Accommodation - Start your Search
Student Journey / Student Information / New Students / International Pre-Arrival Guide / Accommodation / Accommodation - Start your Search
Accommodation - Start your Search
Being prepared to carry out research prior to your arrival is key to understanding which accommodation may be right for you, and how to go about searching for, and securing a property. It is important that you begin thinking about your accommodation as soon as you receive your unconditional offer to study at the University of Sunderland.
Distance & Convenience
The University of Sunderland has two campuses in the city, and depending on where you will be studying, you may wish to initially base your search from these addresses:
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City Campus |
St Peter’s Campus |
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The University of Sunderland City Campus Chester Road Sunderland SR1 3SD |
The University of Sunderland St Peter’s Campus St Peter’s Way Sunderland SR6 0DD |
Housing availability is limited in Sunderland at the present time due to high demand. Therefore, it is also advisable to look further afield if you are struggling to find suitable accommodation within the city. You may find that prices become slightly cheaper, but other factors or costs come into consideration, such as transport from your home to the university, or proximity to local facilities.
Sunderland is a well connected city, both regionally and nationally. For information on transport within the region, visit the Nexus website to understand how close a property may be to a transport hub. The Metro train service is particularly useful for students, being both frequent and affordable, so it may be a good idea to look for property around these stations. For information on transport links within Sunderland, visit here.
Please note that if you choose to live outside of the local area, your requirements to engage with all on-campus sessions does not change, and you will need to travel to Sunderland to take part in your course activities. It is important that you attend all timetabled sessions as this is a condition of your visa. If you do not attend timetabled sessions, this will impact your immigration status and put your visa at risk.
Online Portals
To search for a property, particularly before you arrive, make use of online property search websites which enables you to filter by property type, location, price, and other features which may be important to you. The most popular websites in the UK are:
This will allow you to get a sense of availability in the area, in addition to the types of property available. If you are outside of the UK and find a property you are interested in, it may be that you can ask a friend in the UK to view the property on your behalf, or for an online viewing via the estate agent. However, if you are not able to personally view the property, ensure that you take all reasonable steps to understand the property's condition and that you carefully check the tenancy agreement before agreeing to rent.
Estate Agents
When you arrive in Sunderland you can also visit local estate agents and speak to them about your needs, in addition to arranging viewings on properties you are interested in. It will be helpful if you have a clear of idea of what you’re looking for when speaking to estate agents, as this will help them identify suitable properties.
There are many estate agents in Sunderland, so do not get too disheartened if you visit an office and find that they have no suitable properties. Remember to be courteous, ask if you can leave your details, and if a property which meets your needs does come on the market in the future, they may call you to check if you're still searching for accommodation.
If you are in the UK and arrange property viewings via estate agents, it is important that you arrive at the property at the agreed time. Estate agents or property owners may be less likely to arrange viewings if you have not attended previously booked appointments.
Top Tip
We would recommend exercising caution if using social media or other unregulated methods to find property.
Whilst posts offering accommodation may be legitimate, property advertisements on social media may not be subject to the same regulations as the online property search tools as outlined above, and you may be at an increased risk of fraud. Ask questions, visit the property, and be very clear on the contractual arrangements between you and the landlord. Citizens Advice has some excellent information on their website on renting privately, with more specific information on avoiding fraud or scams here.