The first thing you may want to do is ask your university about the accommodation they can offer. You should make sure you are aware of any application deadlines as university accommodation is very popular and can get booked up quickly. You don’t have to live in university accommodation as there are lots of private accommodation options available to you too.

The Secretariat is unable to find accommodation for you or make recommendations, but we strongly advise you to look into all available options and give careful thought to how much you wish to spend and how far you’re willing to travel to university each day, before committing to an accommodation contract. Your university may have a housing advice service and you should approach them for advice on both university and private accommodation in the local area. Some universities and local councils run their own accreditation schemes for private housing ensuring that the accommodation meets a minimum standard and that tenants are treated fairly.

Be wary of any scams that rogue landlords use to try and extort money from international students.  Be cautious of sending any money to someone that you don’t know, haven’t met, and for any property you have not had a chance to view yourself.  Using local letting agents is one way to find accommodation and checking to see if they are accredited with Propertymark or Safeagent will give you a little bit more protection and assurance.  If you are looking at private housing then please seek advice from your university housing service or Students’ Union. For independent housing advice, the UK housing charity Shelter also offers advice.