How we allocate your accommodation

All students who have applied for accommodation and have successfully met all of the criteria of the Freshers Guarantee Scheme are processed by the allocations software, which allocates students in a random order to their preferred accommodation based on availability at the time. As we have a number of accommodation sites, inevitably some are more popular than others. For each student, the allocations software will seek to find an available room which matches the preferences that students select on their application form. Where options are limited, the software will try to find the best possible match to to the room preferences and/or the students personal preferences.

Students that have an unconditional place at the University but did not meet the criteria of the Freshers Guarantee Scheme (insurance offer holders, for example) will undergo the same process following the allocation of all students in the Freshers Guarantee Scheme. In the instance where there is absolutely no availability, Living will advise of suitable alternatives.

The order of allocations is done randomly by an allocations software system to ensure fairness to all applicants.

All students who have applied for accommodation and have successfully met all of the criteria of the Postgraduate Guarantee Scheme are processed by the allocations software, which allocates students in a random order to their preferred accommodation based on availability at the time. As we have a number of accommodation sites, inevitably some are more popular than others. For each student, the allocations software will seek to find an available room which matches the preferences that students select on their application form. Where options are limited, the software will try to find the best possible match to to the room preferences and/or the students personal preferences.

Students that have an unconditional place at the University but did not meet the criteria of the Postgraduate Guarantee Scheme (those living in the UK) will undergo the same process following the allocation of all students in the Postgraduate Guarantee Scheme. In the instance where there is absolutely no availability, Living will advise of suitable alternatives.

The order of allocations is done randomly by an allocations software system to ensure fairness to all applicants.

Should you be offered a self catered room but wish to have Meal Plan, you can either request to be allocated to a Meal Plan location (depending on availability) or you can add Meal Plan to your accommodation contract.   

Meal Plan makes up part of your accommodation contract, and so if you are offered a Meal Plan room and wish to be self catered, you will need to request a room at a different location.  This is because meal plan accommodation is located together within the same buildings or blocks for a variety of reasons.  One significant reason is proximity to outlets where food is available (the majority of Meal Plan accommodation is clustered around The Hub at the Vale Village).  

Meal Plan is also a very social experience - a flat of six may choose to go to dinner together in Infusion, whereas residents of a self catered flat may choose to cook or shop together. This also ensures that flatmates who share a kitchen use those facilities in a similar way, and this helps to avoid potential conflict, such as whose responsibility it is to do the washing up - as all flatmates are using the facilities to more or less the same degree.  

We offer a transfer system for students who wish to change their accommodation for whatever reason, subject to availability.  The option to transfer begins in the middle of October, allowing students a couple of weeks to settle in and then decide if they still wish to change accommodation.  Students with more urgent issues are advised to speak to the Living team.  

Please note that there is a £50 administration charge for transfers which includes the change to the internet connection, cleaning and adminstration costs.  Please note that it is not possible to transfer from partner provider accommodation to University accommodation.