You probably got your acceptance e-mail to the exchange program of your choice a few days ago, congratulations! We know you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything that you need to take care of leading up to your exchange, but not to worry this blog has the answers to at least two of your biggest concerns, such as finding the right accommodation and moving service.
Housing opportunities for Erasmus students in the UK
Financial support for exchange students
Obviously, you need much more money than you would have expected in order to cover your expenses abroad. Well, that is why the Erasmus Grant exists. The Erasmus Grant helps cover the additional costs of your exchange. Students with disabilities can also apply for an additional grant to cover any medical expenses.
As a UK Erasmus student, you can get about €420/month or more for studying abroad, and €520/month or more for doing a traineeship abroad, depending on the country you wish to go to.
The accommodation dilemma!
The dilemma which follows once you have been accepted at your desired location is “accommodation”. When looking for your new temporary home always keep in mind the range between the price and quality, since you probably don’t want to overpay. We made a list of the things that might come in handy when making this decision:
Location – you don’t want to mess this one up! Keep in mind that you’ll want to be close to your university and if possible also to the centre of the city. It also goes without saying that checking out for markets, amenities, etc. in and around your new home can be helpful to ensure that you have all the essentials a step away.
Transportation – a well-connected subway line or bus stop should definitely be on your apartment hunt checklist. Imagine all the time you’ll lose chasing buses and trams if you don’t have this organized well. Another thing to consider here is renting or buying a bicycle if the city you’ll be living in has good cycling infrastructure.
Most common accommodation types
University Halls – if you want to avoid the bustling streets and want to play it safe until you can work your way around the city, University Halls are the right option for you. However, this option might prove to be a bit costlier than other available accommodations.
Private housing – private housing is basically renting out a place such as a house or an apartment. But note that sometimes housing amenities, such as washing machines and dishwashers might not be available. Which means that you would have to rent, buy or use laundry rooms. In all of these cases, the overall costs will be high. Not to mention the paperwork and maintenance charges that you might need to take upon if you decide on buying.
Private Halls/Off-Campus student housing – if you love cooking and hanging out with a little bit more freedom at a considerably cheaper cost, you will definitely enjoy the common spaces like kitchens and social areas that Private Halls offer. They are owned and operated by third parties, but some of them also have partnerships with institutions to support your housing needs. And just like University Halls, Private Halls provide you with on-site security and assistance full-time.
The answer to your accommodation dilemma
We know, all this info is too much to take in, but bear with us for just a moment longer, as we saved the best for last!
We want to introduce you to the one-click platform for cross-borders students to book their desired accommodation, as effortlessly as possible – AmberStudent. With Ambers’s help, you can book your dream student home without the hassle of negotiation, non-standardised paperwork, lack of credit score and broken payment processes. It’s as easy as one, two, three!
Pack, ship and hit the road!
Trust you, the last thing you want on your journey is to be dragged down by luggage and spoil your travel experience. Troubles like these are what gave us at Eurosender the idea to create a one-stop platform that makes international shipping easy and affordable for students. Students can make use of our guaranteed insurance and online tracking service as well.
Use the code AMBER10 to get a 10% discount on your shipping order!
Oh and one more thing, we have special Erasmus discounts for every ESN organization! Check them out here and save on your shipping fees.
