June 11, 2018 / By: Dustin Rennie

Student Accommodation Tips

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Student Housing

Leaving home for college is exciting as you look forward to your new-found freedom and meeting new people. But there is one slight headache, and that is finding accommodations and student housing. This is more so if you are a foreign student. It is never a guarantee that you will find accommodation in the student halls. Your budget, social preferences, and friends could also see you looking for alternative accommodation off-campus. Here are a few tips to help you find accommodation faster and more cost-friendly options.
 

Student Halls

Ideally, this is the easiest accommodation option. Undergrad halls are usually shared rooms of two occupants. Student halls are fun to live in as you get to meet a variety of characters from all sorts of backgrounds.

Many learning institutions offer separate accommodation for Masters and Ph.D. students. These are often single-occupant rooms in quieter halls. Student halls are usually the cheapest option. You can take the charge for the whole year and divide by the number of months to compare with rents off-campus.
 

Shared Accommodations

The other affordable alternative is to get into a flatshare arrangement. This is where you share a house with other people. This is usually a group of friends but not always so. The cost of a flatshare varies depending on the amenities available. Before getting into a flatshare arrangement there are few things you should find out:

  1. What is the landlord taking care of?
  2. How are chores shared out?
  3. What is the guest and pet policy?
  4. Is cooking done communally, and sharing food and drinks?
  5. How are common bills like electricity shared out?
  6. What is the arrangement of entertainment in the common room?
  7. Were the other people in the house known to each other before?

A flatshare arrangement can be very affordable if you are already in the more affordable parts of town. The only fear is getting into shared accommodations with incompatible people or a group that is not very keen on paying bills and playing their part in keeping the house habitable.

Shared accommodations off-campus do not have the restrictions that you face on campus. The hours to come in depending on what you agree with the others. You can keep a pet is it is not a nuisance to the other people in the house.

 

Social Media Connections

If you can't find accommodation in the student halls, head to your Facebook and look for groups discussing the accommodation. There will be several people looking to get into shared accommodation.

Look up the internet classifieds for the area near where your college is located. There is bound to be plentiful ads on affordable accommodation.

If you are looking for student accommodation or student apartment rentals in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Abbotsford or Surrey contact Mainstreet Equity Corp. to learn about our student housing incentives.