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Higher education

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

Original poster

Insurance offer - no accommodation :(. Options ?

32 replies

MaterMetella · 31/08/2024 15:07

My son missed his first choice offer by one grade. He was very happy with his insurance (Bath) until we found out that they guarantee accommodation for firm offers, guarantee for clearing, but insurance offers are bottom of the pile. Currently they cannot offer accommodation.

In the Facebook group for Bath parents, I can already see posts from people in same position talking about deferring/ looking elsewhere.

We are looking at private halls but they are eye -wateringly expensive (£20k) and seem to be aimed at post grads, and not even conveniently located. Not really the student experience he had in mind.

Is it worth going back to the firm offer uni, which rejected him and see if there is any last minute movement which might free up a space (long shot)? Any other options we haven't thought about?

All really disappointing - he worked incredibly hard. Was unlucky to miss his grades, unlucky his first choice were not flexible and more unlucky Bath can't accommodate...

OP posts:
nearlyhomealone · 02/09/2024 17:31

We were in the same position at Bath 2 years ago. Accommodation was available once they had covered those with firm offers. It was in the city but wasn’t a problem. I’ve also heard of a lot of movement in the first few weeks and DC could have moved to campus in the first term if they wanted.

Original poster
MaterMetella · 02/09/2024 20:15

Whenlifegives · 02/09/2024 17:05

We are in the same predicament, and so worried. It is absolutely bizarre to prioritise students who have entered via clearing as opposed to those who have met their grade requirements and chosen the university - albeit as a second choice.

It feels like a punishment for aspiring / trying something a little more.

Also the date that Bath close their first round accommodation is far in advance of most other Universities (Exeter and Edinburgh for example).

I wish I had known this before selecting Bath. It's absolutely shocking, and defies logic. Plus, most importantly, has really spoiled what should be a happy time .... and from what I read, could continue to impact.

Edited

Sorry to hear you too in this predicament. A parent has set up a Facebook group for people in this situation in case you want to join (search Bath insurance 2024) - assuming you haven't already joined!

OP posts:
Original poster
MaterMetella · 02/09/2024 20:18

Filingmyshoes · 02/09/2024 17:29

We got burned with this in Glasgow a couple of years ago. Accepted place in clearing - no accommodation. Everywhere inc private halls had a waiting list of around 400.

In the end I found a private halls that didn’t have a waitlist and just happened to contact them as they’d had a cancellation. That was a week before he started. His accommodation was shared with ppl in different years and unis. As you say, not the freshers experience you hope for. His mate lived in a hotel for a month before I found him a room.

Because of this, I’ve been incredibly careful about DDs options and made sure she picked insurance with guaranteed accommodation. Vanishingly few offer this - as you say, they prefer Clearing. Madness.

In your position, I’d keep trying and not accept a private halls with people from different years/unis. It makes socialising very hard. If nothing materialised before starting, I’d check other unis or as a last resort, defer and do a gap year.

Thank you ! One really irritating thing is that the information was very ambiguous as to whether accommodation was guaranteed for insurance students (the title said 'clearing and insurance students' as if they were in the same category, but the body of the text underneath only referred to clearing students. So it wasn't very clear that it wasn't guaranteed.

OP posts:
Original poster
MaterMetella · 02/09/2024 20:19

@nearlyhomealone - thank you ! I think holding tight and relying on the movement will be the way forward ! X

OP posts:
Filingmyshoes · 02/09/2024 20:29

MaterMetella · 02/09/2024 20:18

Thank you ! One really irritating thing is that the information was very ambiguous as to whether accommodation was guaranteed for insurance students (the title said 'clearing and insurance students' as if they were in the same category, but the body of the text underneath only referred to clearing students. So it wasn't very clear that it wasn't guaranteed.

Show quote history

That’s really sneaky. It’s really hard to get this information for many unis - it should be made a lot less opaque. I often relied on WIWIKAU etc for people’s experiences rather than the uni websites themselves. Even asking at uni open days they often try to fudge it.

captureitrememberit · 10/09/2024 15:25

Hi OP I was just wondering if you had an update? I was watching this thread as DD was in the exact same situation with Bath but a few days later she was offered city accomodation which we accepted. How did it work out for your DS?

Original poster
MaterMetella · 12/09/2024 01:56

@captureitrememberit - thanks for checking in ! Yes, all sorted now with an offer in the city. Full steam ahead! So glad you are sorted too ! X

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