The Complete Halls of Residence Guide for 2022

Going to uni is an exciting experience. Starting your adult life, meeting new people from all over the country, and of course living alone for the first time! Halls of residence is the standard way freshers start living away from home and it can be difficult to navigate amidst all the excitement. In our halls of residence guide, we walk you through all the information you need to make your stay at uni a success!

What Are Halls of Residence in a University?

A halls of residence is a block of flats that’s owned and organised by a university for uni students to stay at during their studies. Typically these halls of residence have completely furnished rooms with a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom. The standard rooms will usually include:

• Bed
• Desk
• Chair
• Wash basin

The rooms are organised into blocks, that have their own key, that will share a kitchen and bathroom, so these usually are quite big with multiple cooking surfaces and several stalls. Although this system of shared bathroom is still very common, en-suite bathrooms are becoming steadily more popular.

For the halls of residence, you will usually have a tenancy agreement directly with your university, rather than with a private landlord, and you’ll be given a reduced student rate on your rent compared to the housing market in the local area.

Check Out Our University Moving Checklist!

What Are Private Halls of Residence?

A private halls of residence is the same as halls of residence with a university, except they are usually rented out by a private company. These are typically much more expensive and there are more limited spaces for them, however you tend to benefit from much more privacy, such as a private bathroom and cooking facilities.

What is the difference between a dorm and residence hall? There’s not too much difference between a dorm and a residence hall. However, a dorm you will normally only find in boarding schools for secondary school and sixth form. A halls of residence is usually reserved for living on campus at a university. A halls of residence, since it’s for adults, is much more free and doesn’t have as rigid rules.

Self-Catered or Catered?

Some halls of residence offer a choice of catered and self-catered apartments. In self-catered halls of residence, you are expected to prepare your own food in the shared kitchen. You will need to buy your own food and cook it for yourself and your flatmates. This can be a great experience for making friends, and especially if you're studying in the UK from another country, you can share your cuisine with others.

In a catered halls of residence, you will get your food prepared for you from a canteen or a food hall. You will usually get breakfast, lunch and dinner and eat in the canteen. Sometimes you might be provided with a meal card that you use to get your meals so you don’t have more than you’re meant to!

There are advantages and disadvantages to both self-catered and catered, but in general the catered halls of residence option is generally more expensive. With self-catering, although you might have to learn how to cook, you’ll at least be able to control what you eat.

How Long Can You Live in Halls of Residence?

How long you stay in your house of residence will depend on many factors. Halls of residence are normally reserved for freshers starting their degrees and there are usually limited places available each year and you have to apply. Even when staying, whether you can stay throughout the holidays will also depend on your contract.

Term-Time Contracts

You can get a cheaper deal on your halls of residence if you get a contract that means you can only stay there during term-time. This means you’d be required to leave the halls of residence during the holiday.

Staying Out of Term-Time

If you have a contract for 49-51 weeks, you’ll be able to stay during the holidays. These contracts are usually a little more expensive than the shorter ones but you’ll have the option to come and go as you please. However, when your contract ends, you will need to make sure you’ve vacated the halls of residence completely.

Can I stay in halls during my second and third year? You can stay in halls of residence during your second and third year at university. Even though they’re reserved for freshers, second and third year students can apply when places open up again. However, if you are a second or third year student, you will not be given preference when it comes to being offered a room and you shouldn’t put all your eggs in that basket!

Do You Have To Pay for Halls of Residence?

Just like with a rent contract, you will need to pay for your halls of residence for your stay there. However, the payments are not usually made every month like with a private landlord, and you are expected to pay a sum every semester. If you receive a maintenance grant, you can use that to pay for your halls of residence.

How Much Are Halls of Residence?

How much you pay for halls of residence is based on a lot of factors. The university will set the rate that you pay based on the rent prices in the area, however they will usually be offered at a discounted rate. In London however, you’ll be expected to pay much more than other halls of residence students.

Do I Have To Pay Bills for Halls of Residence?

Although if you go for a private halls of residence, you’ll likely need to pay bills, in university halls of residence all your bills are generally all included. Some halls of residence might charge you extra for internet and broadband or to upgrade the speed!

Utility Bills in Halls

If you’re renting privately, you’ll need to set up your own energy bills. Your private landlord will probably have told you about which is your electricity supplier and asked you to call to set it up in your name. In reality, you can switch to whoever gives you the best deal!

Whether you’re privately renting or are renting from a university-owned halls of residence, you will need to get a TV licence if you’re planning on watching live broadcasts or iPlayer from your room. Many students think that they’re covered by the TV licence at home, but this isn't the case so you need to sign up as soon as possible.

It’s also a shame that there are no discounts for students on their TV licence, however you can ask for a refund once your year ends.

Check Out Our TV Licence Guide for Students!

Broadband in Halls

If you’re renting from private halls of residence, you might have to set up your own broadband. Fortunately, unlike energy, you are likely to find some good student deals that will provide a way of ending the contract earlier when you leave your halls.

If you are in a university halls of residence, your broadband and internet costs are normally included, however you might find the option of paying slightly more to get access to faster speeds.

What About Council Tax?

Student halls of residence are exempt from council tax, even in privately rented halls. This can also mean that if you are not living in halls of residence, the homeowner or main renter can have a look into getting a discount on their bill.

Check Out Our Council Guide!

Which University Has the Nicest Halls of Residence?

According to University Compare, the rankings for the best halls of residence in the UK are ordered based on recommendation and an overall accommodation score. Here are the top 5 university halls of residence for 2022: