Belong Blog | Newcastle University

What is student accommodation like?

Written by Susie Woods | Nov 21, 2020 12:27:52 PM

If you’re thinking about going to university, are you wondering what it will be like to live away from home?

This blog will give you an insight into living with us, and how we support our students.

Read on to find out more about our accommodation – where you could be living if you join us, what your room could be like, what facilities you’ll have and how you’ll be supported to stay safe, have a great time and settle in with us.

 

Contents:

  1. What accommodation is available?

  2. What are the different room types?

  3. What are the facilities like?

  4. How much does university accommodation cost?

  5. How do you apply for accommodation?

  6. What support is available?

 

What accommodation is available?

If you join us at Newcastle, you’ll be able to choose from:

  • University-owned accommodation – owned and managed by Newcastle University and staffed by our dedicated teams
  • managed partnership accommodation – owned by a private company, but run in partnership with the University

Based across our student villages - Park View and Kensington/Park - each of our residences has its own distinct character. 

All our accommodation is self-catering, in prime locations in or near the city centre and surrounded by handy shops and places to eat. 

Private accommodation – owned and managed by private landlords – is available in the city, but doesn’t feature in this blog.

 

What are the different room types?

Our residences offer shared accommodation, which means you’ll have your own bedroom, but share a communal kitchen and living areas with other students.

All bedrooms include a bed, desk, chair and wardrobe. Our washbasin rooms have their own private washbasin, sharing toilet and shower facilities with flatmates. Our bedrooms with en suite facilities feature a private pod bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet.

Find out more about our accommodation, here.

Our residences are accessible to all, and we also have accommodation which has been specially adapted to include wheelchair access, adjustable beds and desks, Braille kitchen equipment and other facilities to support students with particular needs or disabilities.

 

 

What are the facilities like?

Both our University-owned and managed partnership residences feature some great facilities.

Stylish and social open-plan lounge/kitchen/dining areas in shared flats are ideal for getting to know flatmates. Kitchens are well-equipped and on-site laundrettes mean there’s no reason to take any washing home!

Communal gaming areas and TV rooms are perfect for chilling out and having fun, while some residences even have their own on-site gym.

If you want to study at your halls, some residences have on-site computer clusters or quiet study zones.

Our residences are safe, too, with entry-phone systems and CCTV. Staff are on call 24 hours a day and most residences provide on-site support during office hours.

Our free SafeZone app also means students can get in touch with University Security at any time of the day or night.

 

How much does university accommodation cost?

How much you’ll pay depends on the type of accommodation you choose, its communal facilities and your room’s facilities.

At Newcastle, our accommodation is affordable, with residences to suit every type of student budget.

Our fees in University-owned accommodation include heating, electricity and water rates, as well as WiFi – making it easier for you to budget. Managed partnership fees do differ, but you can find out how much it costs to stay with us in the descriptions of each of our residences.

 

 

How do you apply for accommodation?

To apply for accommodation, you must hold a firm offer to study with us. There’s no rush to make us your firm choice – we know choosing a university is an important decision and shouldn't be rushed. 

Applying for your accommodation is straightforward – find out more here. We don’t process applications on a first-come, first-served basis – check out how we allocate rooms here.

 

What support is available?

If you join us, we want you to have the best possible University experience. To help you settle in, our ResLife programme has been designed to support you during your first year of living away from home.

Each student village has a dedicated ResLife team which also works across many of our other accommodation sites, organising social events such as quizzes, gaming and movie nights which help create a friendly and fun community vibe.

ResLife also runs skills sessions including 'life hacks' for cooking and cleaning, and offers one-to-one support, so there’ll always be someone around if you need to talk.

 

Want to know more? Why not read Molly's story to find out what it’s really like to live in University accommodation?