Halls, private halls or a shared house: choosing your first student home

Where you live in your first year shapes your friendships, your budget and even how easily you get to lectures. Here is how the main options compare, and the questions that help you pick the one that suits you.

The main options

• University halls: owned by the university, often on or near campus, and mostly for first-year students. UCAS explains that you usually list preferred halls and room types and the university allocates a room.
• Private halls (purpose-built student accommodation): run by a private company rather than the university, and often home to students from several universities and colleges.
• A privately rented shared house or flat: you choose where you live and who you live with. UCAS notes this is common from second year onwards.
• Living at home or with relatives: Advancing Access describes it as a cheaper option if your university is within commuting distance, but ask yourself whether you will still get the social side of university you want.
• In the UAE, some universities offer on-campus housing with their own residence rules (for example on guests and curfews). Read the housing handbook before you apply, as rules differ between universities.

How halls and private housing compare

• Housemates: in halls they are usually allocated by the university; in private housing you choose them (see the Living With Others module for choosing well).
• Contract length: UCAS says hall contracts usually match the academic year, for example September to June, while private tenancies vary and can run for a full year.
• Bills: Advancing Access notes that halls usually include bills in the rent, while in private housing bills are not necessarily included and you may need to set up things like wifi yourself.
• Facilities: some halls have a shop, a dining hall, a gym or social spaces; a shared house usually has a shared kitchen and sometimes a garden.
• Support: halls usually have staff on site or on call, which many first-year students find reassuring, especially when living abroad for the first time.

The commitment you are signing up to (England example)

• GOV.UK explains that halls and private halls usually give you a common law tenancy or a licence, normally running to the end of the academic year, and you are liable for rent for that whole period even if you leave early.
• Private halls only get this treatment if the landlord has signed up to a national code of practice; otherwise you will likely have an assured periodic tenancy. You can check membership on the National Code website.
• GOV.UK says a university student renting from a private landlord is likely to have an assured periodic tenancy. GOV.UK's tenant guide explains that since 1 May 2026 these roll on with no fixed end date.
• Other countries, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have different rules. Always read the contract and your university accommodation office's guidance for the place you are going.
• In the UAE, tenancy contracts must be registered (Ejari in Dubai, Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi), as covered in the Running a Home lesson on renting.

Questions to help you decide

• Budget: what is the total weekly or monthly cost once bills, internet, laundry, travel to campus and food are added?
• Distance: how long is the journey to your lectures, and is it safe to walk or travel home after dark?
• Food: is there catering, or a kitchen you can actually cook in? Is halal food easy to find nearby?
• Faith and routine: is there a quiet space to pray, and how far is the nearest prayer room or mosque?
• Personality: do you recharge with people around you or in your own space? An en-suite or a quieter block may suit you better than a busy corridor.
• Visit if you can, on an open day or by virtual tour, as UCAS recommends, so you can picture actually living there.

Common mistakes

• Choosing on photos alone without checking the location on a map and the real journey time.
• Comparing rent without comparing what is included: a cheaper house with separate bills can cost more than halls.
• Signing a 12-month private contract when you only need the academic year, without realising you will pay over the summer.
• Leaving the decision until the last minute: Advancing Access notes that in some cities students look for private houses for the next autumn before Christmas.