It is very important for you to have suitable accommodation while you are studying. Below is some information that should help you decide what type of accommodation is available and how to arrange somewhere to live.

How will I find somewhere to live?

In many areas of the UK there is a shortage of student accommodation, so you must start making arrangements as soon as you have been accepted on your course. This is particularly important if you are planning to bring your family with you to the UK. It is important that you arrange some form of accommodation before you arrive in the UK, even if it is only temporary. It is best to do this before you leave your home country. There are two main types of accommodation:

• accommodation owned, managed and provided by your institution. This is usually, but not always, situated on the premises of the institution;
• private accommodation, which you will have to find and arrange either by yourself or with the help of advice and suggestions from the accommodation office at the institution.

What types of accommodation are provided by the institution?

Accommodation provided by the institution might be the most suitable type if you are coming to the UK for the first time. It will provide you with opportunities to get to know other students and become involved in the social life of the institution. There are two main types of accommodation provided by institutions:

• Halls of residence: These are usually large buildings occupied by many students. Residents live in study bedrooms, either alone or sharing with another student. Bathrooms and other facilities are usually shared, but en-suite rooms are becoming more common. Telephones are normally provided on each floor, but some institutions may provide one in each room. Halls can be single sex (male or female only) or mixed (taking both male and female students). Halls of residence usually provide breakfast and an evening meal, but the food may be basic and not familiar to you.
• Self-catering halls: This accommodation is similar to halls of residence, but you can buy and prepare your own food. Many international students prefer this type of accommodation because you can choose what to eat and how the food is prepared. Some institutions have a small number of self-catering flats for students with families.

How do I apply for accommodation provided by the institution?

In most cases accommodation provided by the institution has to be arranged before you come to Britain. When you are offered a place on your course, you will usually be asked if you would like your institution to provide accommodation or to arrange alternative private accommodation for you. Make sure that you follow the college's application procedures, and in particular, that you meet deadlines for booking accommodation. When you are making enquiries about accommodation provided by your institution you should ask the following questions:

• What types of accommodation do you have?
• Will I be offered accommodation each year?
• Will I have to leave my accommodation during the vacations?
• Will I have to provide my own linen and kitchen utensils?
• How much will the accommodation cost?
• Will accommodation be available for my family?

Suitable accommodation for students with dependants, especially those with children, is more expensive and particularly difficult to find in many parts of the UK. You will need to start making arrangements for family accommodation as soon as possible. Do not travel to Britain with your family unless you have booked accommodation for them in advance.

What types of private accommodation are available?

• Hostels: This is the best alternative if you are unable to get a place in a hall of residence or you are coming to Britain for the first time. Some hostels provide rooms for both single and married students. They usually provide some meals or have cooking facilities and allow students to prepare their own food. The staff and other students will provide good company and stop you feeling lonely. Staying in a hostel can give you the opportunity to become familiar with the area where you are studying and this is an advantage if you want to find private accommodation later.
  
  If you wish to apply for a place in a student hostel, you should do this in advance because many hostels have long waiting lists. Your booking will only be secure after you have paid a deposit. In some parts of Britain it is difficult to find hostel accommodation, although hostels are more common in London.
• Lodgings: This is a rented room in a private house. The landlord/landlady will also live in the house, perhaps with their family. You will have to adapt your lifestyle to theirs and respect the customs of the household. Meals may be provided or you may be able to use the kitchen to cook your own food. Lodgings can provide you with good company and support but you will not be completely independent.
• Bedsits: This is a single room, in which you will have to live and sleep. The house/block will be divided into several bedsits which will be rented by other people who may not be students. Cooking facilities may be in the bedsit or elsewhere in the building, in which case, you will have to share them. You will also have to share a bathroom with the other people living in the same house/block. You will have to clean your own room, do your own laundry and provide your own bed-linen and towels. In a bedsit you will be independent and have a lot of freedom, but it may be lonely. Bedsits vary in size and quality so you should never take a room without seeing it first.
• Flats and houses: After you have been in Britain for some time and have found a small group of friends, you may wish to share a furnished flat or house together. You will share the rent, heating and lighting bills, the food bills and the cleaning. This sort of accommodation can be cheaper than the other types but large houses can be difficult to find. Again, you will have to provide your own bed-linen and towels and do your own cleaning.

In the case of bedsits, flats and houses, do not sign any contract you do not understand. If you are unsure, take a copy of the agreement to your college accommodation officer or welfare officer for their advice.

How do I find accommodation?

When you are looking for accommodation, first ask the accommodation or welfare office or the students' union at your institution. They have lists of local accommodation which is available for rent and may help to arrange the accommodation for you. They may have inspected the accommodation to check that it is suitable and they can help if you have any problems. The student officer at your Embassy or High Commission in Britain may be able to give you information about accommodation. Accommodation agencies, local newspapers and advertisements in shop windows or on college notice boards are useful when you are looking for somewhere to live. Agencies usually charge a fee so you should find out how much they will charge, before you ask them to look for accommodation for you.

If you take private accommodation you must read any document carefully, before you sign, and get a copy for yourself. You must also get receipts for all payments. If you need help with your legal rights, you can get free advice at a local Law Centre or Citzens Advice Bureau (CAB).

What is Council Tax and will I have to pay it?

Most adult residents in the UK have to pay Council Tax, which is related to the property that they occupy. The Council Tax is set by local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to help pay for certain services that they provide, such as libraries, the police and the fire brigade. It is based on the value of the house, flat or other dwelling in which you live. The Council Tax does not apply in Northern Ireland but there is a local tax which students may have to pay.

How is the level of the Council Tax determined?

Properties are classified into eight bands depending on their value. The amount of tax payable depends upon the band appropriate to your dwelling and the tax set by your local authority. In general, the greater the value of your dwelling, the higher the tax will be. The tax is calculated on a daily basis, and liable persons are normally entitled to pay the bill in ten monthly instalments.

Who must pay the Tax?

Residents in most properties can be liable for the tax. A 'resident' is someone who is at least eighteen years old and 'has his sole or main residence in the dwelling'. It is possible for more than one resident to be liable. Spouses of liable persons, including unmarried couples who live together as husband and wife, are 'jointly and severally liable' to pay the council tax for the property in which they live. 'Joint and several' liability means that where more than one person is liable for the Council Tax, any one of them can be held responsible for the whole bill if other liable people do not pay for it.

Are students entitled to an exemption or discount?

You may or may not have to pay council tax depending on where you live and who you live with, although you may as a student be eligible for a discount. The Council Tax will not apply to your dwelling if all the adult residents are 'full-time' students. Council Tax regulations have a specific definition of what 'full-time' means. If you live together with your family and no other non-student is sharing your dwelling, you will not have to pay the tax, as long as your spouse and children have been admitted to the UK as dependants, which means that they cannot claim public funds.

What if I live in college accommodation?

Halls of residence that are owned or managed by a recognized educational institution or charitable body and are predominantly for the accommodation of students will be exempt from the Council Tax.