Accommodation Advice

KKBL

I'm from Galway and I'll be doing my Leaving Cert in June. I want to come to UCD but first need to find out whether its financially viable or not. I want to live in student accommodation so does anybody know what is the student accommodation with cheapest rent rates on the UCD campus or nearby? I don't really care about the quality or interior or anything just need whats cheapest. Can anybody help?

Muir

http://www.ucd.ie/residences/studentpages/fees20112012/#d.en.78159

That's where you'll get your information on the cost of living on campus. I think it's generally cheaper to live off campus.

KKBL

Muir wrote: »

I think it's generally cheaper to live off campus.

Do you have anywhere in mind or do you just mean in general? Thanks for the link btw.

Muir

Just in general, I mean you'll probably stay on campus in UCD say 30 weeks, which makes accommodation over 160 a week, so I would consider that pretty costly. Check www.findahome.ie and when you put in Dublin and UCD put belfield as the password. Also www.daft.ie is good to look at too.

KKBL

Muir wrote: »

Just in general, I mean you'll probably stay on campus in UCD say 30 weeks, which makes accommodation over 160 a week, so I would consider that pretty costly. Check www.findahome.ie and when you put in Dublin and UCD put belfield as the password. Also www.daft.ie is good to look at too.

Thanks for your help
I can imagine it would be difficult making friends though if I'm not living on campus seeing as I don't know anybody going to UCD...

Muir

Not true. My friend from school did go but we study totally different things & don't see each other much in college anyway. When I went in orientation week & I went to the Engineering building, I decided I would talk to the next person who walked through the door. I did, and we're really good friends. Everyone is in the same boat going to college, most people don't know anyone, so you just make an effort to talk to people, and most people are glad because they don't know anyone either. Orientation week is really good because they have tours, depending on what you study you might be put in a peer group & get to know people, and there are different events which help you meet people. Then there are all the clubs & societies you can join too.

You can get house shares with students on the sites I suggested too, it's just another option to living on campus because it's expensive. Grand if you can afford it, but if you can't it's worth considering.

What are you hoping to study?

KKBL

Muir wrote: »

Not true. My friend from school did go but we study totally different things & don't see each other much in college anyway. When I went in orientation week & I went to the Engineering building, I decided I would talk to the next person who walked through the door. I did, and we're really good friends. Everyone is in the same boat going to college, most people don't know anyone, so you just make an effort to talk to people, and most people are glad because they don't know anyone either. Orientation week is really good because they have tours, depending on what you study you might be put in a peer group & get to know people, and there are different events which help you meet people. Then there are all the clubs & societies you can join too.

You can get house shares with students on the sites I suggested too, it's just another option to living on campus because it's expensive. Grand if you can afford it, but if you can't it's worth considering.

What are you hoping to study?

I'm probably going to have to get a loan from the credit union to pay for my rent and hopefully find a job as well because I don't think I'll get a grant. I'm just trying to decide whether on campus accommodation is worth the extra cash.

I want to do Science and I'm pretty sure I'll get it so I'm just trying to decide whether to put it down as #1 on my CAO or not!

Muir

Well if you're getting a loan I think you should try do it as cheap as possible really. I mean there are rules & stuff living on campus in UCD, at least in a house share or something you wouldn't have that.

There are CAO clinic things on in UCD on Sat 21st, you can apply online, they'll be doing campus & accommodation tours so might be worth going to for you?

https://myucd.ucd.ie/applyingtoucd/applyingtoucd.ezc?pageID=1423

JQH

Hi,
I'm in need of advice also - hoping to get into UCD Engineering in Sept '12. Have put my name on the On-campus Waiting List but way up in the 2300's - presume I won't get a place? If not, does anyone know are there reasonably-priced private halls of residence outside the campus? Also, am I better to look now or wait till end August?
Thanks

Neeson

JQH wrote: »

Hi,
I'm in need of advice also - hoping to get into UCD Engineering in Sept '12. Have put my name on the On-campus Waiting List but way up in the 2300's - presume I won't get a place? If not, does anyone know are there reasonably-priced private halls of residence outside the campus? Also, am I better to look now or wait till end August?
Thanks

Are you doing the Leaving Cert and going through the whole CAO thing? They have 2000 places for first years on campus I think. That might include any type of first year though so even if you're not doing the Leaving Cert you could still have a great chance of getting in. Not all the 2300 will be offered a place in UCD therefore you could be number 500 by the time you book your room at the end of August.

I presume the off-campus ones are cheaper but then with transport costs and whatnot you're probably as well to go for on-campus if you can. What do you mean look now? If you are on the waiting list then they offer places based on your place on that list, however not all people will be offered a place. Again, this depends on where you are in the system and what way you are applying through.

JQH

Hi - thanks for reply. Doing leaving cert at moment. I've checked prev and they have only 700+ places for first years, which is why I'm quite sure I won't get a place at 2300+. Other places reserved for other years. I'm concerned that if I leave it till end August and I don't get offered a place in the Halls then all decent nearby private accommodation will be gone. So I'm wondering if I should just give it up as a no-hoper and put down a deposit now on somewhere private. If anyone has been through the system, can you let me know is it possible to get nearby good private accommodation late in August? Secondly, I know in some parts there are private halls of residence (not those on the college booking system), I'm just wondering does anyone know of any near UCD? Naturally I've looked online and can't come across anything, except Griffith which is too far away/too expensive. Many thanks

KKBL

JQH wrote: »

Hi - thanks for reply. Doing leaving cert at moment. I've checked prev and they have only 700+ places for first years, which is why I'm quite sure I won't get a place at 2300+. Other places reserved for other years. I'm concerned that if I leave it till end August and I don't get offered a place in the Halls then all decent nearby private accommodation will be gone. So I'm wondering if I should just give it up as a no-hoper and put down a deposit now on somewhere private. If anyone has been through the system, can you let me know is it possible to get nearby good private accommodation late in August? Secondly, I know in some parts there are private halls of residence (not those on the college booking system), I'm just wondering does anyone know of any near UCD? Naturally I've looked online and can't come across anything, except Griffith which is too far away/too expensive. Many thanks

I'm in LC also and I keep searching for student apartment complex's near UCD but I can't find any. All of them seem to be near DCU on the north side or in the center and extremely expensive. How is it that there are countless student accommodation units in Galway, Cork and Limerick yet there are none near UCD!!! I even sent an email to the accommodation office they were useless.

Fergus_Nash

Just note that any off campus accommodation is for 12 months, not 9. So unless you are planning on staying up in Dublin for the summer then you are paying for 3 months over what you need.

Campus accommodation is for 38 weeks, you will only be in college for 30/31 weeks during term. Belgrove and Merville ends up at roughly €115 per week I think, which is the best you can get. Roebuck and Glenmona are around €154 per week.

Three final things. Being 2,300 is grand. You will get an offer. Secondly, there won't be that many off campus places on offer at this time because a lot of them will still be occupied.

Finally, if you are looking off campus, make sure to be looking on the N11 because of the bus routes unless you are thinking of cycling. Only look for places that has the 46a, 39a and 145 on the route. Other buses don't come nearly often enough.

Neeson

KKBL wrote: »

How is it that there are countless student accommodation units in Galway, Cork and Limerick yet there are none near UCD!!! I even sent an email to the accommodation office they were useless.

Because UCD is located in an affluent part of Dublin and any houses in that area would cost a great deal of money to buy/rent - money is often something which many students don't have a lot of.

Muir

I imagine one of the main reasons there are no complexes around UCD is that there are mostly houses in that area, not many apartment complexes, and it is a more affluent area. Whereas city center and DCU areas have flats and apartments so there are student complexes too.

Keep an eye online, you will get accom in the area. And I know someone said above that it's all 12 months but I believe there are people in the area that will let to students and know students want 9 months. I'm almost certain that UCD SU posted a list last year of accom in the area. I don't agree with the bus routes either, UCD is very well serviced by buses and I get the 17 which is not the most regular bus but regardless of what time I'm in at, one will get me in at that time.

rosmo

I too will be going to ucd in September for 4 years so i am currently looking at accommodation in the area.The campus would be ideal but too costly for me.I am trying to come up with a way to reduce the costs.

For any student living off campus I think it very important to live as close by as possible for obvious reasons.

One student on his/her own looking for private accommodation off campus is difficult and costly,but a group of students looking for accommodation are much more powerful.
There is hundreds of vacant houses in the area with the recent economic downturn and tenants have a bigger say in the renting costs.

What I want to do is start with a group of at least 5 students and start building from there..the more students we can pull together the better deals we can get.
basically I want to eventually set up our own student community so we can make our student life's as fun and as economical as possible..but obviously I need people who are interested in the same thing!!
I don't know where is the best place to share this idea I thought this might be a good place to start!
please let me know what you think!
ros

paddykell

rosmo wrote: »

I too will be going to ucd in September for 4 years so i am currently looking at accommodation in the area.The campus would be ideal but too costly for me.I am trying to come up with a way to reduce the costs.

For any student living off campus I think it very important to live as close by as possible for obvious reasons.

One student on his/her own looking for private accommodation off campus is difficult and costly,but a group of students looking for accommodation are much more powerful.
There is hundreds of vacant houses in the area with the recent economic downturn and tenants have a bigger say in the renting costs.

What I want to do is start with a group of at least 5 students and start building from there..the more students we can pull together the better deals we can get.
basically I want to eventually set up our own student community so we can make our student life's as fun and as economical as possible..but obviously I need people who are interested in the same thing!!
I don't know where is the best place to share this idea I thought this might be a good place to start!
please let me know what you think!
ros

That sounds like a really good idea actually! I too am (hopefully) going to UCD in September, and I can't afford to live on campus. I'm hoping to live in a house sharing with other students (I don't mind what year) but I don't know where to start. It'd be brilliant if we could get a big group of students who could all rent a house together and have the "bants" as the youngsters say.

rosmo

cheers for the post
hopefully some more people see the posts,
like i said im on facebook and iv started a group and your more than welcome to join .
ros

paddykell

Hey Ros,

do you by any chance have a link for that facebook page? I'd like to join it. I searched but couldn't find it

rosmo

http://www.facebook.com/groups/392531377462808/
thats the group its still in its early days!you will be the 4th person looking for accomadation but its a start !better than being on your own and thats the whole point.

http://www.facebook.com/ros.mooney
thats my facebook.

emmamurphy233

Hey, I'm hoping to do Science in UCD in September and I'm going to be dependent on grant money so I can't live on campus. I also don't know anybody else in UCD so I'll need shared accommodation because I don't want to live on my own. I'm looking for a few friendly, easy going people who are starting in UCD in September too. If anyone would be interested in an apartment/house share PM me.

rosmo

hey emma dont worry your not alone.i see patrick showed you the facebook group link...hopefully more join and we can come up with ideas and house shares for collage in september!
ros