March 12, 2020, by International students

A guide to choosing accomodation

Congratulations on receiving your offers to pursue your higher education at the University of Nottingham!

It is now time to start considering the various accommodation options available for your first year of life as a student at the university.

Selecting the right accommodation during your time at university could seem like an important and daunting task with the plethora of options available on- and off-campus. Most of us prioritise different factors when selecting accommodation that is the most comfortable and/or convenient for each of us individually.

I would highly recommend that you explore the official university accommodation section on the website

Below is the list of accommodation options for undergraduate and postgraduate students looking to stay at or near the University Park Campus or Jubilee Campus, along with links to the official pages.

(PG: postgraduate; UG: undergraduate)
You can navigate to the fees and contract terms through the links provided above.
Additionally, it would be helpful to make sure that the accommodation that you select from the above list is close to the necessary education and administrative buildings which would be most useful for you.
University Park Map
Jubilee Campus Map

Since applications for accommodation have opened up recently, here are some key points for consideration to help you narrow down your top choices as well as submit your applications as early as possible to secure the right room you can call home for the next year.

Convenience
Wouldn’t we all love to live somewhere which is perfectly situated; with everything we need just a stone’s throw away from our rooms? I know I would!If you are staying on or near University Park campus, you need not step out of the campus for almost all or any of your needs. The Portland building on University Park Campus has a Spar shop, a Boots, a bank, a salon, Starbucks and Portland Coffee Co., a bar, a Blackwell’s bookstore, Portland Clothing Co., a food court, a radio station and a music library, in addition to other administrative services.

You also have a Boots Pharmacy located at the Cripps Health Centre located right next to the Cripps Hall, for all your healthcare needs.
There are also enough bus stops on campus to catch the hopper buses to get to anywhere within University Park Campus or to other campuses easily, as well as buses which take you to the city of Nottingham and back.If you are staying on or near the Jubilee Campus, there is a Spar and Café Terrazzo at the Exchange Building. The Sports Centre also has a Starbucks. Right outside the campus you will find a Co-operative shop (2-minute walk), Lidl supermarket (2-minute walk) and a Tesco Express (5-minute walk). You will also find a Dominoes, Subway, Greggs, a Chinese restaurant and multiple other eateries. However, in case you need to get to the city centre or to the University Park campus, you will find buses leaving the Exchange Building taking you to the city centre within 10 mins and to the Portland Building at University Park within 5 minutes.

Cripps Health Centre

While staying in off-campus accommodation near Jubilee Campus, you can take the L12 bus that takes you to the University Park campus within 5 to 10 minutes, and is free for students.

Expenses
During your time at university, it is natural to try and save on monthly or weekly expenses. One of the best ways to try and do so is to make sure your accommodation is affordable. All the options mentioned in the table above are specifically for students and are accompanied by student friendly fees/rent. Additionally, the bills for monthly expenses, like internet or electricity, are all included in the amount of fees you pay, making these options extremely convenient and relatively inexpensive.

However, sometimes living in private accommodation right outside the university campuses could also be relatively cheap options in case you miss out on or opt out of the accommodation options highlighted above. If you would like to explore living in private accommodation in student areas near the university campuses, I would highly recommend checking out the following links to find out more about how the university can help with the same.

Undergraduate Students

Postgraduate Students

House hunting advice

Students’ Union House Hunting Guide

Comfort
In order to call a place home for an entire year, your accommodation should be comfortable. Comfort can mean different things for different students. This will depend on your priorities. In the table above, if you follow the links of the individual accommodation, you will find key information, which could be very useful in helping you decide which living situation would be the most comfortable for you.For instance, if you prefer quiet accommodation, most halls on-campus will have a time after which it is preferable to have noise levels reduced. However, if you are an undergraduate student living on university park campus and would like to live in an especially quiet accommodation, I would recommend considering Lincoln Hall, which is especially designed for quiet living and is centrally located in University Park Campus.

Lincoln Hall

I would also highly recommend that each of you check the links of the accommodations individually, to see the room types on offer, and those that you would be most comfortable living in. For instance, if you prefer en-suite rooms, located inside Jubilee campus, and don’t mind sharing your kitchen with 11 others, Melton Hall could be a perfect fit for you, as it has been for me. However, if you prefer to have fewer people to share a kitchen with, I recommend you to check out the off-campus accommodation options outside Jubilee campus which have different options for flats with shared and en-suite rooms, as well as studio options for those who want a personal kitchen as well.

Melton Hall

Social life
University life can sometimes get very hectic with demanding lectures, tutorials, coursework deadlines and exams. It is very important to live in a social environment to not only have people around you when you feel the rigour of your individual courses, but to also to make friends and spend some time relaxing with your friends. Living in accommodation with a vibrant social atmosphere can be an important consideration for most of you.If you choose to live on-campus, you can rest assured that you will be living amongst peers in the same situation as you and can enjoy your time at university, building a strong network of friends. Some accommodation options even have their own bars or are very close to one!

If you choose to live in any of the off-campus accommodation options mentioned in the list above, you need not worry, as each of those establishments come with their own social student vibes which are equally vibrant and multicultural as compared to their on-campus counterparts.

Safety
The University of Nottingham and its accommodations take security very seriously. If you are staying on-campus, you can rest assured that the security team on campus will be there to assist you at all times throughout the year. You need not worry if you are staying off-campus too, you will have the accommodation monitored at all times by the security available at each accommodation.Additionally, the university also organises sessions where the students living on- or off-campus can attend and find out more about safety and security, to make their lives easier during the academic year.

Nightingale Hall

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