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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

St Andrews into 2021 (new thread)

944 replies

Newgirls · 11/12/2020 15:16

Ok can’t think of a catchier title! If anyone can send the other thread over here pls do!

Prospective and existing parents etc all welcome here. Transport, accom, cloaks, choirs, beaches and more to be discussed. Next year will be better surely!

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Thread gallery
11
Doyourealise · 04/03/2023 09:10

fifelife · 03/03/2023 15:09

People are campaigning to get the ban on the issuing of HMO licences lifted, this ban has led to higher rents,the ridiculous situation of" locked bedrooms",students being forced to rent away from the town centre where they are competing with long term residents etc

Ah thanks. Hope it succeeds. Given the uni has shown no indication of lowering numbers of students and the first available new student accommodation is not likely until 2026, it's good to hear that this may happen. Wonder why no private providers of student accommodation haven't found anywhere to build in St Andrews?

Wbeezer · 04/03/2023 10:24

There are private halls in St Andrews, I think there are just not that many sites available, not many gaps sites etc

Eightytwenty · 06/03/2023 08:52

HMO lifting would likely have a huge benefit. Mean time Dundee students panicking about influx from ‘rich’ St A students.

Stockpot · 06/03/2023 10:39

What is it about the HMZo regulations that is causing the constriction of demand?

Monkey2001 · 06/03/2023 12:02

@Stockpot it is a rule to protect housing for local residents - to let to a household of more 2 unconnected people you need an HMO licence. If a normal family wants to rent they can't afford the rents students now pay!

Stockpot · 06/03/2023 12:22

I see. Maybe better to clamp down on air b&bs and protect both town and gown.

There are some very big hotels for the golfers.

fifelife · 06/03/2023 12:30

Except it doesnt protect housing for locals,few locals and even less families want to live in the centre of town,all this has done is push up rents across the board ,you have the ridiculous situation of "locked unused bedrooms" when there is a housing shortage and it has led to students competing for properties in "the badlands" with local families,what really would help is a restriction on airbnb..

Monkey2001 · 06/03/2023 17:06

My understanding is that the main problem is that the university knocked down Albany Park and increased student numbers at the same time. There are lots of students living in the residential areas of St Andrews, of course they would rather be in the centre, but there just is not enough accommodation for the increased student population. My son is in the "badlands" in a what would be a family home if it was not an HMO, and they are surrounded by other students.

In years gone by, all the students applying to stay in halls in 2nd and 3rd year were successful, they were even given a discount if they booked for 2 years or more, but the university did not have space to take in 1,000 more students.

Stockpot · 06/03/2023 19:37

Very frustrating! I looked it up and found this:

www.thesaint.scot/post/cost-and-supply-problems-delay-start-to-albany-park-construction

Stockpot · 28/04/2023 18:39

Has everyone managed to sort out accommodation for September?

We put a deposit down in the Winter, but it’s unclear, when she will get the key! The previous tenant only needs to give one month’s notice. So we arent secure yet…

Original poster
Newgirls · 28/04/2023 22:55

No not sorted here

a y4 friend gave dd a tip to get her flat and rollos give it to someone else anyway… so dodgy

hopefully something comes up soon

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Stockpot · 28/04/2023 23:29

I’ll cross my fingers for your DD. I didn’t realise how difficult accommodation would be.

Monkey2001 · 29/04/2023 14:31

Good luck @Newgirls . I hoped it would start getting better as the Covid bulge goes through, but it is such a lottery. My DS leaves St Andrews this year and two of his flatmates are staying and hoped to move closer to town, but I think they have given up on that idea and have just found a couple of people to take over from the two graduating. Wish I had looked more seriously at buying back in 2020!

Eightytwenty · 29/04/2023 14:35

It is stressful. DS thinks he has somewhere lined up but no contract signed. And for the price of a London flag share (based on Newsagents pod cast about the crises of renting). Was tempted to contact them and say while it’s absolutely bad in London - at least the people there are working!

Lerouge · 29/04/2023 16:51

My DC has somewhere lined up, but also hasn't signed the lease yet - will relax when this happens. It is really stressful - and must be doubly so if you are an international student and nowhere near in the summer to secure anywhere. Knowing what I know now, my DC could have taken a year out to earn some money for accommodation as it's going to really stretch us.

EachandEveryone · 29/04/2023 16:53

I know theres hardly any work there. My niece is finding it very difficult as its becoming more and more obvious that money talks and its just not her background. As much as she loves the uni she wouldnt choose to go there again. Its very sad as we are all so proud of her but the once in London is doing much better financially on her third year loan.

Original poster
Newgirls · 29/04/2023 17:06

The cost of rent is £££ in St. Andrews.

the one plus is if they get into halls it’s pretty reasonable

my dd works at home in the summer so that will help.

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Original poster
Newgirls · 29/04/2023 17:09

Each and everyone - sorry to hear that - there are pros and cons to every place and it won’t be for everyone that’s for sure. My eldest loves it but my youngest has no interest in applying there. What’s big city!

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EachandEveryone · 29/04/2023 17:30

shes smashing the course though and enjoys it and has met good friends. The London one went up for the weekend and couldnt believe there were no decent takeaways or places for bands to play 😃😃😃. Its London prices without the extra funding and housing. She will be working every day of the Summer holidays.

Monkey2001 · 30/04/2023 09:25

The funding system is too binary, lots of places (St A, Bristol, Bath, Durham, Manchester) are more like London in costs than Sheffield or Nottingham where there are loads of choices for £400/month (sigh!) The sad thing is that if costs continue like this, St Andrews will become a place that people on a tight budget cannot choose. @EachandEveryone I hope your niece has checked out the bursaries - when we went to an open day in 2019 they said that they did not get enough applicants to give all the bursaries they had. At that time there was an accommodation bursary which was just based on family income, but the website no longer seems to have the list of bursaries.

Stockpot · 30/04/2023 15:51

It feels like the long term solution to all this is for the university to sort out planning permission for the redevelopment of the hall lying empty. I am not sure why the town council would block it. Surely it benefits everyone for students not to be competing with townsfolk to rent.

Assuming everything works out, and I will breathe a sigh of relief when DD gets her keys, DD has ruled out a year abroad on the grounds that she doesn’t want to be looking for a place to live all over again in her final year.

Thats’s a serious distortion; as is your point @Monkey2001 that some DC may rule out SA’s altogether due to the shortage of accommodation.

Wbeezer · 30/04/2023 21:19

They are going to be turning the old Madras High school buildings out near Morrisons into a new accomodation block. It was in the Dundee Courier. Let's hope it doesn't take too long and is a budget friendly option.

Stockpot · 30/04/2023 21:40

That sounds positive!

Original poster
Newgirls · 01/05/2023 10:34

yes when the new accom opens this should all get resolved. They shut the old one just before the a level debacle so a perfect storm of not enough places. I think the longer dd holds out the less she will pay but it’s a bit unknown for my liking!

may dip looks fun and the pier walk. They do seem to have a lot of fun

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Wbeezer · 01/05/2023 12:51

They shut the old one in 2018, just before DS2 got his place.
This new development was a surprise to me, hadn't heard any rumblings of it before but the Madras building is a listed 60s job so it makes sense to use it, will be about 200+ beds I think plus some other useful facilities like study areas and a shop etc.