Accommodation

There are different accommodation options available depending on whether you are a Study Abroad or International Exchange student and if you are studying at Kingston University for a complete academic year or one semester only.

All accommodation is offered on a self-catering basis as there are no meal plans at Kingston University. However, there are student cafeterias across our campuses.

Find out more from our Accommodation website.

We will provide information about how to apply for accommodation when we have offered you a place on the programme and you have formally accepted the offer. 

• Students studying for a complete academic year
• Students studying for a semester only
• Accommodation costs

Students studying for a complete academic year

 If you are studying at Kingston for a complete academic year, you can apply for a room in our halls of residence. If you prefer, you can ask for lodgings instead. Once you have accepted your place of study, we will send you more information by email.

You will share a flat with between two and nine other students, dependent upon which hall you choose. Flats are normally composed of both male and female students from a range of different backgrounds and courses.

All our halls:

• have a range of rooms, most with en-suite facilities and others with shared bathrooms;
• are self-catering;
• have WiFi internet access; and
• do not include bed linen, crockery, cutlery or cooking equipment. However, you can purchase these quite cheaply in the local shopping centres in Kingston and Surbiton.

When you take a hall room, you sign a legal contract for the 40-week academic year, so benefit from keeping your room during the Christmas and Easter vacations. However, if you decide to move out, you will be liable for rent until a new tenant moves into your room.

How to apply

Once you have been made an offer of a place to study at Kingston, and have accepted it, our accommodation team will contact you directly with details about how to apply, which is done online.

Find out about accommodation costs.

Students studying for a semester only

International Exchange Programme

If you are applying to Kingston via the International Exchange Programme, and studying at Kingston for a semester only, you are not eligible to apply for hall rooms. However, you can apply for lodgings.

Here, you live with the owner in their house in a single room. You have:

• a furnished bedroom, including a desk, chair and storage;
• access to the kitchen to prepare your meals;
• access to the bathroom; and
• bedding and cooking utensils/equipment.

Please remember that this is not the same as being placed with a host family (ie a homestay), as you will live separately from the householder.

Each household is slightly different so it is important to clarify with the householder exactly what is available – such as use of washing machine, availability/cost of internet, use of family rooms, pets, smoking etc.

In addition, there is a wealth of private accommodation available in Kingston and there is information on the KU accommodation website.

Other popular sites are:

• SpareRoom
• Airbnb 
• Accommodation for Students

Kingston is very well connected by bus and train, so it's worth also looking in nearby Chessington, Teddington, New Malden, Ham, Richmond, Hampton Wick and Hounslow, which are all within a bus ride.

Study Abroad Programme

If you are applying to Kingston via the Study Abroad Programme (ie your institution is paying our tuition fees) for a single semester, then there is provision for hall rooms for specific Study Abroad partner institutions in addition to the lodgings option. The staff in your study abroad office will know which option(s) is/are open to you or please contact us for clarification.

How to apply for lodgings

All lodgings are advertised on the KU Student Homes website. The Property Type will be listed as "Lodgings" or "Resident Landlord Property" in the advert.

Make sure the contract length for the lodging is appropriate for your period of study. If you will be at Kingston for Study Option 2 ie Autumn Semester (Teaching Block One), this will be listed as September to December. If you will be at Kingston for Study Option 3 ie Spring Semester (Teaching Block Two), this will be listed as January to April.

The advert will contain the contact details for the landlord/landlady. You will need to contact them to make arrangements as quickly as possible as lodgings are often in high demand. Don't be afraid to ask for more information such as pictures or documentation before committing to a contract.

Accepting your room

As soon as you have received these details, you must contact your landlord/lady to:

• confirm your acceptance of the lodging;
• let them know your time and date of arrival (if known); and
• ask any questions you have about the lodgings – such as whether you will have use of the washing machine or telephone and the landlord/lady's policy about guests.

Items to bring with you

Your landlord/lady will provide your bed linen. You will also have use of cooking utensils and kitchen equipment to prepare your meals. 

If you wish to send any items to your lodgings before your arrival, please confirm first with your landlord/landlady that this is acceptable.

Paying your rent

On arrival you must:

• make a deposit payment of one week's rent to the landlord/lady on arrival together with one week's rent in advance; and
• pay your rent weekly on the same day.

Your landlord/lady will refund your deposit when you leave, less any charges, such as covering the cost of breakages.

Find out about accommodation costs.

Many students would prefer a flat or bed-sit where there is no resident landlord. We do not recommend this as such accommodation is scarce and expensive. You can find details about private accommodation on the Accommodation website.

Accommodation costs

This is a guide to housing and basic board costs. All board figures are estimates based on feedback from students so it is only an average.

We have used an exchange rate of £1.00 = US$1.57 in the figures below.

You should budget at least £50 (US$78) per week to cover basic board costs (and more if you eat out often).

Lodgings: you pay the rent on a weekly basis, one week in advance. You also pay a deposit on arrival of one week's rent. Meals are not included, but all utility bills, except for the telephone, are. Your landlady/lord will refund your deposit when you leave (subject to no damages).

Academic year hall students: you pay the fees in three instalments, plus a deposit on acceptance of the room. Meals are not included.

Single-semester hall students: you pay the fees in one instalment. Meals are not included.