And we are back in business! Good day all, wherever you might be! After a serious topic streak, today it’s time I addressed a more relaxed topic because you know… summer is officially here and all that!! But don’t get all too excited. The new academic year will start soon. And what is the biggest challenge in an international student’s life? Exactly, finding the accommodation for the upcoming university year. Been there, done that, since here at The Study Abroad Portal we have all studied abroad and yes, we know from our experience that you need to be prepared. Thus, let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of living in private rented accommodation vs. student halls of residence!
Cost
Oh my God, yes. I put this first for a reason. As it’s a universally-valid truth that students’ budgets are limited, right? And since rent is the highest monthly expense, it is good to bear in mind the differences in cost for both accommodation options. In developed countries, halls of residence will always be more expensive, because they come with the bills included and students can benefit from the university facilities (gym, cafeteria, etc.), things that cost money to maintain. In less developed countries, university accommodation will be less expensive than private rent, but conditions will not be the best – you will need to share the room with at least one person (if you’re lucky!)
Proximity to university
This is another crucial aspect one should consider when looking for student accommodation. Always ask yourself this question: ‘How far is my room from uni?’ In most of the cases, university-provided accommodation will be close to the lecture rooms, as the uni tries to facilitate student access within the campus, so if you opt in for private rent make sure you don’t end up on the other side of the town, needing to change 2 buses and 3 metro lines to arrive to your class ?
Personality
PersonalityThis one is very subjective. If neither money nor the distance is a problem for you, then you should look at the situation in a different manner. For example, are you a party animal, the most sociable person that you know on Earth? Then private rented accommodation is the answer for you (yes, student house parties do ROCK!). If you enjoy spending time with yourself more than anything in the world, your own room in university halls is definitely what you should go for.
Food
FoodFood is our everyday fuel and we should take it very seriously. Consequently, the options are as follow: if you go with university accommodation, you will most likely enjoy the menu from their cafeteria. If cooking is your jam, then you should seriously consider the shared accommodation and thus the comfort of a STOVE!
Easiness of making friends
Imagine being in a building full of like-minded individuals that pretty much share all your characteristics, as opposed to seeing the same couple people every single day. Where are the higher chances to create life-long friendships? Good guess, in the building full of other students just like you! University halls thus wins this section against private rented accommodation ?
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