One of the most exciting things about preparing for university is looking at all the different accommodation options. Some of you may know which accommodation you will be in and are looking for more information, and some of you will be trying to decide between the different options. After giving accommodation tours at a recent open day, these were some of the most frequently asked questions:   How does the application process work? You will be invited to apply when accommodation applications open. You will be asked to rank your top 5 options in order of preferences. You are likely to end up with one of your top options, subject to availability.   What different options are there? There are a huge number of options, check out the website (linked below) for full details. You can filter by contract length, catered or self-catered, en-suite or shared bathroom, standard or premium, on or off campus and mixed or single-gender. There are also options for returning or mature students to be grouped together, and options for families.   How does cleaning work? You are responsible for cleaning your own private areas (bedroom, en-suite if applicable). An amazing team of cleaners come in once a week to do any shared areas such as the kitchen, hallways, and any shared bathrooms. Each flat comes with a hoover and broom.   What communal areas are there? The kitchens are all large social areas, with some accommodation options also having sofas. For each different accommodation group, there is an allocated lounge space which you can use to socialise with others. This was something I wish I had made better use of!   Standard vs premium: what is the difference? Premium rooms come with a small double bed, more storage space, a shower (as opposed to a wet room in the standard bathrooms), a more modern and updated kitchen and more light in both the bedrooms and the kitchen. I was in a premium en-suite and loved the style of the rooms.   What else do you have access to? This varies depending on what accommodation you choose, but all the options have wifi included, as well as laundry facilities and a study space nearby. Most of the rooms come with basic furniture including a desk chair, and all rooms come with a pin board.   How do meal plans work? I personally did not have a meal plan so I can’t say this is a topic I am hugely knowledgeable about, but essentially there are different tiers which equate to different numbers of meals provided a week. This means you can customise to ensure it is the best option for you. These are available at multiple different catering outlets across campus.   I hope this has been helpful information about accommodation options. Click here to look at some of the accommodation options, here to look at the application journey and here to read about meal plans. If you have any further questions, please message me!