Accommodation information for parents

Watching your son or daughter fly the nest can be daunting. We've gathered all the information you need to help them find a great place to live

A student and his family standing outside Radnor Hall, ready to help him move his belongings into his new home.

Welcome to Student Accommodation Services

Whilst moving away to study in a new area is exciting for students, it can be a nerve-wracking experience for their parents!

The Accommodation Team want our students to settle quickly into student life and to enjoy the start of their next adventure. We're here to offer them advice and guidance on all matters relating to halls, student life and living in Plymouth. We encourage our students to use the support services we offer throughout their time living in University-managed accommodation to make sure their stay with us is easy and enjoyable.

If you're a parent or guardian, you can find more information on our wide array of University-managed accommodation on our website. You can also find plenty of useful advice on living within the private sector.

A student, her family and a student ambassador standing in the car park during the Arrivals period, ready to help her move into her new home.

Advice to give students before they move to University

How to budget for rent, food, shopping and social life.
Basic cookery, cleaning and laundry skills.
Social skills for living with new people.
Understanding responsibilities such as paying bills and signing important documents such as housing contracts.
Safety and personal security in a new city with new people.
Research all of the facilities at the University of Plymouth before they arrive.

Parent FAQs

We have compiled a helpful list of answers to frequently asked questions from parents and guardians. If you can't find the answer to your question, please contact us at uniaccommodation@plymouth.ac.uk and a member of our team would be happy to help.

You can also find further information in our accommodation FAQs.

How do new students apply for a room in halls?

Applicants can apply for University-managed accommodation once they have received an offer and make the University of Plymouth their firm first choice on UCAS. They must be an eligible new first year undergraduate student. Applicants will then receive an email from us inviting them to begin their application for accommodation on the Accommodation Portal.

The Accommodation Portal closes during Clearing. During this time, you can only secure your accommodation by calling our Clearing call centre: 0333 241 6929.

What if they're only studying during Semester Two? Can they still live in halls?

Yes. Students who are studying at the University of Plymouth for Semester Two can make an application on our Accommodation Portal. Room offers will be sent to students in December and they will be required to sign a licence agreement and pay two weeks' advance rent within 7 days of receiving their offer.

When will they find out if they have been given a room in Halls and where?

Room offers will be released in the summer. Once an applicant has received their room offer, they will need to sign their licence and pay two weeks' advance rent within seven days of receiving the offer and licence agreement.

How do you allocate rooms in halls?

We allocate rooms in our University-managed Halls of Residence based on student requirements and the profiles generated through their answers to the Lifestyle Questionnaire, which they will complete during their application process. This questionnaire asks students to tell us how tidy/messy they are, how early/late they go to bed and whether they prefer to stay in or go out. While we can never guarantee a 100% match, we try to room students with other flatmates who have similar lifestyles.

If a student has a specific requirement for a room (such as needing a single sex, alcohol free or 'quiet' flat) or if they have additional medical or disability needs, then they should detail this on their application. Find out more information about specific room requirements.

Can they stay in Halls over the Christmas and Easter break? What about over the Summer?

An accommodation licence is for the full academic year, so students do not have to clear their rooms if they go away for Christmas or Easter. A limited number of rooms may be available during the Summer period for accommodation over the summer. Residents will be sent an email in the Spring, advising them when bookings for Summer Accommodation open.

Can I discuss their application or account with the Accommodation Team?

During the application process, applicants will have the opportunity to add third party permission contact details. Due to data protection requirements, we can only discuss applications or accounts with the people that the applicant has listed as being third party contacts. Please note: being a third party contact is not the same thing as listing someone as an emergency contact; the third party permissions will not apply to emergency contacts.

Please note:

Students can withdraw third party permission at any time.
Anyone who calls wishing to discuss a student account will be required to answer security questions.
After the application process has closed, we will need written permission from the student from an email address listed on their account for a person to be added as a third party contact.

What happens during the Arrivals period when they move into halls?

Detailed information regarding the Arrivals period will be emailed to applicants around the end of August, once their licence agreement has been signed. This will include route maps, parking permits and other useful information. Specific moving time slots will be emailed directly to residents to notify them of their room, block and flat number and their arrival date and time slot.

To find out more about how arrivals ran here at the University of Plymouth last academic year, you can check our information for Arrivals. Please note that information on this page will be updated nearer to this year's Arrivals period.

I want to help with rent payments. How do I do that?

Accommodation payments can be made on the Accommodation Portal (with the email and password set up by the student) via credit/debit card or a Paypal account. Payments are to be made on the dates stated in the licence agreement. Here is an example of the academic year payments:

Two weeks' advance rent to be paid within 7 days of receiving a room offer via email.
End of October – second rent instalment due.
End of January – third rent instalment due.
End of April – fourth rent instalment due.

If there any issues with making payments on the Portal, you can email the Accommodation Team at uniaccommodation@plymouth.ac.uk and we can resolve them.

Where can I stay if I want to come and visit?

You can find more information about local hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts in Plymouth on the Visit Plymouth website.

Are their belongings insured while they're staying in halls?

Insurance cover is provided in all University-managed accommodation by Endsleigh Insurance. You can view current insurance cover details on our Accommodation resources.

Do you guarantee accommodation?

Yes! Please be aware that accommodation is first come, first served so availability may be limited. If a place in University-managed halls cannot be offered, we guarantee:

a room in ANUK-accredited private-sector accommodation.
or a room supplied by an alternative private-sector provider (if you meet their terms and conditions).

Are your halls catered or self catered?

All of our six University-managed Halls of Residence are self catered. However, applicants are welcome to purchase a catering package as an additional bolt-on during their time in our halls.

The prepaid catered halls offer is for 35 weeks of the year and includes breakfast and dinner served Monday to Friday. Students are guaranteed two meals a day (breakfast and dinner). The majority of allergens and dietary requirements can be catered for. For more information, please contact the Catering team at catering@plymouth.ac.uk.

How often is the accommodation cleaned?

Residents in our University-managed Halls enjoy a free weekly cleaning service of all their communal areas.

For students living in shared facilities accommodation, this free once a week cleaning service includes their hallway, kitchen, shower room and toilet block. For students living in en suite accommodation, their hallways and kitchens will be cleaned.

The Housekeeping Team do not clean any bedrooms or any studio flats; cleaning these areas is the responsibility of the resident.

Living within the private sector

If University-managed accommodation is not for you, the city of Plymouth offers a huge range of accommodation for students.

Whether you're looking for purpose built student accommodation, student houses, flats or even homestays, there's something out there to meet all budgets – both in the city centre or surrounding areas.

Find out more about private sector accommodation