Issues for living in
Living in comes in more different versions than a bunch of Bibles translated by dyslexics, but not every university offers all of them. Far from it. Usually there’s a ‘choice’ of just one or two different options.
When we say ‘choice’, what we mean is that students (especially before they arrive at university) don’t always get asked anything beyond ‘do you want to live in?’ They might just get dumped somewhere.
In particular, students who arrive through Clearing are more likely to get dumped wherever’s available on a last-come, last-served basis. Another good reason to avoid Clearing.
It’s worth checking out how much say you have in the matter before choosing a university. Do your options, for example, extend beyond whether you live in or not? Ask:
- Can you choose to pay for the cheaper options or do you have to pay for whatever you get dumped in? (For instance, you may be willing to trade the en suite shower for the extra tenner a week.)
- Can you choose between the different types of housing?
- Can you choose between the different individual buildings within the types?
- Can you choose whether to share your room or not?
- Can you choose single or mixed-sex arrangements?
But first, what are the main options?
Last updated on: 21 May 2008