Written by Stacey Blake - Project Consultant of the Insight Project
Finding out that I was admitted to the University of Leicester was exhilarating, but having to begin looking into student housing was the complete opposite. As a Canadian student, the task of finding a place to live in Leicester while still being in Canada was stressful. Whether you’re moving to Leicester from another country or from a neighbouring town, I’ll outline the factors I thought about when choosing my accommodation, and what I’ve learned since living here.
Firstly, location in relation to the university. Granby street, which leads to the High Cross shopping centre, is about a 20–25-minute walk from the school. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind walking for this amount of time, to and from school every day, then I would highly recommend finding student housing near this area. Living in the city centre means you are minutes away from shopping, restaurants and other amenities.
If you are the type of person that wouldn’t want to walk a far distance to get to school, then I would recommend living on campus in Freemans. These residential buildings surround the lecture theatre: Sir Bob Burgess, where you will be spending most of your time as a first-year law student. My friend rolls out of bed and is in class 5 minutes later. On top of its proximity to the school, the buildings are all new and nicely furnished. It is on the pricier side, though, and you will be rooming with other flatmates. For me, I knew I wouldn’t like sharing a space with other students, especially since most of them were younger than me.
The Village is about a 20-minute bus ride from campus, and it isn’t possible to walk because walking takes about an hour. This dependence on the bus can be annoying if trying to make plans, or if there is bad weather. The bus doesn’t run on Sundays either, so unless you Uber, you are stranded there for the day. My friend who lives there doesn’t mind this, though, because she makes Sundays her laundry/cleaning days. As far as I know, the Village is fairly affordable for nice flats, where you can choose between being alone or having flatmates.
For more mature students that are open to splurging on their accommodation, I’d recommend looking into studios at The Aspen or other nicer student accommodations. Though they’re pricier, they are beautifully furnished, near the city centre and best of all, your space is all yours. I chose a studio myself, as I knew I didn’t want flatmates and I have not regretted my decision. The rent is around the mid-range of what my friends all pay for varying accommodations I’ve already mentioned, and I’m near the city centre.
To summarize, I’d recommend that you ask yourself what you want and what you don’t want. Also, decide if you want to splurge on your living situation or if you’re okay to settle. Hopefully, my rough guide to the various student accommodation options here in Leicester was helpful!
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