Besides offering up a football team that seems to disappoint consistently and fantastically on a regular basis, Leeds also has a small yet notable collection of education institutions. Not only is Leeds home to Leeds Beckett University, but it also houses the University of Leeds, an institution that sits in the enviable Russel Group of leading UK universities.
But where will you stay when you arrive for your first semester at one of these institutions? This is a question asked by millions of students (as well as their concerned parents) in the UK each year. Thankfully, Leeds is home to a multitudinous selection of student accommodation, both private and based within the universities themselves. Within this article, you’ll find a selection of some of the options available to you as a prospective student, with a look at the affordability aspect of living away from home, too.
Private Housing or Halls – More than Just Affordability
When looking to move into student accommodation, affordability is often one of the biggest factors that will steer a student one way or the other towards private or halls-based accommodation. There are advantages and drawbacks to both, of course.
Halls of Accommodation are a fantastic place to meet new people, but the socially anxious among today’s youth may be nervous at the thought of being thrown in with a group of people that they didn’t at least get to select themselves. Financially, Halls can be cheaper or more expensive than private housing these days, but with halls you’re not going to get unexpected energy bills since everything is usually included in the upfront cost. Proximity to the university is almost always an advantage with halls, too.
Private accommodation allows you to, in some circumstances, vet or even choose your housemates in advance. Comfort in communal areas is a more notable feature of private housing, too. Perhaps most importantly, with private housing, you can find a variety of properties for a myriad of budgets, and all without being at the mercy of the predetermined prices set by those pushing the Halls of Residence option on you.
So in terms of cost between Private Housing or Halls, there isn’t a huge amount in it. However, factors like proximity, convenience, social wellbeing, and surprise bills should all factor into your decision. Ok, so what are the options available to prospective Leeds students? Read on in order to see the kind of Halls and Private Housing options available.
Halls of Residence
Leeds Beckett
If you’re heading to Leeds Beckett University, you’ll be at no shortage of choice when it comes to Halls of Residence, given that they have over 4000 rooms available across the City and Headingley campuses. The Leeds Becket website claims that these are some of the best halls in the UK, offering facilities from parking and laundry to excellent Wi-Fi and various common areas. There is even a list of buildings/residences on the website. However, affordability is truly the main factor for most students, so it is suggested that you look at the Leeds Beckett Rent Prices pages to see exactly what you could personally afford given your individual circumstances. Residences like the Arena Village offer a three-part payment system, while weekly costs generally range from as low as £96 to as high as £236 for a Premium Studio at the broadcasting tower.
University of Leeds
Some of the best-rated Halls of Residence buildings/rooms at the University of Leeds are Lyddon Hall, Ellerslie, Charles Morris Hall, and the St. Mark’s Residences. These four halls have prices that go from £132 to £172 per week at a minimum. There is a serious bank of choice when it comes to residences at University of Leeds, too. The university even offers shared houses, for those looking for the privately rented experienced but in much more convenient proximity to the University than you would be guaranteed to get elsewhere.
Just to give you an example, the price of an ensuite at Lyddon Hall (the best-rated Halls at the University of Leeds) go from £193 to $206 per week, with notably lower prices if you choose the shared bathroom option.
Private Housing
Prices for private housing are much more varied, and of course will depend on the area in which you wish to live, as well as other factors such as number of bedrooms, size of the shared spaces, and how modern the building’s decoration is, among other factors.
You’ll find plenty of websites that will direct you towards the kinds of housing you will encounter in the Leeds area. For example, Liberty Living offer a few options such as the Liberty Park area (0.7 miles from the University of Leeds, for example. For this proximity, you’ll be looking to pay from £179.
If you’re willing to go to the more classic individual-house route, websites like YourNest will show you what there is on offer around Leeds, with sections specifically for students. Affordable housing can certainly be found around the Headingley area, a classically student-oriented section of the city with a variety of houses on offer. Rooms in Headingly can be found for £98 per week. On the Yournset website you will find properties ranging from 2-bedroom houses for around £872 per month inclusive of bills to larger properties with many more bedrooms for between £100 to £250.
Though not a hard and fast rule, generally the more desirable properties are going to command higher prices, with most of the larger, more well-maintained houses in the Leeds area being north of £160 and even £200 per week. What it’s really going to come down to in the end is how much time you are personally willing to invest in searching for a property that suits you. There is no shortage of student housing around Leeds, ranging from highly affordable to more expensive but much more modern, spacious houses. So whether you choose private housing or Halls of Residence, there is going to be an affordable and convenient option.