Hey guys! For today’s blog post, I will be sharing more about choosing the most suitable accommodation for you. I will namely be talking about three university accommodations, Stag Hill Court which is the one that I currently reside at, Manor Park and Hazel Farm.

You will be asked to rank all your choices by a certain deadline so be sure to do that to have a higher probability of getting the accommodation you want. There is also a special request option that you can fill in such as having a same gender flat (although it will not be guaranteed).

Accommodations on Stag Hill Campus

There are various types of flats on Stag Hill campus alone such as Battersea Court, Cathedral Court and Stag Hill Court. For me, I opted for the Band C room in Stag Hill Court as my classes are based mostly on Stag Hill campus. The convenience stood out to me especially when you have early classes in the morning and just want to catch some extra few minutes of sleep 😉 or when you have a long break in between classes and can easily pop back home for a rest. Additionally, Stag Hill court is a mere 12-minute walk to the train station and an additional 5 minutes to town center.

Being in Band C in Stag Hill Court, you will be placed in a terraced house which comprises of a mix of six single rooms and two split-level Band Shared rooms. You will be sharing a toilet and shower with another student and an interesting fact is that your closet will be outside your room! Nonetheless, there is a chest of drawers in your room for you to store some clothes in.

Thus far, I have had a good experience staying here with my housemates. However, the walls can be quite thin where you can hear your flat mate next door talking and the kitchen is rather small given that it is shared among 10 people. As such, it can get somewhat chaotic if most of us happen to cook at the same time. Not to fret though! As that does not happen too often and you could always stagger your cooking times.

I have attached a picture of my room when I first moved in to give you a better picture of how it looks like.

Manor Park

Manor Park is more modern and about a 25-minute walk from campus. All rooms there are en-suites and are generally bigger. It is right beside Surrey Sports Park which will be very convenient for students who plan to go there often. Additionally, there is a social area named Manor Park social where activities are often hosted. They offer food and drinks there and even a pool table! There is also a Tesco superstore just 10 minutes from there which makes grocery shopping more convenient. However, it is quite a distance towards town which I would recommend taking a bus to.

Hazel Farm

This is the furthest university accommodation with it being two to three miles from the Stag Hill campus but the most budget friendly option. Some of my friends I know who live there got a bicycle to cycle to campus if that is something that may be of interest to you. Just to note, there are no en-suite rooms at Hazel Farm.

Private accommodation

Aside from these university accommodations, there are also private accommodations such as Scape, Bankside and Unilife which are mostly around town/campus. They offer different types of rooms as well such as en-suites, studios and two-bedroom apartments. Of course, they are slightly pricier but offer better amenities like games room, cinema, and gym.

Alternatively, you could always rent a bedroom in a house or rent a whole house together with some friends. However, this option is not as popular as the others mentioned above for new students. Personally, I would not recommend this option when you are first moving here as you would have to worry about paying bills and electricity separately. Additionally, you may not receive the support you need (e.g maintenance issue) as quick as university halls or private accommodation. However, this is an option which you can look into further from your second year onwards and can be a fun experience living with your friends.

Overall, it all boils down to your priority and preference. I hope that after reading this post, it helps you gain a better understanding of the various types of accommodations here in Guildford and allows you to make a more informed decision.