Aoife is a Year 3 BNurs Children’s Nursing student. She moved to Manchester from County Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Here, she talks about her experiences of accommodation in Manchester…
My accommodation
In the first year, I lived in halls, and since then I have lived in two different shared houses with friends I met living in halls.
How I found accommodation
In the first year, I applied to the Accommodation Office at the university. They looked at my preference and chose the halls that were best suited to my needs.
When I moved into a shared house with friends, we looked around at houses from January. There were loads to choose from, and we looked at most of them before settling on a house that suited all of us, was in a good location and suited our budget. We went through an agency nearby and have an independent landlord.
How to choose a house
There is certainly something for everyone! There is a wide variety of housing with different prices, numbers of rooms, locations and amenities. It’s completely up to you and whoever you live with what house you go for; just make sure you can afford it and that you can see yourself living there. Also, think about getting to bus stops when you are getting up early for shifts and that you feel safe in the area in which you will be living.
The housemates
I met my housemates in halls. There are five of us in total and we get on really well, which can often be a challenge of cohabitation, but I for one am very lucky.
Many people live with course mates, but I chose to live with people I had already spent a lot of time with outside of university, as I knew they would be good housemates.
The location
I currently live in Fallowfield, just 15 minutes by bus from the campus. The majority of the population is made up of students, which makes for very quiet summers, but it is where all of my friends also live. It’s on the main bus route and is very student friendly; there’s always someone about.
Previous accommodation
I lived in Whitworth Park student halls in the first year. They were great! I had wonderful flatmates, and it was a really good mix of being study-friendly during the week, with lots of events at the weekend. It is also the closest residence to the University and is really close to lots of shops, and is very secure. I really enjoyed my time in halls.
My advice when house hunting
Apply ASAP for halls to ensure that you get your preference. I would also recommend choosing future housemates wisely; don’t let the pressure get to you – make sure you get to know the people you think you might live with before you commit to living with them. Finally, have fun!
Find out more about student accommodation at The University of Manchester.
Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog 