Parent's Guide

Below is a list of key terms used frequently in the accommodation application process, before, during and after your child/ward becomes a student:

• Conditional offer – your child/ward has a place at the University providing they meet the outlined requirements (often exam results).
• Unconditional offer – your child/ward has a place at the University regardless of any outstanding results.
• Firm choice – the preferred University your child/ward wishes to attend (1st choice).
• Insurance choice – your child/ward’s back up choice of University if they don’t get into their firm choice (2nd choice).
• Clearing –if your child/ward doesn’t have any offers for University after results day, they can still apply through clearing; UCAS will list universities and courses which still have places they can apply for. 
• Accommodation Portal – the Accommodation Portal is an online service to apply for and secure accommodation at Aberystwyth University.
• Accommodation Offer – an offer of accommodation will be sent via email to your child/ward which will need to be accepted or declined by a certain deadline date.
• Accommodation Occupation Contract  – once you accept your accommodation offer you will be required to complete the Accommodation Occupation Contract  by a given deadline date. This includes; agreeing to the terms and conditions of your Accommodation Occupation Contract , payment of the required acceptance fee, which is equivalent of 7 days rent (differs depending on hall), setting up a payment plan for accommodation fees, requesting to live with friends (this is an optional section should your child/ward know anyone else they may like to live with) and completion of our pre-arrival induction programme.
• Pre arrival induction – the pre-arrival induction is where your child/ward can choose an arrival date, produce their key release form and provide useful information about living in residences.
• Key Release Form – during completion of the pre-arrival induction programme, a Key Release Form will be produced. This needs to be provided at check-in in order for your child/ward to receive their accommodation key; it can be shown electronically or by a printed version.
• Big Welcome Weekend – this is the weekend most students arrive and move into their accommodation; for specific times, please see the key dates section.
• Orientation week – the aim of orientation week is to introduce your child/ward to university services, meet fellow students, get to know your academic department and get used to university life before teaching starts; for specific dates, please see the key dates section.

The best way to see what accommodation is available for your child/ward, is to come along to an open day (for dates when these are please see the undergraduate open day website). As well as this, the University holds visiting days between January and March for students who are holding offers from Aberystwyth University. This is another opportunity for your child/ward to view accommodation options.

Please note: not all accommodation may be available to view as students will be living there and permission needs to be given to enter their flats/rooms. If visiting for an open day isn’t an option, we have information, photos and virtual tours of our accommodation on the Accommodation Options webpage.

Aberystwyth University offers a range of different accommodation types and contract lengths to suit a wide range of students. 

Students have the option of either a 39, 40 or 50 week contract. Please note: 50 week licences are primarily for postgraduate students. We also have standard rooms, en-suite rooms and self-contained studio flats. Most of our residences are self-catered. However, we do offer one catered residence (Welsh-medium students only) and one part-catered residence. Each residence does have the ‘meal-plan’ offer where students can add a package onto their Aber Card which will allow them to get 1 meal a day in any of the University’s cafes, restaurants or food shops as well as 10% discount off till prices in all university cafes and restaurants including the Arts Centre! For more information about meal packages available, please see the food and drinks packages webpage.

We want to make applying for University Accommodation as simple and stress free as possible. You’ll be glad to know that we guarantee University owned or managed accommodation for first year students!* 

To qualify for a guaranteed place, applicants must ensure that their accommodation application is received by 1st September in the year of entry and that they respond to the offer of accommodation by the deadline date detailed in the Accommodation Offer. Please note that a place in University owned or managed accommodation is guaranteed, but not a specific type of room or location. 

At Aberystwyth University we invite applicants to apply for University Accommodation when they are unconditional firm (UF) or conditional firm (CF) status.  We will invite them by post and also  by email, early spring of the year of entry, so ensure they check their e-mail regularly. 

Please note: an offer of accommodation will not be sent until they have an unconditional place to study at Aberystwyth University and they have confirmed it on UCAS as their firm choice, i.e Unconditional Firm Accepted.

Clearing:

We can still guarantee University owned or managed accommodation providing they apply before 1st September in the year of entry and that they respond to the offer of accommodation by the deadline date detailed in the Accommodation Offer. Please note that a place is University owned or managed accommodation is guaranteed, but not a specific type of room or location. 

We will invite clearing students to apply for University Accommodation only when they have accepted the offer to study at Aberystwyth University and are unconditional firm status. We will do this by email so please ensure your child/ward checks these regularly. 

For more information, please see the clearing webpage.

Your child/ward needs to ensure their room is cleaned to the standard it was when they moved in, before they leave which includes communal areas and en-suites. All inventory items (including the mattress protector) also need to be present in the room/communal areas and need to be in a good condition and not damaged. After they have left, inspections will be carried out to check the cleanliness and the inventory items. If things are deemed unclean or damage is seen, charges may apply. 

Your child/ward MUST check out when they leave regardless of whether they have a key or not. If they do have keys they must be returned but even if they have no key, they still need to come and sign out so we know they have vacated. They do not need to tell us in advance when they are moving out just come to the Accommodation Office, Y Sgubor, Fferm Penglais in office hours (8.30am-5.00pm Monday-Thursday and 8.30am-4.00pm Friday) or the Campus Reception, Penglais Campus, outside those hours. 

Unfortunately, when your child/ward has vacated, we are unable to re-direct any mail so they must ensure they change their address or sort suitable arrangements such as Royal Mail re-direction. 

For more information on moving out, please see our moving out webpage.

If your child/ward is unable or does not want to return home for the summer, we do offer some spaces in our Summer Accommodation. 

For more information, please see our Summer Accommodation webpage.

At Aberystwyth University, we are happy to offer University owned or managed accommodation for all students whether they are in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or even 4th year of study – with no further deposit to pay!*

Traditionally, the house hunting period starts from November in preparation for the coming September, giving you plenty of time to decide where you want to live and who you want to live with.

Remember that once you have signed an accommodation contract (and paid deposits where required) it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse the decision, so make sure you have thought everything through before deciding.

*If you are already holding a deposit with us then any remaining balance will be used to secure your place for the next academic year - however, if your deposit has fallen below the required £100 then you will be required to pay any shortfall. 

Why should your child/ward return to stay with us?

• Even if they apply, they are not tied into a contract until they confirm a place at a later date.
• All energy bills are included with high speed wired and wireless internet and personal contents insurance.
• They will get a free sports centre, platinum membership for their health and wellbeing!
• They can live with friends in flats/houses of 2-10 bedrooms and won’t be mixed with first year students.
• Locations on/near campus and in town.
• On site laundry facilities, 24/7 help and assistance including a staffed reception and learning centres available where your child/ward can go to work, relax, socialise.
• Payment plans available for accommodation fees.
• Single contract agreements – not joint or several.
• ‘Guarantors’ not required – meaning you are not liable if your child/ward doesn’t pay their rent.
• Range of contract lengths plus Summer Accommodation available.

You can compare University Accommodation prices with the Private Sector prices by looking at our comparison table! 

For more information, please see our Current Students webpage. 

Please refer to our Dates for your Diary section of our website

Please also see the Undergraduate Parent Guide for more information and guidance about your child/ward coming to University.

If you have any unanswered queries about University Accommodation please see our FAQs or contact us on 01970 622984.

For regular updates about all things accommodation, you can follow our Facebook Page.