Accommodation Support for Parents and Guardians

From single rooms in university halls to shared houses with friends, there are so many accommodation options for your child to choose from at Swansea. Whatever their choice, we do everything we can to make sure they are well supported in their first and exciting steps towards independence.

During this process, it is important to visit us at one of our Open Days. Whether you take an in-person tour or a virtual one, you’ll be able to see our accommodation for yourselves. Open days provide an opportunity to speak directly to the accommodation team, who are always on hand to answer any questions you and your child might have.

Remember, it’s up to your child to make the decision that is right for them. While most of our students choose to live in halls and private properties, we also welcome lots of commuter students. If you live close to our University, choosing to commute could be a great way for your child to save money while studying.

Before deciding on accommodation, make sure the student applies for any funding that they may be eligible for.

💡 Learn how Becka Eva, a current student at Swansea, decided on where to live whilst studying for her Criminology Degree.

Our university accommodation is the most popular option amongst our first-year students. It is the safest choice—our students have access to a range of welfare and wellbeing support networks as well as our 24-hour campus security. With all of our residences either on, or close to our campuses, they are well-connected in terms of transport and benefit from many campus amenities, including CampusLife, our catering services and facilities. See our video from Matthew Turner in Residential Services for more information.

Your child will find themselves amongst peers who are also experiencing life away from home for the first time. Whilst trying to figure our how to live independently, your child will socialise and learn in an inclusive environment, form friendships with individuals across the globe, and build their self-confidence.

Quarterly accommodation payments will make budgeting easier for your child; they will not need to worry about any extra bills as fees are normally all-inclusive—covering utilities, internet, and room insurance.

💡 Homesickness is a very natural part of moving away for university. It is normal for your child to feel quite overwhelmed at first. Don’t worry! We have a full support network for students living in our university accommodation. Our Residence Life Co-ordinator and Residence Life Assistants are on hand to help your child adjust to university life.

Sharing a house with friends is usually a go-to option for second year students. Even though your child may opt to stay in halls again, chances are they will move into private accommodation for some greater independence. House hunting can be daunting, and you should be mindful when finding your child a reputable agent.

If your child decides to stay-off campus, there’s plenty of good quality accommodation in Swansea’s private sector. We recommend that our students use Swansea’s StudentPad when searching for flats or houses.

Make sure to explore a few different areas of Swansea to help your child make the right decision, and ask the letting agent as many questions as you need. If you’re able to, remember to speak to the current tenants about their experience of living there.

Living in private accommodation is a great way to fully immerse yourself in our City and its culture. It will offer greater privacy, and the ability to choose who you live with—which can make for a better experience for your child—and where you live. Most private accommodation will be in the most popular student areas of Swansea, and will have good transport links and access to shops, bars, and food outlets.

💡 While rent is usually cheaper than university accommodation, your child will have to cover any additional bills and utilities. They’ll need to manage their budget carefully and be aware of their rights as a tenant. Make sure your child asks whether the property comes furnished or unfurnished. If the latter, they might need to budget for things like beds and kitchen appliances.

If you live locally, living at home may be the most obvious choice for your child—they can stay close to family and friends and save money. Staying at home is a great alternative; it’s convenient.

Staying at home doesn’t mean that they will miss out on getting the ‘full’ Swansea University experience. Students who choose to commute have the same access to all our facilities, such as our libraries, catering services and gyms, as students living in halls. If they make friends with people living in halls, they will also be able to visit and stay over.

💡 Many of our students commute in from surrounding towns and cities and benefit from our array of societies, events, and other friendship networks. Find out more about the support your child could receive when living at home.

Swansea University has plenty of options to make your child feel at home!

Swansea University offers a variety of student accommodation across four locations, with designated areas including quiet, single sex, alcohol free, mature and Welsh speaking. There is 24-hour security on campus and a dedicated support network that can offer help and advice throughout.

Applicants should apply for accommodation as soon as they have their student number which will be sent from Admissions - this applies to a student holding either a conditional or an insurance offer to study. Accommodation is guaranteed if applications are made before 30 June, and nothing will need to be paid up front. A deposit will only be required if your child's place has been confirmed and they wish to accept the accommodation offer.

Do not wait until results day to apply as you will then not be supported by the guaranteed accommodation policy which ends on the 30 June.

Starting university is an exciting time for your child, but the stress of figuring out what they might need can be overwhelming. Check out our handy arrivals checklist on our university website for guidance on what they will need to bring with them.

When your child starts University, they will gain access to our student site MyUni, where they can access the Residents' Information pages. The accommodation pages on MyUni also provide our students with everything they need to know about life when they are living within our residences. The area supports our students on who to raise accommodation issues with, how to contact the Finance team regarding payments, how to connect with others via resident social activities and so much more.