas for students to gather and socialise, study rooms, games rooms, on-site gyms, rooftop gardens, private dining suites, on-site shops, laundry facilities and more.
This type of accommodation usually looks like a block of flats, and there are so many new options out there that look really nice, and any student will be happy to live there for a few years. While some students tend to either stay at home for their first year or live in halls, PBSA is usually a top choice for the second year. That being said, if it makes sense financially, PBSA is a brilliant option for first years, too.
What about the one downside? It’s basically just the costs. You might find that the weekly cost of staying in PBSA is too much for your child, but it all depends on where in the country they’ll be living, as well as the cost compared to other student accommodation options nearby.
Private Student Housing
There will be lots of landlords out there who rent out properties to students near universities, and this is an option that divides opinions. Realistically, student housing will never be luxury student accommodation, nor will it be anywhere near as comfortable as PBSA. It’s almost like living in halls, but with slightly better amenities and maybe a bit more space in your room.
First-year students don’t pursue this option as they normally need to rent a house with some other friends to make it worth the costs. This means it could be a great choice once you’ve established a friend group for the second or third year. Private student housing can be affordable, and most landlords include energy bills in the rent, but it’s the most independent option out there.
In other words, your child is responsible for looking after the house and keeping it clean – which doesn’t usually happen because, well, there’s a bunch of uni students living together. With PBSA and halls, cleaners usually come to maintain the property, so that takes the responsibility off the students’ shoulders.
So, a great choice if your child has friends they want to live with, but a bad choice if comfort is their main priority.
Private Rented Accommodation
The last option is not ideal for any student, but it still exists: private rented accommodation. In other words, this is the same as going out and renting a flat or house. It’s not purpose-built for students, and this means they have to pay for utility bills and everything else. There’s absolutely no reason your child would want this choice, but it’s worth knowing about just so you can steer clear.
Which option is the best for your child? Well, you’ll have to sit down with them and go through the choices before deciding. A lot depends on what university they’re going to, what they hope to get from university, and whether or not you’re both happy for them to stay at home. Talk it over, weigh up the pros and cons, and you’ll soon find the best option.
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