Should you live in student accommodation or commute to university?

By Nandini Sood Updated Apr 24, 2023

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Introduction
Living in student accommodation on campus
Commuting to campus

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Many universities give students the option to live in university-owned student accommodation for part of their degree, whether that’s on campus or in the city. While lots of students choose to live in student residences, it’s not the only option as living in private accommodation or with family can also have its advantages.

As an international student at the <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-british-columbia" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">University of British Columbia</a>, accommodation was guaranteed in my first year. I was fortunate to live in university accommodation for my second year as I worked as a residence advisor, and then moved into private accommodation for my third year.

Having experienced life on campus in student accommodation and commuting to classes from further afield, I think there are pros and cons to both. Here’s everything you should know to make the right decision for you.

Living in student accommodation on campus

Whether you choose to study at a campus university or in the city, university-owned accommodation tends to be in walking distance from your classes, the library and student events. This means you save time and money because you don’t have to commute.

Instead, you’ll be living in the middle of everything you could need as a student, from grocery stores and cafés to restaurants and launderettes. Plus, living near the university buildings means it’s much easier to visit your lecturers or support staff when you need to. It can also mean you’re less likely to skip classes because you can roll out of bed and into the lecture theatre within a few minutes.

Living in university accommodation makes it a lot easier to make new friends when you first start your studies. Living in the same flat, bumping into each other in the hallway and hanging out in communal areas make it more likely to meet people.

After class, I often go for coffee or dinner with my coursemates and I don’t have to worry about having far to get home at night or waiting for buses to get me there.

In addition to the social benefits, university residences sometimes offer additional services for students like dining halls, on-site grocery shops or even room cleaning. Some universities also provide welfare supporters dedicated to supporting students to feel safe and happy in their homes.

I played a part in supporting students’ wellbeing while working as a residence advisor. My role involved planning social events, checking in on students and helping with anything they needed. Something I miss the most now that I’m not in university accommodation is a dining hall that provides home-cooked food at affordable prices.

Choosing to stay in university accommodation is very convenient, although it can sometimes feel busy or noisy. Different residences will house different numbers of students per flat. In some student accommodation, you can expect to share with up to 10 students. It can also be more expensive, due to the location and the additional services on offer.

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Commuting to campus

While living in university-owned accommodation on – or near – campus has its benefits, commuting to university comes with its advantages too. When I moved off campus in my third year, I was initially very wary of commuting but after making the move, I got the hang of it pretty quickly! My house is a 10-minute walk to the bus stop, followed by a 15-minute bus ride.

There are lots of reasons why students might choose to commute to university, such as if you live locally or have family you can stay with, although even international students choose to commute from further out of the city.

Living out of the city means you’ll have the opportunity to rent larger apartments or houses, and you’re in charge of how many people you want to live with, and who.

If you don’t know anybody yet, most countries have websites where people post spare rooms in house shares or full homes to rent. You can often choose to stay indefinitely or with a rolling contract, whereas university accommodation often requires you to vacate your property after one year.

In my experience, renting a room in a house share or even a full house with friends works out cheaper than booking student accommodation as an individual, which means having extra money to commute to university and for other living costs too.

If the city you choose to live in has a good transport system in and out of the centre, with frequent buses and cheap travel costs, commuting can be just as easy as living in the middle of campus. Plus, you might choose to live in an area of the city that you prefer, with more independent shops and a quieter social life.

Having lived off campus for a year, managing my own bills and learning how to live as a professional, I feel like I’ll be more prepared for life after graduation. When living independently, I can make my own rules and schedules too. I’ve found that in some student residences, there are rules about being quiet after a certain time and how many people you can have to visit in your room.

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