What to expect when the Uni accommodation window opens....

[frocksnogandbusters]

That's about it really....DD has accepted Lancaster as firm and their accom window opens tomorrow. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts or comments. DD has reviewed and got a list of preferences but is stressing that this HAS to be done immediately to ensure she gets her choice/one of her preferences. Thanks

She's right; ds has already done his accommodation choices and the best rooms (most expensive, ensuite) got snapped up within hours of the window opening. Good luck.

DS stopped up until midnight to make sure he got in early even though he won't find out until September

My DS applied for Falmouth but didn't apply on day one (as he hadn't accepted his offer by then). He couldn't apply for any of the room types he wanted as they were vastly over subscribed, and so didn't appear on the form, by the time he applied: so there were only shared rooms on campus, shared rooms 10 miles away or bunk rooms on campus.

We discovered that all the single rooms, whether on or off campus, had gone within the first few hours, (and the website had crashed) but that is unusual I believe, due to Falmouth rapidly expanding and not having sufficient accommodation to offer single rooms to all who wanted them (something we didn't know as it had not been made clear when we looked round).

He has a firm place (applied after A levels) so is definitely going there. He has now been allocated a shared room on campus - the location he wanted but not the shared room. We have paid a deposit and are hoping that once he gets there, single rooms may become available and he can switch if the shared room doesn't work out for him.

My DD applied to York as soon as it opened, but we don't get to hear until results day which of her choices she has got (apparently she applied for all 9 choices in order of preference, just in case...!)

Not sure I am being very reassuring here, but I would say apply earlier rather than later.

Thank you for speedy replies. So will it be an email with a link? And is it worth staying up or just get up early and hope email through then??

Check on the website as it will tell you the process

My DS is (hopefully) going to Cardiff Metropolitan and it was a link on the website. Four choices which he had to put in order.

If it is a link you might as well stop up now and get it out of the way.

Gas nothing on website it just says email will be sent out June onwards....have suggested to DD giving them a call or drop them an email tomorrow to see if they have more of a time frame. Seems a bit vague but I'm half expecting email in morning.

June could mean the 1st or 30th!!!

I have had a quick look website. To me it sounds like your DD will be in the first lot as she has already accepted but when that will be

Make sure she is checking her junk mail

Thanks Gas. Nothing through as yet. Having chatted with dh this morning he thinks Lancaster dish out accom once accom application deadline is closed which is mid July. They allocate after that... HOWEVER, myself and DD are on it and will get it done as soon as she gets email.
Junk box checked. Nothing.
Thanks for help

Ds has already done his and the window for firms closes next week. They prioritise scholars, unconditional offers and firms so he's hoping to get one of this top two choices (about 600 rooms) but not allocated until the window closes, so don't think it benefits to enter choices early.

some don't allocate on order of application - bath spa for example. so my son who had an unconditional offer got his third choice, despite applying early. this proved to be a blessing as most students prefer where he is to the first 2 of his options. so if they don't get what they want, tell them not to stress about it. if they really hate where they are, the accommodation office will often move them during the first few weeks of term as students leave hall/and or uni and free up spaces

dd stayed in on the day, at my instigation, she was going to apply at some point while at college
she had an email 3 weeks later.
we paid the deposit yesterday.

actually do the refund the deposit if something dreadful happens and she doesn't get it??

According to their allocation policy Cardiff Met allocate in order of application but there are three phases (the first phase being the unconditional offers). DS is in the second phase which the majority of students will be so hopefully his early application. The fact DS has firmed his offer doesn't seem to stand for anything.

Noah - I don't know if deposits are refundable. Does the website say anything?

They are all different.
Most of them have an order of priority allocation. Something like Firm, Insurance, Clearing and Adjustment.
Some also give priority to early applicants but certainly not all.
Many are not allocated until after results day and neither of my two have had to pay a deposit.
I guess what I am saying is read the Ts&Cs and small print on the uni web site.

More problematic is if they miss their firm and end up at insurance. Some unis allow insurance offer holders to apply for accommodation but many do not and indeed they can end up struggling for accommodation if they are insurance (Bath springs to mind).

All done!! Thank you one and all. The email landed about 3pm asking for two choices, submitted moments later. Lancaster allocate on day of results and its not on a first come first served basis. Happy household.....just need do revision, do exams and get grades feels like the easy stuff is ticked off!!