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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Student family accommodation in the UK

36 replies

StudentMomma · 18/11/2025 17:19

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any expirience of 4 bedroom student accomadation in the UK. I know a few university’s offer family accommodations, so I’m thinking of that route when I do my PHD and my husband does his BSc and our eldest does her BSc. We also have 2 other children who will be college age and high school age.
I can’t find prices online, so prices and any info on them would be amazing. I’m just doing my ‘5 year plan’ so looking into PHD plans.

thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
StudentMomma · 18/11/2025 22:25

I am very aware there is a lot of ‘what ifs’ this isn’t a solid plan we have. Just something I was looking into. Also, my daughter suggested this for emotional support whilst she doesn’t uni. She can still get the uni expirience whilst having the safety net of having her family super local.

OP posts:
Original poster
StudentMomma · 18/11/2025 22:23

I did see York offer family accommodation, and the PHD I want, and the BCs my husband and daughter want, plus the college course my son wants and a high school a 5 min drive away. So it would be like winning the lottery if we got the places and accommodation.

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mamagogo1 · 18/11/2025 22:23

Most universities do not offer university owned accommodation to PhD students, they instead have accommodation information for private landlords and some (one i specifically know of) allows incoming PhD and masters students to rent halls in august and most of September whilst they search. Family accommodation is very limited and tends to be for undergraduates and not 4 bed either. Some cities are significantly cheaper than others, but perhaps your dc will want to go elsewhere.

Original poster
StudentMomma · 18/11/2025 22:22

So my daughter suggested this, she doesn’t want to live in halls unless she can come home if she gets anxious or her ptsd is triggered. So she won’t be living in a possible ‘family accommodation’ just our younger 2 kids. And if we don’t all get accepted we won’t go ahead with the plan, we won’t all only apply for 1 university. Thankfully we live within 30 mins of 4 different universities, so if this plan can’t happen they’ll go to local unis (different ones to each other) and I’ll likely have to either do a crazy commute or live away from home whilst studying which as a mother, the idea of living away from my kids makes me feel sick to my stomach. It’s quite difficult to get a PHD course in the sector I’m looking at. So this was just a ‘Hopeful’ plan.

OP posts:
LucyJoanCarlyle · 18/11/2025 22:21

There's some family accommodation at the University of York, OP - but it's limited in quantity (especially for families who need 2+ bedrooms) and probably only for a year, unfortunately!

HewasH2O · 18/11/2025 22:08

But what if you don't all get accepted at the same university?

& what if your DD doesn't want to live with her parents when she's at uni?

Family accommodation tends to mean either a couple who are students in a studio flat or parents with young children often studying overseas.

Original poster
StudentMomma · 18/11/2025 22:03

I’m a uk resident and always have been, I’m not looking for family accommodation as an international student.
I just read about family accommodations in the UK today, and I wanted to look into them so I can widen my search when studying for a PHD. I don’t want to leave the UK, just hoping we could move to the uni that accepts us all (myself, my husband and our eldest).
Also, thankfully my eldest will be starting (once she’s finished college) the same year I start my PHD, my middle child will be starting college at that point so he’ll start college the same year we start studying at uni, our youngest will be in year 9 and is a very social happy child and is happy to study in a new school during the rest of her high school and college. So we’d all apply for education local to the uni/area we pick.
I hope that makes sense.
I have looked into private rent, but the prices are crazy high, plus they are unfurnished (we want to keep our home, my sister in law is gonna move in and pay the bills ect as she’s living with her mum and sister at 30 so she’s excited at the opportunity to live alone for a while), which makes things difficult as we aren’t taking our own furniture.

OP posts:
Geneticsbunny · 18/11/2025 20:06

It's most likely that you would need a private rental but you might struggle to meet the requirements for the credit check as the only income you would have might be a PhD stipend and you won't be able to afford to rent a 4 bed property on that. You might get away with paying a whole year's rent up front?

They have also clamped down on students bringing family with them so it may be the case that your children may not be able to get a visa.

TessSaysYes · 18/11/2025 19:53

Check Zoopla for your guide. Won't uni accomodation be at market price in any case?

Arlanymor · 18/11/2025 19:24

It's all about the location to be honest - and what happens with the sixth form and high school options for the youngest - are they having to move in the middle of their studies? There are private landlords that specialise in this - John Winter in Cardiff for example - but you really need to work out a location that works for everyone first, because if you can find a place that fits for all then it might be in an area where there are not specialist providers.

LIZS · 18/11/2025 19:16

I would consider the ages your dc would be and what sort if school you need. Age 14-18 could be tricky. I think most would be private rentals. Edinburgh as an example owns some subsidised rentals for its students but a limited supply and really set up for sharers rather than families.