2025 UK Student Accommodation Guide | How international students can quickly find safe and affordable housing

Area Selection Tips

• 🔒 Safety is key — Choose areas near campus
• Areas with good public safety and a large student population
• Understand commuting times: ideally within 30 minutes by tube/train

In China, most students live on campus with almost no commuting time. Many students may feel resistant to commuting when first looking for housing abroad. However, this is common for international students in the UK, especially in big cities like London.

UK universities do offer on-campus accommodation, but it’s often limited, expensive, and small. Most students choose off-campus housing and commuting 15-30 minutes is normal.

Note: Avoid picking a flat just because it’s near the university — some areas close to campuses may have poor safety or low-quality, cheap rental properties.

How to find “affordable and reliable” housing?
✅ Start early: ideally begin searching from April to August — popular areas fill up quickly
✅ Use reliable platforms:

• Official rental platforms like Rightmove, Zoopla
• Professional agencies specializing in international students, such as UKMATE (http://ukmate.co.uk)
  ✅ Be careful about contracts and hidden costs:
• Check if rent includes bills (bills included)
• Students can apply for Council Tax exemption
• Ensure your deposit is protected (must be registered with DPS/TDS schemes)

Safety Reminders for International Students
⚠ Be cautious of cheap listings on Facebook/WeChat groups — common scams!
⚠ Beware of illegal agency fees:
Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, agents and landlords cannot charge tenants any fees other than those permitted by law.
This means: You should not be charged agency fees for finding, viewing, or signing a tenancy — whether you rent via agents, platforms, or directly from landlords.

⚠ Always verify the identity of landlords/agents and the legitimacy of companies before signing a contract.

Money-saving tips
💡 Shared accommodation significantly reduces rent per person
💡 Choose properties with “bills included” to avoid high winter utility costs
💡 If budget-conscious, consider slightly further but safe and well-connected areas

Need help?
Follow UKmate — a rental platform dedicated to supporting Chinese students in the UK.
For one-to-one advice, feel free to add us on Whatsapp:+44 7536477088