Pros and cons of different types of student accommodation

At American universities, you will also have the option of ‘pledging’ to join a fraternity or sorority, organisations centred around principles of friendship, networking, charity, and leadership.  

Living in a fraternity or sorority house means having a bedroom in a very large, shared house, often with luxurious communal spaces. 

One major draw to living in a fraternity or sorority house is the enhanced sense of family and community which is not found in other accommodation types. However, they can be an expensive form of accommodation and are only really recommended for students who are keen to be involved in the wider social life of the house, with parties and events frequently hosted by the fraternities and sororities. Private halls of residence 

Outside of the university campus, private companies build halls of residence for any student living in the city. They have the same format as the on-campus official university halls, some studio rooms and others with private and communal spaces but will often cost more. 

However, this cost is partly justified by the inclusion of greater facilities, for example a games room, gym, or movie theatre.  

Halls owned by companies such as Unite Students can be found in most UK cities, including The Bridge House in Edinburgh which is located near Edinburgh Napier University. 

Compared to the on-campus option, private halls will often be further from your classes, so students will have to walk or take public transport.

It is common that students will only stay in halls of residence for the first year of their studies. After that, many choose to rent privately with a group of friends. Students may choose to privately rent a large apartment or a house that is fully furnished, contains bedrooms, bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen and is ready to move into. 

A draw to privately renting accommodation with others is that students can choose who they live with and find somewhere suitable for your budget. 

An obvious drawback to privately renting is the location. Although students might benefit from the option to budget and find accommodation that is cheaper, more affordable housing options will often be further away from campus.  

Students can also run into problems renting with private landlords such as maintenance issues at the property. If there are any issues, you will need to resolve them personally rather than being able to speak to the university. 

It is less common, but some students choose to rent somewhere privately alone. This will generally be a studio or small apartment, ideally with full amenities such as a kitchen, bathroom, furnished bedroom and living space and laundry facilities. 

Privacy is a desirable draw towards renting alone for students. Living alone will allow them to create their own routines, spend time with friends at times that suit them and not have to consider roommates when they use the communal spaces. In comparison to sharing rented accommodation, renting alone can be a lot more expensive. Living alone means that you will be solely responsible for not only rent but all bills and groceries. In addition to this, like other off-campus accommodation, there is the issue of location. More affordable apartments will likely be located further away from campus, meaning that you will have to commute.  

Finally, even though privacy is a benefit of renting alone, the potential for loneliness and isolation is a definite disadvantage. 

For those who enjoy living in a family environment, home sharing might be a good option. This is when a family advertises a spare room in their house for a student to rent. The specific arrangements for a home share can differ depending on the student and the family. Groceries, house rules and access to a bathroom and living spaces will vary but should be explained thoroughly in the home share advertisement. 

Some people benefit from living within a family environment instead of alone or with roommates. It is these people who may prefer living in a home share. Being around a family, even if it is not their own, brings a sense of community and structure. It can also be a very affordable option. Living within a family home means that the student will only be renting a bedroom and occasional use of the communal areas.  

The main difficulty of living in a home share situation is making sure that you maintain a level of respect for the time, space, and privacy of the people that you live with. House rules will vary depending on the specific situation and so any student considering living in a home share should make sure that they thoroughly understand the family’s rules and expectations before considering making an offer. 

Finally, students have the option to stay at home while they study if they are studying at a university close to their current place of residence. This is a popular option for older students who already rent or have purchased a home, for students who are married and/ or have a family or for students who wish to continue living with their parents while they study. 

 The biggest advantage to staying at home while studying is that there is no extra accommodation cost. University can be expensive and so making sure that money is spent as wisely as possible is an important consideration for many students. Also, some people benefit from or need to remain with their families for a variety of reasons. It may be because they are carers, or responsible for younger siblings or possibly because they have a spouse and/ or children of their own. In any of these situations, staying a home while studying may be the best option. 

In contrast, it is important to note that staying at home may not be an option for all students. For those who have unstable living situations, moved abroad for their studies or those whose families are unable to financially provide after they turn eighteen, staying at home is not possible. It may also lead to a lack of socialisation with other students as, particularly in the first year of study, many students will begin making friends by talking to the people that they live with. Living far away from others at the university will make it this more difficult.