Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of accommodation for all eligible undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh.

Accommodation guarantees

You are guaranteed an offer of University accommodation if you meet all the following criteria: 

  • you are a new, single student at the University of Edinburgh
  • you send us your online accommodation application by 31 July in the year you will start your degree
  • you have the status Unconditional Firm (UC) on UCAS by 31 August in the year you will start your degree
  • you live outside the City of Edinburgh
  • you are studying with us for the whole academic year, starting in September 

How to apply for University of Edinburgh accommodation

As soon as you have accepted an offer to study with us, you should apply for accommodation, regardless of whether your offer is Unconditional or Conditional. 

How to apply for University accommodation

Our accommodation

We offer a range of catered and self-catered options, and most are close to key University buildings and facilities. These range from catered rooms in halls of residence to rooms in self-catering flats. 

  • Catered accommodation includes two meals per day in the rental price. These meals are served in a central restaurant within the accommodation campus.
  • Self-catered accommodation does not include any meals within the rental price. Instead, you will have access to shared kitchens where you can store and prepare your own food.

A twin room shared with another student in a self-catered block is usually the cheapest option for University accommodation.   

Our undergraduate accommodation is all within a short walk or bus ride from the city-centre. 

Explore the city

The rent for accommodation that we own or manage typically includes: 

  • all heating, hot water and electricity costs
  • internet facilities in every bedroom and Wi-Fi in most bedrooms and common areas
  • contents insurance
  • secure bike storage
  • access to on-site laundry facilities 
  • A student works on a laptop at his desk in his university accommodation.
  • Two students sit on a bed looking at a laptop in their university accommodation.
  • Two students talk in the kitchen of their university accommodation.

See our Accommodation website for more information, help and advice to help you find your new home in Edinburgh. 

Find student accommodation 

Benefits of our accommodation

  • Live exclusively alongside other students
  • No deposit or guarantor required
  • One all-inclusive price, with contents insurance and free wi-fi. No separate utility bills or hidden extras
  • 24/7 dedicated Residence Life staff provide wellbeing and pastoral guidance throughout the academic year
  • 24/7 Response Team available day and night to support safety and security
  • All our accommodation is managed by the University and designed for student transition, making it particularly strong for first-year, international and care-experienced students
  • Your accommodation rent is reinvested back into the University

Socialising and support 

Our Residence Life team provides you with academic and social events throughout the year.  

Student Resident Assistants (RAs) live in your building. They offer a full range of events and activities to help you settle in to life in Edinburgh and create a supportive and inclusive community in which to live. 

Support from the Residence Life team 

The Residence Life team is very keen to help students meet other people. One of the most enjoyable experiences I've had was in my first week, when they arranged a meal for 30 of us at an Indian restaurant, very near my accommodation. That night I met the people who've become probably my closest friends in Edinburgh. 

Undergraduate student

Private accommodation

If you would prefer not to live in accommodation managed by the University, you can find private accommodation in the city. Most undergraduate students stay in private accommodation from Year 2 onwards.

There are two types of private accommodation:

  • individual rooms in flats or houses or entire properties owned by private landlords, usually available for anybody to rent
  • purpose-built student accommodation blocks, which are managed by private student accommodation firms and only available to students

Renting from a private landlord

Flats and houses rented by private landlords:

  • are often managed and advertised by letting agencies
  • have open-ended leases, with no minimum or maximum period (although some landlords may prefer to let to tenants who will stay for at least 12 months)
  • usually require rent on a monthly basis (in some cases a landlord might request an upfront payment of up to six months’ rent)
  • do not usually include utilities (gas and electric) and WiFi in the rental price

Rental prices and quality of accommodation vary depending on location and property features. You can save money by renting in a cheaper neighbourhood and sharing with other students.

Advice on renting a room or flat (The Advice Place)

Advice on finding flatmates (The Advice Place)

Edinburgh neighbourhoods: video tours from our students

Renting private student accommodation

Purpose-built student accommodation blocks:

  • are similar to University accommodation
  • usually offer studios or ensuite rooms within shared flats
  • have fixed leases that correspond to the length of the academic year (for example, 39 weeks)
  • may require rent payment on a specific schedule, for example in four instalments throughout the year
  • usually include utilities (gas and electric) and WiFi in the rental price

The quality of private student accommodation tends to be high, which means it is often more expensive than renting from a private landlord.

List of private student accommodation providers (The Advice Place)

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