<p>DS (American) is considering attending uni in UK. I've searched enough to know that most unis guarantee first-year accomodations in uni housing, but little is said about after that, other than the uni acts as a clearinghouse for private accomodations.</p>
<p>Could anyone provide guidance on how easy it is for international students to find second- and third- year housing arrangements? I'm assuming it's like the US (you make some friends and let a house together) but I really have no idea.</p>
<p>I'd also love any general comments about living in the UK as a US international.</p>
<p>Schools being considered are the tier below OxBridge (St Andrews, Sheffield, Leeds,)</p>
<p>Should be no more difficult for an international than any other student. Most rent a flat with friends or answer an ad for a flatmate. Some universities do also have accommodation available for continuing students.</p>
<p>re: Oxbridge, it depends on the residential college. I think Magdalen at Oxford guarantees housing all years. But yeah, getting a lease for a flat that you’ll be living in for 24 weeks is a pain. Though, otherwise, you have to fly back every 8 weeks, so it’s kind of nice, because you’re only moving once a year.</p>
<p>^^^ That’s why most people don’t just live there for 24 weeks! The vast majority of people, regardless of how long the uni terms are, will live in their rented accomodation all year. I would say that most of my fellow students consider themselves to have permanently moved out of home.</p>
<p>As for the OP’s question - it’s very easy to find rented accomodation. The uni will provide lists if people need them, and in a uni town there will always be rooms/flats/houses available for those who want them.</p>
<p>Just one more point - if finances are a concern, do NOT consider London. I cannot stress this enough. London is one of the world’s most expensive cities, and you have to pay to live well. Sure, if you want to find cheap accomodation you can… as long as you don’t mind living with 10 other people in a flat the size of a broom cupboard. </p>
<p>Northern England, OTOH, is very inexpensive in comparison, even touristy places like York or Harrogate. So Leeds and Sheffield will be reasonable, particularly as they are both uni towns with large student populations.</p>
<p>It’s not a big deal. After the first year you just “live out” in a shared house instead. However, as mentioned above, this will nearly always be for a full year (52 week). This is important to remember especially if you are calculating costs for Oxbridge. 24 weeks may not sound too expensive, but 52 weeks may well be. I have found it a lot more expensive living out too. My rent in college was £320 per minth and that was inclusive of all bills (heating, electricty and the like. Not food). Living out I pay £330 per month plus bills, including electricity on a meter which runs out at the rat of £1 a day (but there are 3 of us in the house to share the bills of course). In some places many rooms are let through agencies, which as basically cowboys who charge you £120 to sign the contract but don’t actually help you in anyway. however, if you are in an areas where the rental market is controlled by agencies, there is very little you can do about this.</p>
<p>In some places there may be transport costs associated with living out as well. For example Warwick university is in a field in the middle of nowhere. Most students choose to live in the nearby towns of Leamington Spa or Coventry and travel to the campus. Of course in London travel can completely bankrupt you if you live in a far out transport zone, so cheaper accommodation may not be good value if it is far away.</p>
<p>International students usually have priority for university accommodation if they want it. Some places guarentee two years of accommodation “in halls” for internationals (usually the first and final years). Living out would probably be better though. I can imagine the halls might be horrible if all your friends will have moved away leaving you with the new first years.</p>