When to book accommodation

[tribpot]

I hope I'm not repeating a question that's been asked recently, I did look back through all the recent thread titles.

Ds has just had his first offer through, we are relatively late going into the process because one of his subjects did the mocks in earlier this month. Looking at the accommodation, I can see that some of the cheaper options are already 'waiting list only'.

I can't see anything specific on the UCAS website about this, I think what it's saying is that at the point where you firm with a uni you also apply for the accommodation and you can then cancel the tenancy agreement if you miss the grades and the uni rejects you? But you don't book accommodation at your insurance and just hope for the best on results day?

Each university specifies how accommodation is applied for and allocated at that particular institution - some allow anyone with an offer to express their preference, others only accept applications once the applicant has made them their firm choice through UCAS, others accept applications from those who have the university as either firm or insurance. Some implement 'choose and book', others only actually allocate specific rooms once the place is confirmed etc.

Your DS can't update UCAS re his firm and insurance choice while he is still waiting for decisions from any of his universities and therefore may not be in a position to apply for accommodation yet.

Different unis have different timings. Once you firm an offer then they will let you know the deadlines.

It's mad that some people are still waiting for offers and some accommodation is already taken - have I misunderstood?

Brilliant, thanks both for the clarification. @OneFrenchEgg that was why I was alarmed - I wasn't sure why the UCAS portal was even showing us accommodation before DS could create his firm and insurance acceptances. But went to have a look (to marvel at what fancy options exist compared to when I went to uni in 1990) and discovered the cheaper options were already wait listed.

That's so rubbish! Feel sorry for the students who get late offers or applications in

That's unusual - none of the unis I've ever worked at use UCAS to sort accommodation. That's always done direct with the uni accommodation office - and a lot later than January. The vast majority of applicants won't have had all their offers yet so won't be able to insure/firm so aren't in a position to book accommodation. Plus it's always the expensive stuff that goes first.

Are you sure of what your seeing? Which uni?

Some you book after results day, I believe Warwick is one of them, some you apply for when you have decided on your firm and insurance and you can't do that until all offers/rejections are in. It puts huge amounts of pressure and stress on applicants still waiting for all offers if unis are already offering accommodation this early on.

I think some universities have private halls you can book a specific room in, whereas somewhere like Warwick (campus based) asks you to list 6 in preference order. I think Manchester has Unite accommodation which is classed as university accommodation. I am sure my niece booked a room in a block in her uni city and said a bit about herself to get like-minded people in with her. Not sure how early she booked that.

Which uni is it? Do you want to say?

My son's UCAS Hub page has shown some accommodation offerings for Heriot Watt, where he received an offer from, since November.

Having taken a look at these, they were both for non-university managed halls who were advertising availability for the current 22/23 academic year, i.e. unrelated to accomodation applications for 2023 entry

Wonder if the OP is seeing something similar.

That sounds more like it!

That does sound like what I'm seeing, this is Cardiff. Will post some screenshots in the morning.

Thanks again for the help. This is what came up in the UCAS hub, and the Cardiff University link goes to here: accommodation.ucas.com/properties?institution=cardiff-university&year=first-year-undergraduate

As a huge fan of The West Wing I naturally had to go and check out what it had to offer! herestudents.com/location/cardiff/west-wing/ I could fancy the Executive Penthouse, although would rename it the Bartlet Suite.

DS1 has had five offers. Is definite about his firm after an offer day visit so has selected firm and insurance (also v happy with). His two uni choices open their accommodation any time now on a first come first served basis, so preference lists done, websites checked daily and all ready to go.
It seems a ridiculous system tbh. Fastest finger first! I thought DS1 was bad enough two years ago choosing in March for Nottingham.

Fingers crossed for you @cptartapp , it seems bonkers when the UCAS deadline isn't until 6pm tonight. If I had realised what the implications of not doing the mocks until January might be I would have pushed harder for them to be done in December.

Cardiff bookings don't open till May for 2023 entry!

The link is to private halls and is just showing indicative options. Cardiff don't print their costs for another few months. If memory serves you also put down about 10 choices! Much later on.

Phew! Cardiff is DDs first choice and she has an offer but has one Uni left to hear from. Glad to hear she's not already on the back foot with accommodation! Thanks

DS graduated from Cardiff in 2021. I remember he had to list accommodation choices in order of preference and it was a long list! He did get his first choice but I'm sure it was May/June before applications opened.
Cardiff is a great city for students.

Final year students often go back in to halls so that may account for some booking.

Oh phew, lots of reassurance for prospective Cardiff students! I had an email from a friend who studied there singing its praises as well this morning.

If you have the good fortunate to be going to Leeds, they don't sort out accommodation until after results day - which is a very sensible approach.

Ah very good @Hillarious - I went to Leeds in 1990, where the approach to accommodation was 'we have twice as many students as we have rooms' and hundreds had to sleep on camp beds in sports hall for weeks. I see Leeds has done some learning since then!

Student accommodation is big business these days, and it's clear it can cause a lot of stress.

I had three at Leeds - one in Leodis, when we thought having an ensuite was the be all and end all, and two in Lupton, when we were much wiser and realised shared facilities and a half hour walk to uni actually meant a more sociable halls experience.

Is Leodis one of the fancy ones in town? (I still live in Leeds). I was at Bod, glory days of sharing a bathroom between 20 and a phone between 90!

You mean they can’t enter their insurance whilst waiting on the potential first choice? I hadn’t realised this.

You can't pick either choice until all offers are in, I think @NotDonna . We're now in an annoying position of waiting for the final offer (admittedly it's only been a week since his form went in!) before he can decide on firm and insurance. And without that we can't start the accommodation process.

The offer we're waiting for is one he's not really favouring at the moment so that makes it even more annoying. He might opt for it as his insurance but probably won't.