Even as a final year student, I still vividly remember the thrill of receiving my offer letter from LSE. While the moment was filled with joy and pride, in the back of my mind there was the looming question of “where am I going to live?” Like many other students, I received my offer around April, which did not leave me with many options for student accommodation. I have decided to volunteer as tribute and help future LSE students with some frequently asked questions about the complexities of student accommodation!

Types of accommodation

Student accommodation can be split into three groups: LSE halls of residence, private accommodation and intercollegiate halls. LSE halls of residence are great because they are exclusive to LSE students and a great way to meet other students on campus. The downside is that they are often the most popular and get filled up quite quickly. This often leaves students to choose intercollegiate halls. These are also a great option because they are filled with all University of London students, so you can meet other students from LSE and beyond. The only downside is that there are usually not as many LSE students who go with this option, so you may not meet as many other people on campus through your halls.

The third option is to live in private accommodation – this is the equivalent of renting a flat or a house share. Most students tend to live in a student accommodation in their first year, then move into private accommodation in their subsequent years. This is the route that I took, and I’d strongly recommend living in any student accommodation in your first year then living privately (if you find somewhere) for the rest of your time as you can often meet people in first year who you’d like to move in with in second and third year.

Cost

One of my greatest sources of anxiety was how I was going to afford living in London. The cost of living is high, and housing is not exempt from this. Luckily, LSE has a hardship fund and bursary that students can apply for to help them with financial difficulties they may be facing. The intercollegiate accommodations tend to be on the more expensive side of things so, if you can, I’d recommend starting your search at an LSE accommodation before looking elsewhere.

I stayed in Bankside House which is towards the upper end of the price scale, but it comes with catering, shared kitchens and en-suites for some of the bedrooms. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bankside, and it is known as the most social of the LSE halls with lovely kitchen staff and single rooms on offer. These are also some of the reasons why it is one of the most sought-after accommodations and always fills up quite quickly. There are plenty of other great options for LSE accommodation which can be found on the LSE Accommodation webpages.

Location

I would recommend that when considering the cost, also factor in the location. Transport in London can be expensive, so it saves a lot of money if you live within walking distance from campus. It can also be quite therapeutic to walk home after a long day at university. If you can’t live within walking distance from LSE, I’d try to make sure you live one direct bus or tube away to make it easier for when you’re heading home after an evening class or study session. I would also try to make sure that where you’re living is nearby a larger supermarket like Lidl or Tesco Extra to help keep the costs down on those weekly shops. Where possible, living a 5-10 minute walk from your nearest tube or bus stop for those days when you’re running late to your 9am class is ideal!

My final piece of advice would be to book your accommodation as soon as you accept your offer! The most affordable and closest accommodations always get booked up the fastest, and living in halls is such a core part of the university experience that you don’t want to miss out. It’s an amazing way to meet new people, socialise and feel like you’re a part of the university community. If you cannot secure a spot in a university accommodation, I’d recommend joining lots of LSESU societies and going to as many events as possible on campus to help you build that network of friends that you get from living in student accommodation.