Accommodation

Finding accommodation in London will be one of the first concerns for many international students coming here to start a course. Some students, particularly those at the bigger universities, may be lucky enough to be offered a place in halls or flats owned by their institution but most colleges do not have enough spaces to offer this to all students.

It is wise to think about accommodation as soon as you know that you will be coming to London. Most halls of residence, whether university owned or independent, will receive more applications than they have rooms so you will need to apply early. Other types of accommodation, such as renting a room in a private house, can be difficult to arrange before you arrive in the UK but you should at least have a clear idea of what type of accommodation you are looking for before you arrive.

UKCOSA has an excellent guidance note on 'Accommodation for International Students' which talks about the different types of accommodation available and how to find it.

In addition to the individual housing providers listed in our hostels guide, the sites below all offer useful information on the subject of accommodation.


University of London Accommodation Office:

This service is primarily for students who are/will be studying at one of the colleges of the University of London. However the site includes useful general information including a guide to finding accommodation in the private sector and a guide to the different areas of London where you may consider living.


accommodationforstudents.com:

This commercial website offers a searchable database of private student accommodation as well as a range of advice sheets.


bunk.com:

Another commercial website offering searchable databases of available accommodation.