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16/08/22

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Renting

Student guide: Moving into university accommodation

Once you’ve secured your place at university, the next step is to start thinking about moving.

It can be daunting.

After all, you could be moving to a new town or city and fending for yourself for the first time.

Being organised is key – and we’re here to help.

“We know university can be overwhelming and can feel really lonely sometimes,” says Martin & Co’s Managing Director Eric Walker

“It may be your first time sorting bills and having to plan your own meals without your parents to fall back on.

“Our favourite trick is to hunt your university halls down on Facebook.

“There are so many groups to help you find your flat and course mates before your even get to uni.”

This student guide reveals everything you’ll need to do before you move to university and includes a handy checklist of all the essential items you’ll need to take with you.

What to do when you’ve secured your university place

It’s never too early to start planning for your first year at university – and the sooner you can start, the easier everything will be.

Here are some key things you’ll need to do before you start your new university adventure:

1. Sort out your accommodation

Most first-year students stay in their university’s own halls of residence or approved accommodation.

But renting a property off campus through a letting agent is also an option if the university’s halls are full, or you simply prefer being off campus during your downtime.

Whichever option you choose, arranging where you’ll be living quickly is key.

University halls fill up quickly, while private rented student accommodation is popular with existing students who often arrange where they’ll be living months in advance.

When deciding where you’ll live, you should think about:

Costs, catering, and extras

Halls of residence rent varies in cost depending on location and what’s included, as well as room size and whether you have an en-suite bathroom or share with other students.

Think about what you need and how close to campus you want to be, and whether these needs are achievable within your budget.

Most halls include electricity and water within the rent, but you’ll also need to consider:

TV licence and streaming costs
Contents insurance

If you rent privately, you’ll almost certainly be living with other students in a shared house, which could include bills within the monthly or weekly rent – but not always.

For properties where bills aren’t included, you’ll need to think about how you share the cost of gas, electricity, water, and broadband with your housemates.

Location

Do you want to be close to your campus for lectures, or would you prefer to be further away?

Living further away from campus could be cheaper, but you’ll need to think about how you’ll travel in for lectures.

Facilities and extras

Some halls are self-catering, meaning you’ll be able to cook what you want to eat, while others are offered on a catered basis, which means your breakfast and evening meal will be provided.

Halls of residence rooms sometimes come with added extras, like a cleaner, university bus pass, or even a gym.

2. Get your finances in order

Sorting out your finances might not sound like much fun, and you’d probably be right.

But budgeting for the academic year that awaits you is an essential part of preparing for university life.

Set up a student bank account

UK banks offer some great incentives to open a student account with them, meaning you could benefit from discounted eating out, a free railcard, or even free cash.

The most important thing to look for from a student bank account, though, is a 0% interest overdraft.

Most student account overdrafts are phased in over your time at university, so in year one you might have an overdraft of £1,000, followed by £2,000 in year two and then £3,000 in year three.

Always read the small print before opening an account and check for daily charges if you exceed your overdraft limit at any time.

Arrange student finance

Depending on your parents’ household income, you could be entitled to government-funded student finance.

Arranging student finance can take time, so ensure you make enquires as soon as possible.

Each nation of the UK has its own student finance arrangements, so start by searching for ‘student finance’ and then add ‘England’, ‘Wales’, ‘Northern Ireland’, or ‘Scotland’.

3. Arrange your travel

Think about how you’ll travel to lectures, especially if you’re living off campus, and how you’ll get home during the holidays.

Discounted rail travel

Discounted rail travel for students could save you a lot of money if you’re planning to use the train to get to lectures or travel home regularly.

Look at a 16-25 Railcard, which could save you one third on rail travel while you’re at university for an upfront cost of £30.

Car travel

Some university halls of residence have restrictions on cars, so if you don’t need your car with you at university, it may be best to leave it at home.

Public transport

Look into bus routes to and from campus and find out if your university or halls offer a student bus pass.

Bike or on foot

If you live close enough to campus, a bike could be a great option for getting to and from lectures.

Some universities offer bike loan schemes, so you may not even have to buy a bike.

Alternatively, you could choose to walk to university if you’re living close enough.

4. Make early contact with your course mates

The days of walking into a packed lecture hall and knowing nobody are a thing of the past thanks, in the main, to social media.

Take some time to get to know your course mates or the people living in your halls online before you start at your new university.

The best place to start is Facebook, where there may be Freshers groups or pages related to your course or university.

Do some searches and see what comes up.

5. Cook up a storm in the kitchen

If you’re not a great cook, learning some of your favourite dishes before you set off for university is a great time to start.

Look online for simple recipes and practice them before you move into your student accommodation.

You’ll be glad you did – and so will the other people in your halls when you cook up something stunning for them, too!

6. Draw up a list of uni essentials

It’s never too early to start thinking about packing for uni.

And to help you out, we’ve created this comprehensive list of essentials for university:

Uni room essentials

Bedroom items

Duvet and cover
Pillows and cases
Mattress protector
Bed sheets
Hangers
Alarm clock
Clothes drying rack

Kitchen items

Cutlery set
Plates
Mugs
Chopping knifes
Chopping board
Glasses
Food storage tubs
Bottle opener
Large wooden spoons
Large and small frying pans
Cooking pots
Tin opener
Peeler
Grater
Baking tray
Oven gloves
Tea towels
Washing-up liquid
Sponges and scouring pads
Bin bags
Tin foil and clingfilm

Bathroom items

Large bath towels
Hand towels
Soap
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shampoo and conditioner
Shower gel
Toilet roll
Brushes and combs
Hair straighteners
Hairdryer
Make-up essentials
Small first aid kit
Razors and foam
Ibuprofen or paracetamol
Personal medication
Sanitary products
Small mirror

Electrical items

Laptop, charger, and protective case
Tablet, charger, and case
Memory sticks
Mobile phone
Phone charger
Multi-block extension lead
Printer and spare ink
Headphones
Speaker or voice assistant
Games console
Spare batteries
TV

Key documents

Passport
Driving licence
University admission confirmation
Accommodation acceptance
Student finance documents
Insurance documents
Spare passport photos
Vaccination record
Medication details
Student discount cards and railcard

Your university packing list

Clothing

T-shirts
Shirts
Casual tops
Dresses and skirts
Jumpers and knitwear
Gym clothing
Jeans and trousers
Coats
Underwear
Socks
Gloves
Hats
Trainers
Shoes
Flip flops or sliders
Watch
Swimwear
Handbag

Stationery

Pens and pencils
Scissors
Stapler
Highlighters
Writing pads and notebooks
Diary and planner
Binders
Printing paper
Post-it notes
Course reading material and textbooks

Download your university checklist PDF

We’ve produced a handy checklist for you to download, so you can tick off everything you’ll need to take with you to uni and won’t forget a thing!

Download