Journey to student accommodation: exploring the why’s and the how’s!

Hi, I'm Jubeda, a first-year international student studying BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering at the University of Bradford.

Student accommodation is a topic strongly associated with university students. If we're being honest, how many of you have thought about how to look for a place, and what to do when you move in? Have some of you wondered what the benefit of living away from home is?

Well, in this blog we will tackle all those questions.

Why a student house?

This is the obvious question.

There are many benefits of living in a student house. It is near the campus, which reduces the need to travel far (and you can sleep in longer as well). Not only that, you are surrounded by other university students which makes it easier for you to make friends, join different events and socialise.

When living away from home, you gradually become independent and learn responsibilities that you might not have if you had stayed at home.

Personally, moving to a dorm was the best decision for me as an international student; it was both cost-effective and allowed me to be in a campus environment which made it easier to settle in a new country.

How to look for accommodation?

This task may seem daunting at first but don’t despair. There are plenty of resources available all around which will aid in your search for the perfect house.

Firstly, look on the university website. Most of the time, the university will have information on student accommodation in the city and if not, will usually recommend good student housing associations that can aid you in your search.

There are many websites like Homes for Students, SpareRoom and Amberstudent, that can help you in your search.

Pro tip: always try to have an in-person view of your place before you pay the deposit.

The accommodation checklist

So what to do when you are ready to move into your new place? Here are a few things I think are useful:

1. Bedding

Be well prepared in terms of bedding as it's one of those things you might not realise you need. Bringing your own pillow, duvet, and bedcover, amongst other things, will allow you to have a good sleep on your first night.

Believe it or not, most student flats don't provide them! 

2. Food

If you choose to stay in self-catering accommodation, it's a good idea to bring some light, ready-to-eat food. This could be something like bread and jam to eat for breakfast the next day.

3. Picture frames and stuffed animals

It helps to have some sentimental pieces in your student accommodation. Things like picture frames, stuffed animals and books will make your new space feel more like home.

4. Decorations

To personalise my accommodation to my tastes, I decided to bring some cheap decorations like fairy lights. Adding a bit of your personality to the room really helps you settle in.

What not to bring

Now I will tell you something you do NOT need to bring; pots and pans. I made that mistake, which made my luggage even heavier. When I got to my accommodation, I found out that I could have easily bought these from local stores, or even ordered them online at a much cheaper price.

That’s about it - I hope you feel a bit more prepared to start your new adventure!

Discover more about accommodation at Bradford.