UCL accommodation

[BigToe2]

My DC is keen to apply to UCL and if offered a place for it to be insurance choice if offered a place at either Durham or Oxford.

Only just noticed that accommodation is not guaranteed if not firm choice. DC is now a bit anxious about how that would work and what are the chances of him successfully getting decent university accommodation, close to the university.

I don't think UCL is a good insurance choice for the reason you have given. Insurance choice is not just about putting down your next favourite course. It is about picking one that has good accommodation options and hopefully some grade flexibility.
Last year, even those who firmed UCL were struggling to find decent accommodation, especially if they firmed closer to the deadline (and UCL is notorious for offering late). By all means put it on the list, but as a potential firm if others not offered. You need to have a better insurance option on there.

My son is at UCL (it was his first choice) and he was UCL halls for his first year.

What I will say about London is that there are lots of private halls so there is no shortage of student accommodation around, however the cost of private halls is very expensive so I would suggest looking at affordability of that. The Bloomsbury area is really expensive but it is a great area for students.

I would say that UCL has a very different feel to it than Oxford or Durham. If your DC is keen on those two, he may be happier at a smaller city or campus university for his insurance (eg York, Bath, Warwick, somewhere like that).

We live in south London so he knows what he would be letting himself in for.
initially he wasn’t keen on London uni but now he is for various reasons. We already visit Warwick. York is not ideal for his subject. Bath doesn’t offer a course he feels ticks all the boxes.

DS is at UCL and I wondered whether he’d get into halls as we also live in south London. He did and other than it being eyewateringly expensive, it’s been great. He’s now in 4th year and living at home which is working well as he’s got a great friend base.

If you're in south London, it's much less of an issue surely? If he's not planning on commuting in (which would make sense as a safety net insurance choice) then I'm guessing money isn't an issue, in which case he can rent at any number of private halls in central London and also take advantage of 'room takeovers' last min where people who'd got firmed accommodation need to drop out and have someone take over their room.

Given that he can live at home for a while in a worst case scenario and wait to pounce when a room comes up, it seems like a good option for insurance. But if the main priority is living in a uni halls, then better to insure a uni that has more than enough accommodation, though that's unlikely to be any of the top ones. I know Lancaster is pretty good for accommodation insurance, places like that.

Mm. Well his plan was to live in halls for the first year to make friends etc.

Have you both looked at the cost of London halls and can afford it? I’d think if he wants to live away then go to a campus uni. Much easier to make friends there than somewhere with a lot of commuters. Lancaster might suit although it’s fairly far.

That's just a perception. My son has loads of friends in London, from his uni/ halls, from work at his part time job and from other London unis. In my opinion there are way more options for having a diverse friendship group than being on a campus uni. I went to one so can definitely compare the two!

OP my son's gf is at LSE and she has commuted since the first year, she has made really good friendships with people on her course etc and saved loads of money in the meantime. So that could be an option.

This is our generally feeling.

I think it depends on your child and lifestyle more than anything.

My DC is friendly and sociable, has lots of activities outside of school as well as a couple of part time and seasonal jobs. Current school made friendship group is likely to disperse around the country so won’t see them as much if stays at home but that would be the case wherever he goes. Making new friends/people can connect with and share new journey and experiences with is important but don’t believe need to live in a bubble to make friends. Friends can be made in the classroom or clubs etc. Living in halls for one year - if UCL became an option - would just mean he would feel more connected to university life and would experience independence as he would elsewhere in the UK.

The diversity is a good thing especially for those who have lived a more sheltered life. I find it a little unsettling when visit universities and everyone looks the same .

DC is really now looking at top 5 for subject so wouldn’t really consider Lancaster at this stage as he has already received an offer from Bristol.

DC is focusing more on employability and prospects than environment at the moment. Whether that’s the right way to choose a university I’m not sure.

Totally understand that, but most popular places don't guarantee halls for insurance choices so if that's his priority, then best to prioritise unis that do.

Just saying UCL makes sense as an insurance in other ways i.e. having a place to live no matter what, and that as you're up for paying so he can stay in halls rather than commute then you have private options plus the takeover possibility. Also the gap between uni halls and private halls is less marked in central London as the intake is so huge and international for the likes of UCL/KCL/LSE that it's not akin to the campus halls experience which can be more close-knit.

I’m just about to collect a distant cousin from UCL halls in London. I know halls can be grim but it’s beyond filthy with mould etc.. she can’t hack it.

No offence to Lancaster (my DD is there and having a great time and says that the quality of her course is fantastic - so it should be, it's rated above Oxford for the subject) but someone realistically aiming for Oxbridge or UCL is unlikely to settle for that uni!

@BigToe2 I agree with your DS. Employability really matters. If it’s a subject like law, very much so and definitely if it’s law and he wants to work in London. I’d definitely say UCL is worth a go if he gets an offer - see what happens, but not sure I’d take it over Durham. If it’s law, Bristol is great.

Sure, so the alternative is to be realistic about not getting uni accommodation. That's the nature of insurance, that you don't tend to get guaranteed halls at the best unis - and tbf at some top unis you don't get it guaranteed even for a firm. But OP's DC is in a good position living in London and places do come up.

Ucl owned halls are unlikely for an insurance choice. Either book private halls that allow you to get out if the contract if you don’t take up the place, book private halls that are popular so they will easily find someone to take over the tenancy, or live at home (possibly on waiting list for halls).

My nephew decided to take a year out after securing UCL halls in Bloomsbury, so I helped him with the process of finding a new tenant. I was actually surprised how many rooms came up for takeover after results day, and it was a good couple of weeks before we found someone, as there was so much availability. (We found the replacement student through the '26-27 Accommodation Megathread' on the UCL Reddit, so it might be worth scrolling back through that to see how many rooms came up for takeover post results day. I've just taken a look and there are still lots of rooms coming up!). With the 'back-up' of being able to commute from home until a room was available, UCL could be a good insurance for you.