Accommodation Guide 2014/15

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Your guide to university accommodation 2014/15

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www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation

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 lifestyle.

Welcome 3

Our guarantee 4

The benefits 5

Our accommodation 6

Support information 8

How to apply 10

Contact us 12


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The information contained in this guide is correct at the time of going to press (January 2014). However, service levels may be subject to change. Final details will be given in your contract for accommodation. Please ensure you read the contract carefully, 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. The scheme which the University has signed up to 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 finding 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 you can socialise, study and relax.

Residences vary in style and size, with a large proportion being located on campus;

others are conveniently situated close to the city centre.

This guide will give you essential information about the benefits 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 are to assist.

Please see page 12 for our contact details.

Located in an 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 150 universities

in the world.

4www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation

New studentsWith over 5,000 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 wide 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, if you apply by 31 July 2014, we guarantee to offer you accommodation if you are:

•AnunaccompaniedUK,EUorinternational undergraduate entering into Year 1, 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.

Applications for 2014-15 will open from 14 April 2014.

We will prioritise applications received by the 31 July deadline, however, we are not able to guarantee that you will receive an offer of your preferred accommodation. Should your preferred choice not be available, we will offer you an alternative within our residences.

Students who apply after the above deadline, may apply for University owned/managed/approved accommodation and will be allocated accommodation if places are available. Where rooms are not available, the Accommodation Office will provide assistance in helping you find alternative accommodation.

For further information please visit our website.

Returning studentsWe are able to offer a limited number of rooms to returning students, ie, 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.

“university life initially does

seem daunting, but living

in halls quickly banishes

that myth. Before you

know it, you’ve found your

home from home.”

Lopes Hall, resident


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Our guarantee

The benefitsWhy 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, internet

connection including WiFi and IPTV for the duration of your stay, so there are no bills or hidden costs to worry about.

• All students benefit 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.

*service levels may vary depending on the type of accommodation

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

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Our accommodation

Flats and houses are shared between three 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 flat has a kitchen and some have a communal dining area or lounge.

Townhouses are similar to flats, but provide split-level living, with study bedrooms over several floors 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 flats and are either in the lounge or kitchen area.


Self-catered residences


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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 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 benefit.

Standard rooms include a washbasin in the room, with bathroom facilities being shared with other residents. 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 self-catered flat. If you would like to request that you are placed in a male or female only flat or corridor, please indicate this on your application. We will try to accommodate your request, however, we are unable to offer a guarantee to all those who request a room in a single-sex flat.

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 Freshers’ 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

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 Office and AccessAbility via [email protected] at an early stage, so that we can do all that we reasonably can to find 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.

Special facilities requested such as a vibrating pillow, for those with impaired hearing, will be issued to residents who require them for health and safety purposes.

Once we have allocated all students with special requirements, any remaining adapted rooms will be allocated to the next student requesting accommodation.

Students with familiesInternational students intending to bring their family to Exeter with them are advised to contact the International Office 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 Office 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 instalment dates can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/students/finance/studentfees/accommodationfees

To secure your accommodation, you will need to accept the offer of accommodation made to you and pay an accommodation deposit of £300.

“With the lively

atmosphere, friendly

neighbours, social

gatherings and always

something fun going on

around you, living in

halls of residence is an

experience of a lifetime.”

Clydesdale rise, resident 8



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

Where is the accommodation located?75 per cent of University accommodation is located on campus; others are conveniently situated close to the city centre. The maps on our website show where our residences are located in relation to other University buildings.

Approximate walking times for residences on and off campus can be found on the individual residences website under the Key Facts section.

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 will need to apply online by 31 July 2014.

if you are allocated accommodation, you will receive an email to advise you that an offer of accommodation has been made to you.

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 Freshers’ 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 have provided 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 to submit an online application for accommodation before this date.

• 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.

• Arrivals Weekend (Mid-Sept): 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 confirmed. Once it is, please apply as soon as possible.

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 firm.

Will you be studying at our Penryn Campus in Cornwall?If so, please contact the Penryn Campus Accommodation Office for further informationTel: +44 (0) 1326 253639 Email: [email protected]

Web: 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.

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09We hope this guide gives you all the information you need, but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries, or view our most frequently asked questions at the web address below for more details.

Tel: 0300 555 0444 (calls from the UK)+44 (0) 1392 724724 (International calls)Email: [email protected]



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Documents

Accommodation Guide 2014/15