Which unis have accommodation after 1st year?

[Au79]

I gather that most have to rent privately after Year 1, but not Oxbridge? Anywhere else?

[MrsChollySawcutt]

I think most students want to rent privately after a year in halls.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

Edge Hill

[Helenluvsrob]

Most will have some older students in halls but first years are prioritised. Could often apply to live in hall as a helper / minder/ befriender type person. Most seem to have some of these scattered about. .
Why would your student want to though? Is special needs a consideration? If so I assume reasons for needing more support would be prioritised.

[SallyOMalley]

I know many students at York who have stayed in College throughout their degree (I work there!).

[MarchingFrogs]

I think you really just have to check the policies of the individual universities in which you are interested. Would not being guaranteed halls after first year cause your DC to totally discount a university which otherwise ticked all the boxes?

[Au79]

Thanks MyDC and Sally, I’ll look at those. Yes my DC does have some issues. Just starting to think about uni, doesn’t know the exact course she wants, and had already opted to live at home, and we live in London so that would work. Though I think it just seems like 3 more years of school if she does that. but a visit to an Oxbridge college with school got her interested. I know that is unique, but I wondered if there is anywhere else that has a similar “feel” of belonging. Plus hearing my colleagues' horror stories about accommodation, including one who had a breakdown, quit course and came home in 3rd year, and is still there. So yes, it is a priority. My older DC was only interested in the course, didn’t even visit her possible unis, and will be fine in any accommodation. Horses for courses.

[TheThirdOfHerName]

DS2 is someone who might need to live in university-owned accommodation throughout the course, due to his ASD.

For each of the universities he is interested in, we have researched online to find out whether this would be possible. For Oxford, the answer varies between colleges, so we looked up accommodation for each college individually to find out.

[MarchingFrogs]

Having scanned a few universities' arrangements, inviting returning students to apply, not guaranteeing a place but prioritising those with additional needs / returning from placement year seems to be the norm, e.g. Lancaster:
www.lancaster.ac.uk/facilities/accommodation/news/2017/returning-students-2018/

In the majority of universities, it is very much the norm to move out in second year, though, so if staying in halls, your DD will likely find herself with another group of random strangers again in second year, to be balanced against the 'security' of living in. It depends on which aspect(s) of moving out she is most concerned about, I suppose.

[donajimena]

A lot of the students on my course went into private halls for the second year. Studios are available around 150 pw.

[Needmoresleep]

OP, one advantage of London students being scattered, is that social life tends to be focussed around campus, not Hall/student flat. London is big enough that there are lots of layers, so student London is competely different to school London. DS had a great time. Plus living at home saves money. A lot we know live in hall for their first year and then return home. Some (UCL, Imperial, LSE from memory), guarantee student accomodation to all first years.

[Piggywaspushed]

May not be the type of uni you are after but Huddersfield does.

[Stopyourhavering64]

St Andrews

[Squirrills]

York.
They have just extended the campus hugely and have a lot of capacity.
DS stayed in halls the first year, private rental the second year and back on campus the third year.

[Au79]

Thank you I really Appreciate ALL the answers even Huddersfield, which makes me smile. Every time we go out of London but especially north, both dds say How nice it is and why does anyone want to stay in London! In a surprised tone of voice.

I feel if she were Male, she would be easily diagnosed ASD but she wouldn’t want to pursue it, at least atm. She grits her teeth and gets on with it, but basically has a horrible time every time she goes anywhere overnight even relatives. No way will she be sharing a room for example like I had to.

Nice also to know London won’t necessarily be the damp squib I imagine! I used to work at UCL and pitied the students compared to my uni experience, but I didn’t actually have any contact with undergrads so maybe I was mistaken.

Also better watch Oxford in case she takes a shine, to make sure she knows it not the same for accommodation as Cambridge.

[gruber]

How about Royal Holloway? Still a “London” university, they have recently invested in accommodation and 3rd years can apply for halls, not sure about 2nd year. Might be worth considering - it’s a campus university so small and (fairly) enclosed, but on the mainline to London I think.

[BackforGood]

Quite a lot of student accommodation is changing. More and more universities have privitised their halls. A lot are MUCH posher than accommodation even 10 years ago, let alone 'back in the day' when many of us were at University and a lot more expensive. Some places (Liverpool for example) have a lot of 'halls' for all years. Others tend to be more 'shared houses'.

as has been said above though, in a shared house in 2nd year, you choose who you share with. If you stay in halls, you don't, and get a whole bunch of new people the next year.

[LostInLeics]

I would also recommend Loughborough University, both for the support available for students with additional needs, and for having loads of accommodation available for 2nd and 3rd year students. There is a very strong Hall spirit, and students are positively encouraged to stay on in Hall or return for their final year as part of this.