How To Choose The Right Postgraduate Accommodation In London
Let’s face it: there’s a lot of postgraduate accommodation in London for you to choose from. But, with hundreds of options and lots of similarities between them all, how can you know which is right for you? After all, you’ll likely be spending a good chunk of your time there - so you need to feel at home, comfortable and happy that you chose the right place.
We’ve put together an explanation of the big three options available to you, as well as some questions to ask yourself to help decide which is best for you.
Types of Postgraduate Accommodation Available in London
Before we jump in, it’s good to have an understanding of the options you have when looking for postgraduate accommodation, particularly in a busy city like London. You may know for sure that you want to rent privately, or have no idea whatsoever - so going through your options and understanding the pros and cons of each is a good first step.
University Postgraduate Halls
Much like you probably experienced during your undergraduate education, most universities will have some purpose-built halls reserved for postgraduate students. Postgraduate halls are often separated from undergraduate halls, meaning that you’re less likely to be disturbed by fresher antics! However, your university is unlikely to have accommodation available for every postgraduate student, so competition may be fierce and prices may be high. It’s worth doing some research into the options your university provides to see what is available.
PROS:
Generally close to your university and its facilities
You’ll be surrounded by other postgraduate students
Cheaper than renting a one-bedroom flat privately (particularly in London!)
CONS:
You may end up living with students who are studying the same as you, which could get a little too intense around exam time!
There may not be postgraduate accommodation available for all students
The cost of postgraduate halls tends to be higher than privately renting a shared apartment, or private halls
Private Postgraduate Halls
Similar in many ways to university postgraduate halls, private postgraduate halls are often purpose-built, but some (like Beaumont House!) are buildings converted into student flats. The big benefit of private postgraduate halls over university halls is the friends you’re likely to make: rather than living with students from your university (perhaps even studying the same thing as you), you’ll meet students from all across London and make a much wider circle of friends. Private postgraduate halls give you a lot more choice over where you live, how you live (shared or private rooms) and who you live with.
PROS:
Wider variety of students living with you
Much more choice over where to live
All utilities and other bills are included in the cost
CONS:
Might be a little further away from your university than university halls
You’ll have to do your own research about the options available to you, rather than just using your university accommodation
Some halls might not provide private rooms, so you might share a room with other students (which might not be a con - there are benefits to sharing rooms!)
Private Rented Accommodation
The other option for postgraduate students is to rent privately, on the open housing market. This gives you a lot more flexibility to choose where you stay and what type of housing you want, but in a city as busy as London the housing market moves incredibly quickly and there is a lot of competition for accommodation - and even higher competition for moderately-priced flats suitable for postgraduate students! You can choose to rent through an estate agent, directly through a landlord, or find flatmates and choose a house-share option. A lot more flexibility than private or university undergraduate halls, but also likely to be more expensive (and more stressful to find!).
PROS:
Flexibility to choose the perfect location
The option to remain in your postgraduate accommodation after your studies if, for example, you find a job locally
Much more variety to find your ideal home
CONS:
Potential to incur costly estate agency fees when signing up for a tenancy
You’re likely to be responsible for utilities and other bills yourself, rather than being included in the costs (as they are in private or university undergraduate halls)
As you’re not necessarily living around other students, there’s a risk of noisy neighbours disturbing your studies!
Which Accommodation Is Right For Me?
Now that you know the big three options available to you, you might have an inkling as to which one will suit you best. If you do, that’s great! Get Googling and see what you can find. If you still have no idea, here are some questions to ask yourself to narrow down your options…
How close to my university do I need to live? If you’re attending lectures or classes every single day, you probably don’t want to commute into university - so focusing on a 2 or 3 mile radius around your campus is probably best. If you’re fairly hands-off with your learning and don’t need to visit campus every day, you might prefer to look a little further out and focus on the nearby amenities, rather than how close you are to your university.
How sociable do I want to be? Let’s face it, we’re all different. One of the biggest defining factors is how sociable we like to be: whether we like to be around people all the time (you’re an extrovert), or prefer to be in our own company more often (you’re an introvert). When it comes to choosing your postgraduate accommodation, this is a big factor to consider: whether you would prefer to live alone (or at least, have your own bedroom/space) or whether you’d like to live around people. If you really prefer your own space, a privately rented studio or one-bedroom apartment is probably your best option. Otherwise, if you enjoy being around others, you can choose between your own bedroom in university postgraduate halls or share a space with others in private postgraduate halls. Check out the advantages of sharing a room if you’re on the fence.
How much can I afford to spend? This is another big deciding factor! Generally, London is an expensive place to live, even for students. And your biggest expense is likely to be your accommodation, so carefully calculating your budget is a wise idea. Your budget is likely to narrow down the options available to you when it comes to choosing your postgraduate accommodation. Don’t forget: if you’re renting privately (not through your university or private halls), you’ll probably need to add on utilities and other bills on top of your rent costs!
How much does interior design matter to me? This might feel like an odd question to ask yourself, particularly as a student, but there can be a huge visual difference between postgraduate accommodation options. If you ask yourself this question and realise that you would like to live somewhere aesthetically pleasing, then private postgraduate halls (like Beaumont House!) or private apartments (at the higher end of your budget!) are likely to be your best options. If you aren’t fussy about what your accommodation looks like, the world (or at least, the city) is your oyster.
I’ve decided what I need from my postgraduate accommodation: what now?
Now it’s time to get out there and start looking! Often, the best first point of call will be your university’s postgraduate admissions office. They’ve likely dealt with every question under the sun before, and can point you in the right direction to find exactly what you’re looking for. London is a big place, but they’ll know it inside and out and be able to help you.
If you’ve decided to rent privately and need to find housemates to live with, places like Spare Room and Roomster can help. Then, you’ll need to start checking in with estate agents and landlords in your chosen area to find the perfect accommodation for you and your housemates. Try using sites like Zoopla to search in a specific location - you can even filter by cost and specific amenities if necessary.
If you’ve decided private postgraduate halls are for you, we can help!
Beaumont House might be your perfect accommodation. We have 1 bed, 2 bed, 3 bed and 6 bed rooms, all with access to shared communal areas - and all our rooms are beautifully decorated! We’re less than 5 miles from Imperial College (2 miles), University of Westminster (3 miles), University College London (3 miles) and King’s College London (4 miles) and in an ideal location for accessing the rest of London, too:
2 minutes walk to Bayswater and Queensway tube station
Within walking distance to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for recreational activities
There is a Pure Gym, just a one minute walk from Beaumont House, which offers a student discount
Under an hour to Heathrow International Airport via Heathrow Express
10 minutes walk to London Paddington Railway Station, Paddington underground tube station and Edgware Road
Excellent bus and underground transportation
10-minute walk to the famous Portobello Market
Find out more about our postgraduate accommodation options here, or drop us a message if you want to know more.
