On-Campus vs Off-Campus Accommodation – How to Make the Right Choice

Choosing accommodation is likely to be the final hurdle in your postgraduate search. You’ve settled on a university, a course and a mode of study – and now you have to answer the crucial question: where will you do it all from?

Deciding where to live during your Masters or PhD can be a surprisingly complex process. There’s a lot to take into account, from budgets and transport links to exactly how much noise you’ll have to tolerate from your rowdy neighbours.

Whether to opt for on-campus or off-campus accommodation is a key choice. In this post, we’ll look at the pros and cons of each.

Living on campus: the pros

The words ‘student accommodation’ might conjure memories of your first-year undergraduate experience (ten excitable 18-year-olds sharing one tiny kitchen, newly blessed with the freedom to legally purchase alcohol).

If you’re no longer enticed by the prospect of competing with your nine flatmates for use of the oven before 10pm, or clubbing on a Tuesday, you’ll be pleased learn that most universities offer dedicated postgraduate accommodation. This is generally separate from, and considerably quieter than, undergraduate halls.

Masters and PhD students studying various disciplines will generally live together in postgraduate accommodation. This makes on-campus living a great opportunity to meet fellow students and researchers.

Living in student accommodation also tends to involve far less ‘admin’ than private renting. Utilities and internet will generally be included in the rent, and many universities will offer access to extra facilities such as common rooms, desk space and gyms. This guarantees you’ll have your needs met without too much extra hassle.

An obvious perk of living on campus is proximity to your university. This may not be so important for a humanities student who needs only venture onto campus for bi-weekly lectures or to borrow a library book, but it could help save critical time for STEM students following a 9-5 schedule!

Living on campus: the cons

Postgraduate students are often on a tight budget, so it’s worth noting that university accommodation is not necessarily the cheapest option. While it will almost certainly be cheaper than renting an entire one-bedroom property, it will probably be more expensive than a private room in a shared house.

While student accommodation does provide a package deal with an easy set-up, you may find yourself trading flexibility for convenience. All-inclusive bills may save time, but you won’t have the freedom to hunt down a deal for your WiFi or electricity that is just that bit cheaper. On-campus security can prove useful for peace of mind (and when you’ve forgotten your keys), but rules and regulations around overnight guests may feel like an infringement.

It's also worth remembering that not all university-owned accommodation is actually on the campus (though it usually will be very close). So if distance is a key consideration for you, make sure you double-check the location of your university’s postgraduate halls.

Finally, contracts for student accommodation won’t necessarily stretch past the end of term. This can be inconvenient for postgraduate students who may need to access the university library for dissertation research during the summer holidays.

Living off campus: the pros

As we’ve already mentioned, the biggest advantage of living off campus is flexibility. You’ll probably have access to a wider range of options when it comes to price, location, tenancy, and type of housing – plus, you’ll be able to choose who you live with, rather than being allotted a place in a flat with people you’ve not met before.

The price of rented accommodation is highly variable, but the chances are that, with enough sleuthing, you’ll be able to find a deal that is more budget-friendly than the cheapest all-inclusive option offered by your university.

And of course, living off-campus leaves open possibly the easiest and most budget-friendly option of all: living at home. This obviously won’t be practical for everyone, but if you’re studying online or within commuting distance of your family home, not flying the nest (for now!) could alleviate the stress of finding accommodation.

Living off campus: the cons

As we’ve probably made clear already, private rented accommodation is just more work. Rooting out unscrupulous landlords, reading the fine print of tenancy agreements, finding housemates and setting up utility bills are amongst the many things you’ll need to add to your to-do list.

Renting privately as a postgraduate can also raise the thorny issue of council tax. Whereas students in halls are automatically exempt, you may not be if you share a private property with anyone who isn’t a full-time student. This is an extra consideration (and expense) you may wish to avoid.

Living off campus can also make it harder to feel part of the student community. With its heavy emphasis on independent research, postgraduate can easily become isolating. If engagement with university life is high on your priority list (it may not be, and that’s ok!), you’ll need to put an active effort into getting involved with extra-curricular activities or student events. On-campus accommodation can make this that little bit easier.