Anybody got any recent feedback on accommodation at the university! Or just wise words!
Choosing accommodation with my daughter who received an unconditional offer for this uni studying "Policy, Polotics and Economics"
Is being on the campus the best bet?
Also catering is £50 per week where we would prefer to give daughter £50 a week for food drinks etc is this wise as I know £50 a week for food will go a long way for 1 person and you cannot buy alcohol with that or get any back if you don't use it
What's people thoughts?
And Happy new year to everybody!

Personally, for a first year, being fed and sheltered is a good start so campus is a good idea. Being catered is less problematic especially if she is ok with money.
Well done her on the offer in any case!
And HNY!

Unless she's already ventured into the kitchen to make meals for herself (not just beans on toast or boiled eggs!) then suddenly having to cook for herself can be a bit of a shock, and you'll need to kit her out with a basic sets of pots and pans and cutlery. And that's assuming she can opt out of "catering" and that there are shared kitchen facilities (big fridge, microwave, oven/grill). If that £50 per week includes weekends and is breakfast + evening meal then I'd say it seems quite good, are you sure that £50 a week for food will really go a long way? Missing the odd meal in favour of a night out every once in a while shouldn't be too bad.

But aside from the food, being on campus in "halls of residence" in the first year is better socially for meeting new people and making friends and joining in etc.

Yes!!! Absolutely no doubt about it.

Halls of residence are the answer!

Not a uni person but halls are common for first year surely

There are tons of places to eat and drink locally so wouldn't worry about getting something to eat. Also very cheap to eat locally.

I'm from the area so know it well.

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated!

We are having to choose rooms either

With or without private bathroom
With or without provided food for £50 a week but only at the uni canteen and does not include Alcohol
And on or off Campus or more like within the grounds or a bit further away! as opposed to entirely off campus! (they are all Halls of residence!)

The preffered choice is private bathroom on campus (near to) and self catering!

But its one of those put down 4 preferred choices and the way they are done (perhaps me being cynical) are the most desirable are furthest away and the ones with the catering provided are nearer

I am sure she would have no problems fending for her self! having said that they are all shared kitchens so surely that's half the fun! or not

We have whittled it down but thanks for the reminders about cooking guys! as she can muster up stuff and works weekends in a Coffee shop/cafe but just realised she has not done much cooking around the house lately! always bloody studying!

I think thats the next step to get her to cook at least once a week!

Its all on the Edgbaston Campus is that far from town!

I will be visiting soon to check out the uni as i missed out a few months ago due to work!

Cheers

What DaveG and Enforcer say. 1st year as close to uni as possible.

It's right in the middle of studentville... Best spot I'd say. Most students don't head to far, lots of pubs and places to eat.

Easy to head to town on buses or train.

<cough>
She might find this useful, and two quid goes to charity...



http://www.lulu.com/shop/neil-barnes/food-for-a-tenner-a-week/paperback/product-22072696.html

Thanks for the replies again guys
With the dearest room she is applying for we will be shelling out £371 a calender month or £1500 per term that includes £50 a week for food and stuff!
But we wont know where she is staying until may-june when they let you know what you have been allocated!
Im hoping she should get first choice as she has an unconditional, so would be one of the 100's of kids who know where they are going!

It will be what it will be so we are not going to worry about anything yet!

Barnacle your post is noted and i shall order one soon!

Again many thanks

Cheers Rich

P.S. Neil the picture link does not work shame on you! ha ha

Oh rats, that's because Lulu linked to an active page, not the actual image I uploaded. Never mind; buy the book and get the full-resolution front cover in hard copy!

And thanks for considering it!

Firstly congratulations to your daughter. It's a good feeling as a parent isn't it

My daughter has just finished her first term at Uni. She, like 99% of 'freshers' is in halls of residence. She chose to go self catered (catered was £45pw for 6 days worth of food) and decided on an en-suite room. She wasn't a brilliant cook before she went to Uni, but now she can now do a full roast, turn mince into a vast array of dishes and even makes her own oven chips!

You say you'll be shelling out £371 a month on her accommodation. I assume this is on top of her maintenance loan? If so, that's quite a lot extra to pay (we're paying an extra £1100 over the year).

My daughter and 3 of her friends have found a house in Leamington Spa for year 2 and 3. It works out a lot cheaper than the Halls

Hi Bezzer! Thanks for the reply! Sorry only just seen this.

Yeah it's a great feeling and with that goes the making sure she is helped out as much as possible but without spoiling her and hopefully her sister will be doing the same in 2 years time!

I'm not a 100% on the maths, but we have worked out she will get £3821 living grant the minimum amount and the dearest room she has applied for was £147 per week plus £50 for food books etc. Apparently the academic year is 42 weeks approx £4500 for first year
So that's how we come about those figures
We will obviously help out with big costs but will not provide for going out drinking etc. She either budgets from the £50 a week or gets a job!
We are hoping the 2nd year will go as you have suggested in a shared house/flat with some good new friends from the fresher year!
I'm not sure if this is the year it all changes or if it was last year I know there have been some changes to grants etc
Hope it all goes smoothly for your daughter!
Cheers Rich

Went to the Uni there. There is an area called "The Vale", which is slightly off-campus, but is where many of the Halls of Residence are. This is good, as there is plenty of social life, and the University Buildings are just a walk away.
University House (or University Hice), if it is still around, is a lot closer, but posher.
Many students opted for self-catering flats on the Vale. Shared kitchen (amongst 5), but sometimes affiliated with a Hall, so got all the social life too.
I opted for catered, as it was one less thing to worry about.

In summary, The Vale is probably the nicest Student Accommodation in the country, as it is close, but not in the University, is green and peaceful, and closeish to the city centre, buses, Studentville, train station.

Her first choice is the Mason in the Vale £147 a week
I thought that was the posh one! Good to know there is one that is considered posher!
Cheers

Great area, great city to be in - these will be amongst the best years of her life. I love Brum

Just checked. University House is no longer a Halls of Residence.

Mason Hall was where I was, but the building has been knocked down and replaced. Was previously nicknamed Herpes Hall, apparently, as being the only mixed hall on The Vale at the time.

Nice! i will let her know!