Finding your home away from home

Choosing your accommodation

When choosing your accommodation, I recommend going on the open day tours and researching what you like so you can feel comfortable in your new setting, away from home. It is an exciting opportunity in first year to be randomly put with a new pool of people to socialise with, so no matter what accommodation you choose you will meet new friends.

The University of Birmingham has a vibrant and sociable campus, which feels lively and community-orientated. There are big open spaces which make it an attractive environment for studying, relaxing and socialising. The campus has a cohesive feel with many facilities within walking distance. This is a huge factor into why I love the uni so much, getting to explore and walk everywhere was a priority for me over having to get the bus or commute far to get to campus.

The Vale Village

There are a wide variety of accommodations to choose from, so you can decide on your preference for cost, bathrooms and location. The Vale is the most sociable student housing location with the most housing on offer. It is very green, with wildflower patches and the lake is lovely and peaceful. I always felt very safe on the vale and walking around campus which was an important factor for me. In summer, many student groups have picnics and gatherings on the vale, as it has a lovely view point over the lake and a calming atmosphere to de-stress from exams.

Pritchatts Park Village

There is also Prittchatts Park which is a closer walk to the Medical School. Therefore, many med students and nurses may choose this for ease of a quicker walk, with daily lectures. Alternatively, there is accommodation closer to Selly Oak instead of Edgbaston, such as Metal works.

What did my experience look like?

On results day, once I had confirmed my decision to study, I got a follow up email to guide me on when and how to book my accommodation. I was assigned a day and a time slot for when to log in to the portal and then sort my accommodation. As mentioned, I already researched at Open Days and online at each housing option. A key factor is if you want to have an ensuite or shared bathroom. 

I knew I wanted to cook my own meals as I enjoy it and I could find cheap food options in shops such as Aldi. Whilst on placement, I would have to be independent and cook for myself as I would miss the ‘meal times’ in the shared dining area, which is where there was an opportunity for sit down meals. I also decided to go home every month, which meant I could get some freezer meals and snacks to save costs. I took all of these factors into consideration when I choose my first year accommodation. 

I chose to live with my friends who were nurses in my second year house which was one of the best decisions I could have made. I found this super helpful being on the same schedule, as the course dates are longer than most other university courses, so it meant I was not in the house for long periods of time, alone. Additionally, as these girls are also nurses, they had more understanding of the unsociable hours whilst on placement. They understood the work-life balance with our shared routines which I appreciated, especially the early wake-ups for shifts, and the night shift hours which can be isolating and unsociable at times.

Student Living Plus

The university also offers some accommodations to have student living plus, which involves weekly money being put onto your student ID card to spend at the university shops and cafes. This can be really helpful to help budget food costs, without the stress of setting aside money. If you choose different housing that does not automatically have student living plus, you can always start the scheme mid-way through the year if you would prefer that strategy of budgeting and splitting your money.

Tips for house hunting

I would recommend looking early in October or November for housing so you can find the most suitable house for your budget and what you are happy with. There are a wide variety of housing companies to choose from which is helpful so that you can find the most suitable house option for you. Some housing companies add bills packages into the contracts, whereas some allow you to choose your own bills package. Using comparison websites to compare different bill packages and by contacting companies helped us to find a suitable and cheap option that had everything we needed in it.