Living in the UK
It can seem daunting to arrange somewhere to live in a foreign country, but the London Education Centre has long experience in finding excellent accommodation for students at the best prices. Previous clients have been very happy with the living arrangements made by our service team and it is always reassuring to know a potential source of worry has been dealt with by professionals
Many foreign students choose to live with a British family because this offers a number of advantages:
Whilst living in a British household you will have your own room and independence, but you will also bene-fit from the support and friendship provided by staying with a family.
It is important to bear in mind, however, that whilst living in someone else’s house you will need to respect their rules, routines and habits. You may also find that several students are living in a particular household.
Our students always speak warmly of their experiences staying with British families and it offers one of the most friendly and rewarding ways of living in a new country.
Modern boarding schools provide very high standards of accommodation for children. Boarders are gener-ally divided by gender and age and live on or near the school premises. Younger children are frequently in dormitories whilst older students may share rooms with a room-mate. Sixth form students usually have their own room.
Facilities typically include games rooms, libraries, televisions and internet access, though children are al-ways supervised by a house master or mistress as well as house tutors. All school staff in the UK are com-prehensively checked and your child will be cared for in a sociable, supportive and productive atmosphere where they will make friends for life.
English Language schools vary in terms of their accommodation options. Usually they offer a choice be-tween staying with local British families or private accommodation, such as hostels and guest houses. Some have their own accommodation which will be of a similar level to that provided for university students (see below). They will usually have more exclusive options available for business executives studying English with them, but obviously these will be much more costly.
Unless they are part of a boarding school, UK colleges do not normally offer accommodation for students. This would typically be arranged privately in hostels, guest houses or with a British family. The London Education Centre will help to arrange this for you.
University accommodation varies widely. Sometimes it is close to the university campus and sometimes not. In many universities you may find accommodation is in limited supply, meaning you will not be able to ‘live in’ for the whole of the course. In this case there will be plentiful private accommodation for rent to students in the area. This is something you should consider when choosing your place of study in the UK.
Universities provide students with their own rooms whilst bathroom facilities are usually communal. Living with other students is one of the highlights for those studying at university and there is always a vibrant so-cial life on offer with many entertainments available both within the university and in the surrounding cities.
If you will be living in the UK for a long period you may want to have your own flat or room away from the larger community. Letting agencies frequently deal with students and will rent a flat or room for a minimum of 6 months. A security deposit of 1-1? times your monthly rent will be required and you usually pay at least one month in advance. The level of rent will depend on the size and quality of the flat as well as its location within the UK. Properties in the south are generally much more expensive than in the north.
The London Education Centre will assist you with finding the right property to rent, providing you with sev-eral alternatives, including photos and descriptions to help you decide. We will also assist in processing the rental agreement.
Hotels are frequently the most expensive way of living in the UK but we can help you find a hotel which suits your budget and requirements.
Whatever your choice of accommodation whilst studying in the UK, we provide all our clients with a phone number which they can all at any time if they need help. Our London office means we are on hand to deal with any problems quickly and efficiently, ensuring you have no need to worry during your time in Great Britain.
