Are you an international student staying in a hosted homestay accommodation or at a university halls of residence? If your course lasts for more than one year and you are in a room at a halls of residence then you will know that you will need to vacate after your first year is completed.
These days, it’s never too early for students to look for accommodation. That’s because there are so many different college courses of differing length, and many students may also only attend for the early or late part of the academic year.
Consequently, there is a constant traffic of students competing to find a suitable level of single standard accommodation or house shares. At the start of 2016, for example, the number of full-time undergraduate applications, had increased by 0.2 per cent compared to the same time last year, according to UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, UK).
The growing demand from overseas students to study at UK universities and colleges of further education means they increasingly find that there is a shortage of affordable, quality student accommodation. As many as 3 in 4 students now look for accommodation in the private sector. Despite warnings over falling numbers caused by the Brexit effect, it’s estimated that the number of international students applying to the UK is still expected to reach more than one in five by 2018.
One of the best options for starting and finishing a period of study at any time
With students searching for accommodation all year round, if you are not already safely booked into a host family house, it’s never too late to apply. Hosting organisations will carefully match homestay accommodation providers with the requirements and specified preferences of each individual student applicant.
As a result, it’s probably now one of the best options for all types of students starting and finishing their period of study at any time in the academic year. The family hosted rent-a–room scheme has always been a popular choice for those applying for English learning courses and the younger student living abroad for the first time. It’s almost always the case that they prefer a home from home environment – complete with laid on meal plans.
The flexibility of a hosted solution may not just be super-convenient for so many of today’s course applications, often it is nothing less than essential. Especially when it come to making late college applications. International students and temporary visitors are invariably required to comply with strict deadlines imposed by a college application system.
Nevertheless, a recent survey into student accommodation search behaviour reveals a complex variety of activity. For both students and homestay hosts, alike, the results provide a useful insight for those who are now planning ahead.
Are students searching at the right time to obtain suitable accommodation?
First year students, for example, are more likely to start their search for accommodation in the summer. First year international students, in particular, are likely to search for accommodation close to the start of the academic year as opposed to second year UK students who are more likely to start their searching in the winter months, beginning in November, January and February.
Not surprisingly, the peak time when nearly a third (30 per cent) of students actually found their accommodation was in August and September, with almost half of new students securing accommodation in the late summer. Postgraduate students are also more likely to find a place during this period, while 2nd and 3rd year students tend to find their accommodation earlier in the year.
But are students searching at the right time to obtain accommodation they considered suitable? Broadly yes – just over half of the students felt that that they started their search and found accommodation at the right time while around a third (32 per cent) said they were unhappy with the timing. Those students who were satisfied with their chosen accommodation were also the most likely to say that they believe that the timing was correct.
So what’s the key ‘takeaway’ from the various surveys? The search for decent, affordable student accommodation goes on non-stop, all year round because there is a continuing shortage. Importantly, the year that a student is in impacts the best time to find that room. Planning as much in advance as possible is vital. It could prevent long unhappy weeks or months of flat hunting disappointment, known to have a disruptive effect on studying.
Even if accommodation does get left to the last minute, it’s important not to panic. Rather than trying to deal with the nightmare of estate agents or private landlords, remember that a homestay accommodation is more likely to be instantly available – and located near to transport links to college, too.
It’s never too early to search for a room, never too late to book a homestay!