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Accommodation - Short Term Arrangements


Student Journey / Student Information / New Students / International Pre-Arrival Guide / Accommodation / Accommodation - Short Term
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Accommodation - Short Term Arrangements

Private housing options are limited within the area due to high demand. If you are not able to arrange long-term accommodation prior to travelling to the UK, it is important that you understand and budget for short-term accommodation arrangements on arrival. Here we guide you on your options for short-term accommodation.

Short-Term Accommodation Options

There are many options for short-term accommodation in the local area. Short-term accommodation can range from a single night, multiple days to booking a number of weeks. Short-term accommodation will be in high demand the closer to intake/term dates, so it is advisable to plan and book well in advance of your arrival in the UK.

Hotels in the local area are a convenient and easy option to book for short-term accommodation. There are several large hotels in Sunderland in close proximity to the university, in addition to a range of smaller hotels which may be slightly less expensive. You can expect to pay between £60 - £150 per night, depending on availability. 

Air bnb or other holiday lets are more likely to allow for longer-term bookings over multiple weeks. The price of these properties may be per night or per week, and some may have a minimum stay requirement.

You may also have friends or family in the area who would be willing to accommodate you for a short period, until you are able to secure a property or a room of your own. Make sure that you clearly communicate your needs in advance of travel, and have mutual understanding of how long you may need to stay with a friend to avoid any complications. 

Looking for property as a single occupant

If you are a single person looking for property it may take at least 3 weeks to identify and secure a suitable, long-term property. This will be dependent on how thorough you are in searching for property, your flexibility, and ability to meet the financial requirements of the property owner or estate agent, so your search could take longer. Therefore, it is imperative you have made arrangements to accommodate yourself whilst you search for permanent housing.

Searching for property

These timelines are approximations based on our experiences with current students. Please ensure that you have the funds to arrange for short-term accommodation, particularly once you arrive in the UK. As part of your application, you have demonstrated to the UK Government that you have at least £9,207 to sustain yourself in the UK. We would recommend that you supplement this with an additional £1,000 - £3,000 to cover short-term accommodation costs. 

Top Tip! Ultimately, the more research and preparation you do pre-arrival, the easier you will find it to secure longer-term accommodation once you have arrived in the UK.