To get quality student accommodation in Oxford, you must follow the right steps to avoid getting stuck in unfavorable situations.
This is crucial when considering the challenges many faces regarding student accommodation.
According to Times Higher Education, a student survey has found that a quarter of complaints to landlords about poor housing conditions are never dealt with.
The whole idea this article wants to communicate is how you can get cheap student accommodation in Oxford. The table of content will reveal in detail what you will learn.
Table of contents
- Why Pick Student Accommodation in Oxford?
- What Should I Look Out For Before Picking a Student Accommodation?
- How Much Does Student Accommodation in Oxford Cost?
- What are the Types of Student Accommodation in Oxford?
- How to Get Student Accommodation in Oxford
- Cheapest Student Accommodation in Oxford
- What Scholarships Offer You Accommodation in Oxford?
- FAQ On How to Get Student Accommodation in Oxford
- Conclusion
- References
- Author’s Recommendations
Why Pick Student Accommodation in Oxford?
Oxford is one of the biggest cities in London. The last census recorded that this city has over 154,000 people.
This city is home to the prestigious University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking words. In this city, there are a lot of ancient buildings which have been used for research in the construction industry.
Oxford is the place where a lot of car production companies have found solace. Technological and brewing industries have grown their businesses in this city.
Apart from their exceptional educational institutions, there are amazing tourist centers for tourists who want to enjoy a great vacation.
Read more: The University of Oxford Acceptance Rate.
What Should I Look Out For Before Picking a Student Accommodation?
Before choosing any student accommodation in Oxford, you must ensure they meet your requirements. There usually is a list of things you should watch out for when choosing this accommodation which includes:
- Distance to School
- Access to the Internet
- Peacefulness & Safety
- Space
- Price
- Leisure
Distance to School
You must find accommodation that is not far from your school. Mostly, you might need to do certain things on campus, and you wouldn’t want to be taking the long bus ride every time.
Accommodation close to your school is advantageous and beneficial as well.
Access to Internet
The Internet offers access to a wide range of information. When you want accommodation in Oxford, you must ensure you find a place with internet access.
Peacefulness & Safety
Living in an unsafe neighborhood is usually very uncomfortable. You usually have restricted movements.
Although Oxford is safe, it doesn’t stop people from causing problems. Hence, you must protect yourself by living in a safe and peaceful environment.
Space
Space is important. You can use the space within your environment for whatever academic activity you choose. So, when looking for good accommodation, ensure it is spacious.
Price
A good number of accommodation places in Oxford are costly per se. It can cost you almost your tuition, especially when you’re not under any UK scholarship.
So, you must consider the accommodation price to see if you can keep up with the rent.
Leisure
Finding comfortable accommodation is vital. You must ensure any place to plan to reside in has the right facilities. Furthermore, you can check their accommodation types, which we will discuss in the latter part of this content.
Read more: How to Get Student Accommodation in Liverpool.
How Much Does Student Accommodation in Oxford Cost?
Considering the quality of educational institutions in Oxford, you should probably not expect accommodation to be cheap.
According to Brookes, accommodation in a shared house in Oxford costs on average £80 – £110 per week. You should also expect to pay an average of £25 per week for gas, electric, and water bills.
Most students opt to stay in halls for their first year and then choose to move to a shared house for the remaining years of their course.
What are the Types of Student Accommodation in Oxford?
Before you can choose the best type of accommodation in Oxford, you need to find out the available types of accommodation.
These accommodations include:
Private Halls
A private hall is basically the property of a third party and not the institution. The institution can often partner with a third party to run the hall.
As a student, you pay your rent, which also covers the utility bills. You can share studio rooms and communal spaces in a private hall. A lot of students love private halls because of the distinct features they offer.
Self Contained Flat
A self-contained apartment or room is a single room with a toilet, bathroom, and kitchen. Although it doesn’t usually afford you much space, it offers you privacy.
Flat
A flat is a housing unit similar to a self-contained, but it has just one difference – more rooms. Essentially, a flat can have about two or three rooms in addition to a sitting room, kitchen, and bathroom.
Bedsit
A bedsit is a one-room apartment with a bedroom and sitting room. More so, cooking facilities are within the space to make cooking easy.
House
A house offers you the space you need as a student in Oxford. This accommodation is important, especially when you’re moving with your family.
Homestay
A homestay is a good place to accommodate yourself, especially when staying for a short period. Furthermore, you also love the company of a family around you. Although homestays are nice, few students opt for them because of safety and lack of trust in the families around them.
Read more: Top 10 UK Scholarships For International Students.
How to Get Student Accommodation in Oxford
When considering how to get the best student accommodation in Oxford, you have to make a lot of considerations. Your preference will greatly influence your choice of accommodation.
Generally, to get student accommodation in Oxford, you have to:
Leverage Student Home Websites
Walking through the streets of Oxford in search of student accommodation is unnecessary. You can basically leverage platforms that will give you the information you need regarding the available accommodation options.
Platforms like Accommodation For Students make finding the right accommodation option easy. There is a wide range of accommodation options you can choose from.
Find out the Accommodation Cost
As much as you might have your preferences for accommodation, you must also ensure you have the right budget for it. Furthermore, a lot of residential places might have the same features and very different prices for them.
So, you must find out the cost of the accommodation type you prefer. This will help you get your student accommodation in Oxford faster.
Visit Residence Facility
Graphic and pictorial representations might not always tell the full story. So, before you consider getting an accommodation space, you must tour the facility. In your tour, you must ensure basic amenities such as electricity, water, and internet are available.
You can always demand a tour from the property manager before you pay.
Complete Documentation
Immediately you sign the documentation with your Landlord; it legally binds the two of you. And you can move into your residence after then. Always ensure you read through the clauses before you sign.
Cheapest Student Accommodation in Oxford
As much as we are focusing on the student accommodation places in Oxford, we want to look at some of the cheapest student accommodation you can find in the city of Oxford.
These places include:
#1. 5-bed house, East Oxford
Location: St Mary’s Road, Cowley, Oxford.
Price: £138 p/w per room
This apartment is a five-bedroom house within walking distance of Oxford University, Oxford Brookes, and many other amazing places.
Every room has a double bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, and a desk & chair. Furthermore, there is a kitchen, living room, garden, and street parking (for two cars).
#2. 5-bed house, Cowley
Location: St Mary’s Road, Cowley, Oxford.
Price: £138p/w per room
This apartment is a five-bedroom house within walking distance of Oxford University, Oxford Brookes, and many other amazing places.
Every room has a double bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, and a desk & chair. Furthermore, there is a kitchen, living room, garden, and street parking (for two cars).
#3. Slade Park
Location: Horspath Drift Way, Headington, Oxford
Price: £169p/w per room
Slade Park is an amazing student accommodation in Oxford, offering many features.
They have fully-furnished cluster flats and self-contained studios. Each flat has within4-6 bedrooms with a lounge area and an ell furnished kitchen.
When discussing pleasurable living, you remember their community space with a central courtyard, pool table, and a TV room.
They frequently host social events for students in this residency, which is always fun and interesting.
#4. Between Towns Court
Location: 13 Between Towns Rd, Oxford
Price: £169p/w per room
Towns Court boasts stylish en-suite rooms in shared apartments or studios with your mini-kitchen.
Each room has a double bed, spacious storage, a workspace, a mini-kitchen in every studio, and a shower room.
#5. Student Castle Oxford
Location: Osney Lane, Oxford
Price: £210p/w per room
At Student Castle, all the rooms have amazing designs with beautiful bathrooms, techy kitchens, and private studios.
Some of the key features of this student accommodation space include a large common room, study room, outdoor seating areas, free on-site gym, sunken lounge television room, and superfast wifi.
What Scholarships Offer You Accommodation in Oxford?
As a student at the University of Oxford, certain scholarships can foot your accommodation costs.
According to OX, the scholarships include the following:
Crankstart Scholarships
If you are a UK resident studying for your first undergraduate degree and your annual household income is £27,500 or less, we will offer you a Crankstart Scholarship.
This includes a non-repayable bursary worth up to £5,000 per year towards the study and living costs.
The Crankstart Scholarship provides access to funded internships to develop employability skills, volunteer opportunities, and social and community-building events.
Oxford Bursaries for UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) students
If you are a UK student, or an ROI national living in the UK or Ireland, from a lower-income household studying for your first undergraduate degree (or Graduate Entry Medicine) and are not eligible for, or do not take up, a Crankstart Scholarship you will be eligible to receive an annual non-repayable Oxford Bursary to help with the costs of studying and living in Oxford.
FAQ On How to Get Student Accommodation in Oxford
Oxford is generally an expensive place to reside as a student.
Yes. Accommodation costs in Oxford are 20% cheaper than the price in London.
Oxford is a very safe place to live as they have low crime rates.
Many students in Oxford live at Headington, making it a popular student accommodation location.
Yes. The University of Oxford has dorms, especially for its first-year students.
Conclusion
There are a lot of comfortable student accommodation places in Oxford. Your choice will basically depend on your personal preference and your budget.
As a new student, you can get accommodation within your school’s campus, so you don’t need to rent a room outside the school. However, good accommodation can help you perform better academically.
References
- Times Higher Education – Student accommodation concerns often ignored, finds a new survey
- Accommodation For Students – Accommodation at Oxford
- Travel Trade – Accommodation Types
- Wikipedia – Oxford
- Brookes – Living costs
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