Student Housing: Exploring Your Options

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Are you considering the possibility of studying abroad for at least a portion of your university experience? Have you given any thought to the various student housing options available and which option you might prefer? Studying abroad, which is becoming more and more popular these days, can be the highlight of your college career, but unless you first make well-thought-out provisions for where you’ll live while visiting this host country, you may find it problematic to concentrate on your studies and fully enjoy the experience. To help you explore some of the options that may be available to you, here we will provide a brief definition of student housing and describe for you some of the more popular alternatives from which you can choose.

What Is Student Housing?

As the name implies, student housing describes any type of residence or living situation (other than with one’s own family) that students will call home while they attend and participate in a college program. The price tag for this type of housing ...
... will vary significantly depending on factors such as the type, size and location of the property, as well as the different types of services provided to the students while living there.

Studying Abroad? A Closer Look at 3 Popular Student Housing Options

There are many different types of student housing, some more expensive than others. Below is a brief description of three of the more popular options, along with the advantages and disadvantages associated with each:

• On-Campus Housing. Depending on where the university is located, the exact name for on-campus housing will vary. In the US, for example, on-campus housing units are called dormitories, while in the UK they are known as halls of residence. Regardless of the name, though, there are several obvious benefits to this type of student housing. These include geographical proximity to classes, regular access to the library and other school facilities, cafeteria meals, and plenty of on-campus opportunities to fully participate in the “university experience.” On the flip side, however, this type of student housing tends to be very expensive and is not readily available to all students.

• Off-Campus Rentals. Most university cities have a bevy of rental properties close to the school, at which students can choose to live independently or with a roommate (s) who also attends the college. These flats/apartments/houses are perfect for students who prefer a greater degree of independence and can teach them valuable skills on how to manage a household. On the other hand, off-campus rentals can also be very expensive for students—students who will also need to fend for themselves in terms of meals and other necessities. Additionally, the longer distance between school and home can be very inconvenient.

• Host Families. Living with a host family may be the best and most affordable option for students studying abroad. These families, who usually have children of their own and participate with other families abroad in a type of “house-sharing program,” allow foreign students to live and have meals with them as the student(s) completes his/her studies in the country.

While there are certainly additional student housing options, options which include renting a room from a homeowner in the country or staying in a charitable hostel, the three options listed above are far and away the most popular.

It is important to keep in mind that, due to the increased number of students participating in study abroad programs, student housing tends to fill up very rapidly, and unless you make this task a very high priority, you may find it difficult or nearly impossible to locate and/or arrange accommodations, and if you do manage to find something at the “11th hour,” it is highly likely that those accommodations will be much more expensive.

About The Author :
This article is written by Daren Kyle, A staff of spainexchange.com where you can find World Wide Schools, International Exchange, Off Campus Student Housing and many more Student exchange programs. For details, visit http://spainexchange.com/