Glasgow Uni, when to look for a flat for second year?

[Lint6]

My DD's a first year at Glasgow. She's in halls this year, but aiming to rent with a couple of pals next. They know flats can be tough to find around the Uni, so they're wondering when they should start looking - they're guessing before the summer rush. I'm a bit worried she'll end up paying rent over the summer when she's not even there, but maybe that's the norm? If anyone has any wisdom on when students find flats or any tips, I'd really appreciate it!

The West End is great, but it has prices to match.
If you go a bit further out your money goes much further and it really doesn't need to be far from the action so long as you have a train station within walking distance.
That said, Dd and her BF aren't really partiers, they have the odd night out in town, but often have friends over for games nights, or go for meals, or make cocktails with friends at home.
They do like gigs, both big acts at the Hydro and small, local ones, but again, not a problem with the station so close.

Govan is worth a look too as the new pedestrian/cyclist bridge to Partick will be open by the next academic year. Plus Ibrox/Cessnock and Paisley Road West if you want to save money.

Look at anywhere on the network of the Glasgow Underground. The free bus pass is worth bearing in mind but the reduced rent of a flat within reach of an underground station plus underground fares might cancel out the free bus fares.

What about Strathclyde Uni? I don’t know Glasgow but from our couple of trips down it seems much more ‘inner city’ around there and we drove through an area that didn’t seem far away but felt rough. Are there ok bits near there or are you better taking a bus and living a bit further away (so having to travel to uni activities late at night)?

When I was a student many years ago at S/Clyde we lived in Dennistoun which was 20-25 minutes walk from campus and was fine. And it's gentrified considerably since then. Lots of my classmates lived around St George's Cross, West End, even Shawlands/Pollokshields and travelled in.

If she knows any final year students through clubs it's worth asking when they're moving out and seeing if she can cut out the search process by contacting landlord directly (as soon as they've told landlord they're moving out, which may not be yet due to the latest Scottish tenancy agreements)