University of Exeter accommodation guide

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Your guide to university accommodation

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www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation


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At Exeter we offer a

wide range of accommodation,

from traditional catered halls

to contemporary purpose-built

self-catered residences, giving you

different options to suit

your budget.

Welcome 3

Our guarantee 4

The benefi ts 5

Our accommodation 6

Support information 8

How to apply 10

Contact us 12

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The information in this guide is correct at the time of going to press (February 2012). However, service levels may be subject to change. Final details will be given in your contract for accommodation. Please ensure you check this contract before accepting your accommodation offer.

The University of Exeter has signed the Student Accommodation Code and has been audited to assess its compliance with this code. It is an accreditation awarded to the University which protects students’ right to safe, good quality accommodation, ensuring that they get the best out of living in university accommodation.

WelcomeStarting at university is an exciting time and we realise the importance

of fi nding the right place to live. There are new friends to be made,

new places to discover and the chance to develop many new interests.

Being in university residences enables you to meet a diverse range

of people from different backgrounds and cultures, on a variety of

programmes and you can make friends straight away.

Everyone has different requirements and the University is able to offer a wide

range of accommodation to suit all tastes. In recent years there has been a

multi-million pound investment in the building of new bright, modern, safe and

secure accommodation which is designed to the highest standard to complement

our existing residences.

Each residence is a vibrant community with its own distinctive character

offering you a safe and secure environment in which to socialise, study and

relax. Residences vary in style and size with many being on campus; others are

conveniently situated close to the city centre.

This guide will give you all the essential information, looking at the benefi ts of living

in university accommodation, the range of accommodation types on offer and how

to apply for them. We hope this gives you all the information you need but if you

have any further queries, our friendly and experienced team are happy to assist.

Please see page 12 for our contact details.

Located in a historic

and vibrant city,

Exeter is regarded as

a leading University for

research and teaching

both nationally and

internationally. It is

currently listed among

the top 10 universities

in the UK in national

league tables and top

200 universities in

the world.

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Our guaranteeNew studentsWith over 5,500 bed spaces we are able to offer accommodation to many of our students. Whether you are new to the University or continuing your studies, we have a whole range of accommodation styles, standards and budgets to suit the different needs of our diverse student community at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

We welcome applications from all students; in particular we guarantee to offer you accommodation if you are:

•AnunaccompaniedUK,EUorinternational undergraduate entering into Year 1 of an undergraduate programme who has firmly accepted the offer of a place at the University of Exeter.

•Anunaccompaniedinternationalpostgraduate from outside of the EU in your first year of study. Note: You are defined as an ‘international’ student if you pay international fees.

•AnunaccompaniedincomingStudyAbroad or Erasmus student at Exeter for the full academic year.

We would advise you to make your application by the 31 July.

Should your preferred choice not be available, we will provide assistance in finding alternative accommodation in our residences and/or the private sector. For further information please visit our website.

Returning studentsDue to the recent expansion of our accommodation, there are more rooms available and we are able to offer rooms to returning students, i.e. students in their second or third years or postgraduates. This means you are able to continue to enjoy the benefits and convenience that living in university accommodation provides throughout your academic career.

“i was impressed by

the staff and their

knowledge and attitude

with me over the phone,

very helpful.”

Birks Grange village resident

The benefi tsWhy choose university accommodation?

What’s right for me? There is a wide range of accommodation on offer. Before you decide where you want to live it’s a good idea to ask yourself the following questions. This will help you narrow down your options and make the choice that’s right for you.

• Do you want catered or self-catered accommodation?

• Do you want a standard, en-suite, or studio room?

• How much do you want to spend?

• Do you require a room during the vacation period?

• The student experience: our residences give you the opportunity to mix with people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.

• Our residences are conveniently located, being close to academic and campus facilities as well as being only a short walk from the city centre. A bus service also runs regularly between campus and the city centre, train and coach stations.

• All inclusive fees – your accommodation fees include utility costs and internet connection for the

duration of your stay, so there are no bills or hidden costs to worry about. *

• All students benefi t from support services, such as maintenance, welfare support, cleaning service** and 24/7 security from Estate Patrol, so you can have the peace of mind that help is at hand.

* At Northfi eld there is a charge for internet connection.

** Service level varies depending on the type of accommodation

There’s more to university than education and the residential experience is one not be missed. There are many advantages to living in residences; here are just some of them:

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Our accommodation

Flats and houses are shared between 3 and 12 students who have their own study bedroom and share communal facilities (bathroom/shower and toilet facilities depend on whether the room is en-suite or not). Each fl at has a kitchen and some have a communal dining area or lounge.

Townhouses are similar to fl ats, but provide split-level living, with study bedrooms over several fl oors and shared

communal facilities including bathrooms/showers, toilets and kitchens.

Studios consist of one room which provides open-plan living space including small kitchenette and en-suite facilities.

Accommodation for families or couples includes separate bedroom(s), bathroom, kitchen and lounge. Dining facilities vary between fl ats and are either in the lounge or kitchen area.

6www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation

“At exeter there is a massive range in the quality and type of accommodation

that is offered, enabling you to choose how much you want to spend on your

accommodation and therefore the quality too.” Holland Hall resident

Self-catered residences

In catered halls you are provided with breakfast and an evening meal, Monday to Friday; and continental breakfast, brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. Weekday lunches may be purchased from a number of outlets on both the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses. Catered accommodation offers a well-balanced range of meals including a vegetarian option at every meal and can make it easier to budget your money.

Please note that there are some twin (shared) rooms in some of the residences, therefore we cannot guarantee that you will be given a single room. Many students enjoy the company of another student as well as the economic benefi t.

Standard rooms include a washbasin in the room, with bathroom facilities being shared with other residents. We offer a range of standard accommodation with some located in more traditional residences and others in more modern buildings. Prices vary accordingly.

En-suite rooms have a shower, washbasin and toilet in the room.

We normally allocate a mix of male and female students to each fl at. If you would like to request that you are placed in a male or female only fl at or corridor, please indicate this on your application. We cannot guarantee to place everyone who requests it in a single-sex fl at.

We normally allocate separate blocks of residences to undergraduates (including Study Abroad or Erasmus students) and postgraduates. However, this may not always be possible especially if the number of one group is higher than anticipated.

Letting periodCatered accommodation is let for 32 weeks – based around our term dates while self-catered accommodation is let for 40, 42, 44 or 51 weeks per year. All contracts include Welcome Week. You will be expected to remain in university accommodation for the full period as stated in your contract (see our website for detailed information on contract lengths).

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Catered residences

Allocation of rooms


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Support informationStudents with a disabilityWe are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and have adapted accommodation in most of our residences. We are happy to discuss individual requirements with students who have disabilities and we encourage you to contact the Accommodation Offi ce and AccessAbility via [email protected] at an early stage so that we can do all that we reasonably can to fi nd or adapt accommodation that will be suitable for you. Although you do not have to do so, it will help us to help you if you mention your requirements in your application. Even though you may have told others in the University, we would strongly advise that you make us fully aware of your requirements for accommodation separately so that we can support you during your stay.

The adapted rooms have single beds and usually have a larger bathroom than other rooms. Rooms with special facilities, such as fi re alarms for those with impaired hearing, will be issued to residents who

require them for health and safety reasons. Once we have allocated all students with special requirements, any remaining adapted rooms are allocated to the next student wanting accommodation.

Students with familiesInternational students intending to bring their family to Exeter with them are advised to contact the International Offi ce via [email protected] for further advice and to make sure they have a contract for suitable family accommodation before bringingtheirfamilytotheUK.ForHomeand EU students please contact the Accommodation Offi ce for assistance; our contact details can be found on page 12.

Cost and ServicesAccommodation fees are payable in instalments at the start of each term. Full details of term dates can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/about/facts/termdates

“i asked to move

accommodation due

to a disability and the

staff were fantastic and

professional, seeking to

fi nd a good solution. i

was really impressed

and most importantly

felt comfortable

asking them.”

James Owen Court resident


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Want to know more?Virtual tours of some of our residences are available on our website at www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation

Where is the accommodation located?The maps on our website show where the on-campus accommodation is in relation to other university buildings and the location of off-campus sites. The approximate walking times can also be found on the individual residences website under the Key Facts section.


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How to applyYou can apply for accommodation when you firmly accept an academic place and when applications for the next academic

year are open – visit our website for details.

if you are eligible for the university’s accommodation guarantee, and wish to take advantage of this, you are advised to apply online by 31 July.

if you are allocated accommodation, one of the following will happen:

University owned or managed accommodation you will receive an email asking you to log back onto the website to

review the offer made to you online.

Nominated accommodationyou will receive information to confirm that you have been nominated to a residence and you will then be contacted by the provider of this

accommodation with regards to the contract and deposit.

Please read through all the information carefully as once you accept the offer, it creates a legally binding contract. You will need to

accept the offer and pay a deposit to secure the accommodation.

if you reject an offer of accommodation, we will be unable to make you another offer unless there are special circumstances of which we were

unaware of at the time of allocation.

At the start of Welcome Week pick up your key from the office/residence as advised in your documents.

unless you have agreed a late arrival date with us in advance, we will re-allocate your room from 12 noon on the first Wednesday after the

start of term. if you agree a late arrival date with us and do not arrive on that date, we may also reserve the right to re-allocate your room. if you arrive late you will be liable for the accommodation charges from

the start of the contract.

if you do not accept your offer of accommodation by the reply date you will be informed that your room has been re-allocated.

We make every effort to allocate accommodation according to your preferred choices. When this is not possible we use your

stated preferences as a guide to the type of accommodation you would prefer and offer you alternative accommodation. there are a number of twin rooms in the catered halls of residence; therefore we cannot guarantee that you will be given a single room in this type of

accommodation.


“The accommodation staff were highly professional and very efficient. I had a problem and it was resolved the same day. Wonderful service.”

Holland Hall resident

Allocation takes place for undergraduate students when the conditions of their academic offer have been met and for

postgraduate students once they have paid their tuition fee deposit.

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You can complete an application form online at www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation Please ensure that you will be able to access the email account you advise us of over the summer.

Key Dates• April:

Online application form is available on our website.

• July:All students who have met their conditions of study and made an early application should receive a formal offer of accommodation.

• 31 July:All students who meet the guarantee criteria are advised to submit an online application for accommodation.

• Early September:All students who have met the guarantee criteria should have received a formal offer of accommodation. Arrival information is provided when you accept an offer of accommodation.

• Welcome Weekend:All rooms will be ready for students to occupy.

Apply online

Notes:First year undergraduates

•If you are a student who has deferred their place, an early application is advisable and an offer of accommodation will be made around June/July.

•If you are taking a gap year please apply for accommodation in your year of entry.

•If you have Exeter as your insurance or clearing choice you will only be able to apply for accommodation when your university offer is confi rmed. Once it is, please apply as soonas possible.

One term Study Abroad and Erasmus students

•If you are coming for the fi rst term, you will be able to apply online from mid April.

• If you are coming for the second term, you will be able to apply online from November onwards.

New postgraduate students

• If you are a postgraduate taught student you will have had to pay a tuition fee deposit to the University for your accommodation offer to become fi rm.

Will you be studying at our Cornwall Campus?If so, please contact the Cornwall Campus Accommodation Offi ce for further informationTel: +44 (0) 1326 253639 Email: [email protected]: www.exeter.ac.uk/cornwall/facilities/accommodation

For information regarding data protection and discrimination, Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and the accommodation deposit please visit our website. 20

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We hope this guide gives you all the information you need but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

Tel: 08444 724724 (calls from the UK)+44 1392 724724 (International calls)Email: [email protected]


University of Exeter accommodation guide

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