Helpful information

Before arriving in the UK, you should have a known destination (address) of where you will be staying, preferably near to where you will be studying. If you do not qualify for on campus accommodation, read our advice and tips on finding temporary accommodation and options for long term accommodation off campus.

Four things you can do before arriving in the UK:

Complete as much research before arrival as possible.
Book accommodation in advance of your arrival to the UK. (This is especially important if you are arriving with family as your accommodation choice is more limited and we cannot accommodate you on campus).
Ensure you have all relevant documentation ready to provide potential landlords.
Familiarise yourself with your UK address, know the exact rent (what to expect to pay) and what the transport will be like for travelling to and from University.

See our advice on the cost of living

Securing accommodation in advance will ease your transition to living in the UK. It can be difficult to find accommodation on arrival, so it should ease your immigration entry to the UK as you may be asked questions by border control about where you will be living.

Private accommodation

Whilst most students prefer to live close to their campus, it is likely you will need to use public transport as not all students will be able to find accommodation close to the University. If you haven’t already done so, consider widening your search area to include accommodation within commuting distance from the campus.

See our travel information

Alternative accommodation options

If you need to find temporary accommodation, there are plenty of hotels and B&Bs close to the University campus. You can find more information on the Visit Lancashire webpages.

Alternatively, Liverpool city centre can offer hostel type accommodation, often sharing with other students/travellers. This would be a short-term option.

Another option would be as a lodger in local homes for a short period of time. If lodgings are available, they will be advertised on SpareRoom. SpareRoom puts you in touch with other flat mates and advertises rooms available to rent. It also has useful information and advice on flat sharing and safety.

It will be cheaper to book temporary accommodation in advance, so make sure to plan ahead.

If you are looking for long term accommodation once you have arrived in the UK, speak to other students on your course and you will find most people are happy to share information and provide accommodation suggestions.

Arriving as a family?

If your family are planning to come to the UK with you, it may be easier to arrive by yourself in the first instance and have them join you once you’ve found suitable accommodation. Edge Hill University cannot secure or provide family accommodation, so you will need to find private accommodation independently.

Discover off-campus accommodation options

Finding a guarantor

A guarantor is a third party who agrees to take on liabilities arising from someone else’s tenancy. This means that they guarantee rent payments and other tenancy obligations, for example, landlord losses, expenses, or damages. A guarantor is not a legal requirement, but there is nothing to stop landlords or letting agents from asking for one. Some landlords will insist your guarantor be UK based. If you are unable to provide a guarantor acceptable to the landlord, you will need to consider another landlord. Some landlords will take rent in advance in place of the guarantor. The maximum allowable for this is six months in a Private Residential Tenancy.

A student and their parents carry crates and bags as they prepares to move into their room on campus.

Alternatively, there are private companies that can act as your guarantor such as Housing Hand or UK Guarantor. This can be an expensive option and you will still need a co-signer to agree to pay your rent if you can’t. The co-signer does not need to be resident in the UK.

Please note, all off-campus accommodation options are independent of the University. Once you sign a rental contract, it is a legally binding document making you liable for the rent on that property for the duration of the agreement.

The student union offer lots of advice and support on their housing guidance pages and they also offer appointments for face to face advice and contracts to be checked.

Paying rent

Most payment for accommodation in the UK can be paid by credit or debit card. Please do not bring large sums of cash into the UK as not all places accept cash, and it is at risk of being lost or stolen. Once you have enrolled at Edge Hill University, you can request a letter to set up a bank account.

If for whatever reason you find yourself with an emergency housing issue and the University is closed, please contact the charity Shelter.