Accommodation cost at uni

If nautical I would look at Southampton, accommodation was reasonable though not overly cheap

Ah, I see other parents have just posted saying the same. Yup, that was a shock to me. And I'm the guarantor for dd too.

That's about right for many unis, OP.

Depending on family income, student maintenance loans can be a minimum of about £4500 (can't remember the exact amount) which obvs can go toward rent if needed.

And in second year you may have to rent a house for 11 months out of 12 (just done this for dd. No choice. Rental period goes from 1 Sept to 1 Aug the following year, even though she only needs to be at uni for 7 months.... 🙄😬)

Leicester Uni is especially cheap for accommodation.

First years are usually offered uni owned accommodation and you pay termly and definitely not all year.
Second year however when most have to go into private rentals, the contracts tend to be for the whole year.
My dd is first year Bath and her second payment goes out on Wednesday. Her maintenance loan went in on Saturday. Hers is, 2000 per term.That's covered by her maintenance loan and leaves about a 1000 over. Her private rental, already sorted for next year will be about 700pcm.
I also recommend WIWIKAU, parents all over.

Dd is second year (stem subject) at a uni on the south coast. First year was in uni-owned halls at £157 a week. That was from 1 September until the middle of July. So she paid for the holidays despite being home. Bills were included.

Now in her second year she is in a shared house in the town with 3 friends. Rent is £425 per month each. Bill work out at just under £95 a month each.
They are tied into their rental agreement from 1 September until 1 August, so will pay for holidays again despite being home.

That seems to be the same for many of her friends at different unis.

Hi OP,

It can be really confusing to figure out university if it's your first child, even more confusing if you never went yourself (I didn't).

There is a great website and Facebook book group called 'what I wish I knew about university' WIWIKAU which from what I can see, is mainly parents asking questions and getting a lot of support.

My DS js now in Year 2 at a non-London uni. First year was uni managed accommodation which is £640 per month from Sept - July (it included all bills.

Second year is a room in a shared house (4 of them). £480 per month plus bills. They had to rent that from end of July until end of July (so paid for a summer when they weren't there).

University accommodation tend to split the cost over 3 terms, just like a student loan is also split over 3 terms. So you pay at the beginning of each term when you'd usually receive your loan.

Aside from Oxford (and Cambridge?) I haven't heard of other universities offering term time only accommodation - for most university accommodation you pay for the whole academic year and you get to keep your stuff in your room and use the room over the Christmas and Easter vacation.

Most universities will offer a range of catered or self-catered, shared bathrooms or ensuite, accommodation. Many will usually guarantee that first years will get a place in university accommodation. The prices will vary depending on what type of accommodation you choose.
Also, distance from the university will be a factor in the cost usually.

I don't know what you consider cheap - certainly London is expensive compared to many towns or other cities. I don't think a full student loan only would be enough to live on in London, but doable in other places.

Are there courses or locations that your son is interested in OP?