Edinburgh Uni halls for locals, a pipedream?

[haventkilledtheorchidyet]

Hi all. My son is firmly planning to go to Edinburgh University for a number of reasons. The only trouble is we live in Edinburgh very close to the place!

I'm keen he moves out to get the full student experience, and also to save my nerves from being shredded by his antics.

Does anyone have tales of locals who got accepted into Uni-run halls?

Your ds could book a room direct with say unite students Edinburgh university. Often the university block books for 1st years so lots will be in his year. I think there are lots of 1st years in sugar house close and Bernard terrace. You don’t have to go through Edinburgh university accommodation service.

Unite students for Edinburgh university.

Yes, colleague's DD was offered a place in Pollock Halls in 2021. Despite having an unconditional offer she wasn't allocated accommodation until very late in day and then it wasn't her 1st choice. It was very expensive, fully catered halls.....so I imagine she was lowest priority and offered what was left. She turned it down as just couldn't justify the cost.

Ended up staying at home for 1st year and is now in private student accommodation (I think it's Unite)

If your DS is dead set on moving out then probably safer to apply for private halls

I know of a student who comes from Edinburgh and whose parents live in Edinburgh who was offered a place in Pollock Halls this year. I was quite surprised because I thought there were accommodation problems in Edinburgh.

Unite seem to be well run. However not sure how many 1st years stay with them in 1st year (other than in the ones sublet via the uni accommodation service). In the normal Unite halls, he could end up in a flat with 4th years who will be just as annoyed at his antics as you.

Could he rent an AirBnB for freshers? And be on the Ed uni accommodation reserve list. However if like last year he will be bottom of the list (as they housed returners first) and it will be several weeks in before he gets allocated anything (and will have little choice).

The university tries to offer accommodation to all 1st years that want it but it’s a struggle, hence all the student accommodation being built.

and it’s a struggle due to Scottish government underfunding meaning they increasingly rely on expanding the student body so they can take extra overseas students (on who they make a profit) without restricting how many uk students they take.