So you've got your place at uni through clearing, you know which city will be your new home... but where are you going to live?
No sooner are you celebrating securing that all important place on your course, you find yourself faced with a host of practicalities to organise. The most pressing of which is making sure you'll have a roof over your head in your new city. While this is exciting, it can undoubtedly be stressful.
We talk to students in this situation every year at Vita Student. We're the UK's only experience-led accommodation provider, so we have honed our advice to make the process as easy as possible for anyone going through it.
Here are our top five tips on what to do next...
1 - Get moving and pick up the phone! Don't waste time in finding your new home. Remember, while you've been speaking to course administrators, other students have been firming up their accommodation contracts. Nobody wants the last room available, so get it sorted so you can enjoy your summer. Lots of students only consider the halls owned by their new university. Not only are these likely to fill up first, there often better options out there.
Sites such Right Move, Accommodation for Students and Students.com as are good places to start, but it's a good idea to give providers a call too. You'll get a feel for the company, what they offer and what it's like to live with them, which will put your mind at rest that you've chosen the best one.
2 - Location, location, location - You don't want to be miles away from all the action and spend the year with a severe case of FOMO, so make sure your accommodation is near both your uni and the city centre. The better locations may seem more expensive, but think of all the taxi and bus fares you'll save, not to mention the more fun you'll have at the heart of everything going on.
3 - What's included? When choosing where to live, make sure you find out exactly what's included in your rent. Things like wifi tariffs, utility bills, weekly cleaning, television licenses, home insurance and gym contracts all mount up. A provider, like Vita Student, that offers all this as part of the deal saves you worrying about hidden costs...oh and they even throw in breakfast!
4 - Think sociable - University is all about the experience so make sure you're living somewhere fun. Residences that put on events and encourage socialising are the best if you're new to a city and will make making friends so much easier. Who wants to live somewhere dull and boring, live somewhere in the middle of the action.
5 - Get excited - Once you've got your accommodation booked, it's time to get excited! Going to uni is one of the most awesome parts of growing up so look forward to it. Your provider might have an app to download for you to learn more about what to expect and give you the chance to meet your neighbours before you even move in - get involved and get excited!
Vita Student's clearing advice line is open from 8am to 7pm on 020 3096 1717 or visit vitastudent.com to find out more about the Vita Student experience.