Do unis start making plans/allocating accommodation before the final decision deadline of 10 June?

[Bramshott]

DD1 is in the happy position of having all her offers in, knowing where she wants to go (Royal Holloway) and having an offer from there that she has a reasonable chance of getting.

However, she's very unsure which to put for her insurance offer, not having visited the universities. She's probably narrowed it down to Reading or Kent (both of which she's holding offers from). We managed a drive by and wander round of an empty campus at Reading back in the summer, but haven't made it to Kent yet which is much further from us. In order to properly consider it, she needs to see it really, but clearly that isn't possible right now.

Obviously she'd like to firm Royal Holloway sooner rather than later, but can't do that until she's fixed on her insurance choice. Starting to get worried (not right now, but if we're in the same situation in a couple of months) that she'll miss out on things like accommodation allocations if she waits right up to 10 June to reply. And in some ways it seems crazy to wait because she knows where she wants to go! But maybe nothing happens until after that deadline and I am worrying unneccessarily??

Any advice from someone who knows how these things work?

Congratulations on her offers! My dd1 is also struggling over choosing her insurance and she wants to wait till she has attended more virtual offer holder days before deciding.
Has Royal Holloway indicated that their allocation for accommodation starts soon? If not there should be no need to hurry. At ds's uni (not RH) he was able to apply for his accommodation in the spring but then nothing happened till exam results and places being confirmed; it had changed from giving priority on a first come come first served basis quite recently so made no difference how early he submitted his application, so long as it was before the deadline he had equal consideration.
Worth checking on RH website to see what their policy is.

Are they not guaranteed accommodation for first year at RH if they choose as first choice ? Most unis do this sort of guarantee and if so no need to worry as she will get an allocation.

Thanks for your replies!

I guess I am not worried about her getting left without accommodation but more that she may not get her first choice of halls. Good idea to check the allocation policy - we'll do that, and maybe even encourage her to email to check when things start happening on the accommodation front.

Snap!
I spent yesterday evening trying to figure it out with my dd too. After studying the 2 courses and looking up where students from both unis socialise she came to a final decision which is great.
Not Kent or Reading I'm afraid

@LeiatheSchnauzer, has your DD at least looked at the official campus walkaround linked to from the University Campus Tours page? There is another good tour on the university's Instagram page.

The campus is one of the more attractive ones I've visited - fortunately, I had been there for a campus tour with DD back in the summer of 2018, because although DS2 liked the look of it when we managed to book onto a tour between lockdowns back in October, it was nice to be able to assure him that it looked even more appealing without the howling gale and horizontal rain.

None of ours actually applied there in the end, but it's only c.75 miles away from us and quite a popular university choice from here; both DS1 and DD have friends who are or have been at Kent and enjoy(ed) their time there.

@MarchingFrogs - I think that was probably for me? Thanks for replying.

DD1 and I sat through lots of virtual open days and virtual campus tours back in the summer. The Reading one was very impressive, but she then wasn't that impressed with the actual location when we went there (the campus is lovely, but the city not that inspiring and it's pretty close to home). Unfortunately the Kent virtual open day was pretty poor, and the online campus tour is all looks inside buildings so has not been that impressed so far.

The situation is slightly more complicated than I'd put above, because actually DH and I both went to Kent so we know it well. Our hunch is that she'd like it if we can get her there, and that it would tick a lot of her boxes, but obviously we're standing back from any pressure or from saying too much TBH as she needs to work that out for herself! Actually I don't mind which insurance she puts down I just want her to try to make a decision!!

@Bramshott, funnily enough, DD felt exactly the same about Reading (the town). We also managed to be booked onto what must have been one of the year's quietest open days, which actually made the university feel a bit odd. We had a lovely lunch, though!

We're in a similar position. DD knows what her first choice is but won't firm yet because she's unable to choose the best insurance option without seeing the Universities. She's a few virtual offer holder days coming up, so I hope that will do the job. It's looking less and less likely that we'll get to do even a self-guided campus walk around. It would be great if, this year, they were allowed to firm their first choice and equity to add their insurance at the latest point.

Unis definitely start allocating accommodation once you firm and apply for halls. DD couldn’t do this till late March when her medicine offer came through. Come August, got none of her accommodation choices and the helpline folk told us that all her first choice hall had been allocated by January. She ended up in private hall which worked out very well but if you’ve got offers, my advice would be to firm as soon as you can to maximise chance of getting the room you want.

Different universities have different systems, though. Some use a live booking system, where you have your actual room allocation months ahead of results day. Some (Birmingham for example, unless it has changed recently) accept requests from quite early on, but only allocate the hall and room later, after results day (usually earlier for those with unconditional offers).

(For Bristol applications open on 11 May www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/undergraduate/guaranteed-applicants/timeline/ )

Some do some don't. Dd had friends who knew their flat allocation before they sat a levels

DDs first choice is mid May too. She'll firm both choices by then.

Thanks all - clearly we need to do some more research into how they do the accommodation allocation at Royal Holloway.

However, I totally agree with you @Fortyfifty - it would be fantastic if we could firm their preferred choice and have longer to decide on their insurance. Sorry to hear you're in this position too!

Part of the problem is that Kent does everything through their own applicant portal system, so there's no way of me checking when the offer holder virtual open days are, I just have to hassle DD to check! Understandably she's rather stressed about the whole exams fiasco and focusing on that for the time being...

OK - so this is what it says on the Royal Holloway accommodation policy:
For applications made between 30 April and 16 July
Undergraduate students and international postgraduate taught students will be allocated a room via our automated allocation process. This puts all of the applications received into a pot and assigns a randomly generated number to each of the applications to order them. The system then offers a room that best meets your chosen preferences as it reaches your application.

Does this mean we don't need to worry as long as she's replied by 30 April??

If Kent is a realistic prospect then best to act quickly as they allocate in order of acceptance of offers (or certainly did when DD applied 2 years ago - check with accommodation office). They are unusual in that even insurance offer holders can express a preference, most places only allow an accommodation application for a firm choice

@sergeantmajormum

Unis definitely start allocating accommodation once you firm and apply for halls. DD couldn’t do this till late March when her medicine offer came through. Come August, got none of her accommodation choices and the helpline folk told us that all her first choice hall had been allocated by January. She ended up in private hall which worked out very well but if you’ve got offers, my advice would be to firm as soon as you can to maximise chance of getting the room you want.

Depends on the Uni. Some allocate early as offers are firmed. Others hold back and don't allocate any until much later. A couple that my son got offers from said they don't even look at accommodation applications until August and that all applicants have an equal chance, i.e. no preference given to early applicants. The Uni webpages will have their policy on accommodation allocation.

She has to have made her accommodation application by that date, not just on UCAS. Ds had an unconditional offer from RHUL , he thinks he got his accommodation offer before results day. For an unconditional I think you get it on or after.

@Bramshott, I'd say it doesn't matter as long as she's applied for accommodation before 16th July. It looks like they make their first pass random allocation at that date, and that accommodation applications are possible not open until April 30th?

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Relieved to hear that it doesn't sound like it's immediately urgent to make a decision!

This is our first year doing this so not sure how it works, but if you put your name down for X student accommodation are you obliged to take it if you get into the university? Ds is hoping to rent privately (a flat by himself) but would like to get something in halls as a back up. Is this possible?

No it is only an offer , you can decline

You might be required to pay a deposit at some stage, which you might lose.

Our experience is only of Birmingham, since DS1 and DD chose it, but the system there both times was that when you get the accommodation offer, you have 3-4 days to accept and then the deposit becomes due. If the student were to want to rent privately, they really need to have that sorted out before the university accommodation offer date, if a speedy response will be required.

Unis definitely start allocating accommodation once you firm and apply for halls

No they don't. Some do a first come first served, and others allocate after results day. DD is at Newcastle, and accommodation applications didn't open until the July. Yolu can put your preferences down, but it is very much a lottery.