Finding the best student accommodation

Accommodation offices in universities offer great help in finding somewhere to live, writes Gráinne Faller.

Accommodation offices in universities offer great help in finding somewhere to live, writes Gráinne Faller.

After years of hardship and scrabbling for a place to live, the accommodation crisis that was a characteristic of many people's college experience is over. Supply is good and rents remain well below the level of the peak in 2002.

But although there is plenty of good-quality accommodation, it is still worth starting the search early as the type of accommodation that you want may not always be available.

The quantity of on-campus accommodation has increased over the past few years but there is a high demand for it and some residences were full at the time of writing. However, the points system is such that there are bound to be cancellations when people don't get their first choices. If you have not booked accommodation already, contact the accommodation office in your chosen university as soon as possible to find out what the situation is.

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If you are unlucky and there is no on-campus accommodation, the office will be able to point you in the direction of some good landlords or at least a decent off-campus property listing.

While on-campus accommodation is ideal for many first-years, students should be careful if they don't manage to secure an on-campus place. No matter how much you yearn for independence, if you have never lived away from home before, college accommodation offices don't really advise renting in first year. The pitfalls are many and there is little or no safety net if you fall foul of an unscrupulous landlord.

Accommodation officers tend to recommend digs or lodgings for first years who do not go into on-campus accommodation. "It's very good value and it allows students to get to know each other," says Maura O'Neill, UCC's Accommodation Officer. "I think that it's still a very good option for first-years . . . often they will have the run of the house."

That said, the massive increase in college accommodation places should see many first-years on campus. Accommodation varies from college to college. The following is a guide to on-campus or college accommodation in the universities.

ON-CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION

DCU

There is ample on-campus accommodation for first-years according to DCU but the advice is to book early. Prospective students have been able to apply since February and accommodation is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. First-years have a choice of two residences: Larkfield Apartments cost €3,600 for the year and that is payable in two instalments.

Hampstead Apartments are slightly more expensive at €3,780 for the year; also payable in two instalments. A deposit is required for each residence and internet access is extra.

For more information contact Campus Residences Limited at 01 - 700 5736. To apply for accommodation online go to roomsatdcu.com

DIT

Until DIT moves onto its new Grangegorman campus, students will not have the option of on-campus accommodation. It does, however, have a busy accommodation office, and ample resources online to help students to find a place to stay.

DIT provides a list of self-catering accommodation and lodgings which first-years should consider. The list contains details of rates, location and the number of places available. It is published around now and is available from the student's union, the registration office or the student services office.

The list, along with links to many accommodation websites, is available on findahome.ie. DIT students can obtain a college password for the site from student services or the students' union.

Students can download landlord registration forms from the DIT website also.

NUIG

NUIG students have 11 different student residences to choose from. None of these are on campus but they are close enough and all are managed independently of the university. All are within a half- hour walk with some being right beside the campus.

Costs vary depending on the building so it is worth researching them all. A list and links to the respective websites is available on the NUIG website.

Prices average €3,420 a year for a single room or €3,610 for a room with en-suite.

However, there is variation at both ends of the scale depending on the accommodation. Deposits will be required and the fee is paid in two instalments.

See nuig.ie for more details.

NUIM

Like many others around the country, students in NUI Maynooth have benefited from their university's building programme.

On-campus places have increased from 240 places a few years ago to 890 this year.

About 40 per cent of those are laid aside for new first-years. There is a choice of three different residences: River Apartments, Rye Hall and Village Apartments. Prices for single rooms vary from €3,078 in Village Apartments to €3,800 in River Apartments, to be paid in two instalments. A deposit of €400 must be paid as well. See http://residence.nuim.ie/ for more details

TCD

While Trinity has on-campus accommodation, it is reserved for continuing students rather than newcomers. First-years can apply for places in Trinity Halls which is on Dartry Road near Rathmines. There are two buildings to choose from. The older Cunningham House contains single rooms and students share kitchen and common-room facilities. The more modern building consists of apartments that are shared by six people.

Rates for a single room are lower in Cunningham House at €3,686, while the more modern singles cost €4,731 a year. Those costs are paid in three instalments. A deposit of €165 must be paid at the start and there is a separate utilities charge.

Further information can be found on tcd.ie.

UCC

UCC has a mixture of on-campus and near-campus accommodation available to first-year students.

Castlewhite Apartments are on campus, but having been built in 1991 are not as modern as Farranlea Hall or Victoria Lodge, both a 10-minute walk from the campus.

There is a range of apartment types within each building and rates can vary. Castlewhite Apartments rates range from €3,627 to €4,056.

In Farranlea Hall and Victoria Lodge students will pay €4,251 for a single en-suite room. Deposits are required in all residences.

Details from ucc.ie/campusaccommodation.

UCD

A large range of accommodation is available to UCD first-years. Merville, Belgrove, Roebuck Castle and Roebuck Hall are all on UCD's Belfield campus. Melville, Belgrove and Roebuck Castle all cost €3,544 per person a year and that fee is paid in two instalments.

Roebuck Castle also has economy and budget options for students willing to have smaller rooms.

Units in the newly built Roebuck Hall cost €4,460 a year. Students are required to pay a deposit with all of the residences. For more information go to ucd.ie/residences.

UL

UL first-years are in the lucky position of being guaranteed an on-campus place should they want one.

A new residence called Cappavilla will open this year, bringing to five the number of student villages on the Limerick campus. Rates for Cappavilla, Dromroe Village and Thomond Village range from €3,700 to €4,232 depending on the type of apartment you want.

Plassey and Kilmurray Villages consist of shared houses and cost in the region of €3,254 and €2,928. Deposits and some extras are required.

More information is available on ul.ie/campuslife