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Accommodation
The main function of Lancaster 's colleges is to provide accommodation for over 4,000 students who live on campus. We are able to guarantee on-campus accommodation for all exchange students coming from institutions outside the European Union. The European students studying at Lancaster under the auspices of the Socrates-Erasmus Exchange Programme will probably be allocated on-campus accommodation although we are not able to guarantee this. In the event of on-campus accommodation not being available other arrangements will be made, such as host families. If you are living on-campus you will be assigned to a college when your housing is allocated. In each college there is a mix of British undergraduates (mostly first-year and third-year students, majoring in a variety of different disciplines) and international students who come from most parts of the world. Even if you are not living in on-campus accommodation you will still be required to become a member of a college. This membership means that you will be able to take part in the many social events arranged by the college. Although the college buildings are all modern, they vary in style and size, from fourteen-story Bowland Tower and the quadrangle of County College. All colleges have wheelchair access. Telephones and internet points are available in all study bedrooms. Take a virtual campus tour by clicking here Rooms You will be allocated a single study bedroom in one of the University's 8 undergraduate Colleges. A standard study bedroom at Lancaster University has en-suite facilities. That is, you will have your own shower, toilet and wash basin area attached to your room. There are a few rooms with shared bathroom facilities that are available at a lower weekly rent. If you would prefer to stay in one of these rooms, please specify this on your Housing Application form. We strive to meet your preferences but please note that all rooms are subject to availability. Please note that you will have to sign a lease committing you to your room for the whole period of your stay. There are also rooms for handwashing and drip-drying, in addition to the campus laundromats. Mail is distributed by college porters, who provide other assistance where needed. How do I pay for my room? You do not need to pay in advance of your arrival. You will receive a bill for your room shortly after you come to Lancaster and you can pay by the following methods:
Please note that some students pay their housing bill to their home institution and do not pay this to Lancaster University . In this case, your bill will be processed through the International Office. If you are not sure if this arrangement applies to you, please contact your home Study Abroad Office for clarification. Do I have to pay a deposit or insurance?In addition to the residence charge, a residences deposit of £190 is payable on accepting your room. The deposit will be returned at the end of the tenancy, provided that your keys are returned and following a satisfactory inspection of your vacated room. You can pay this when you arrive at Lancaster . An insurance premium is built into your rent and covers your personal possessions. All resident students are automatically insured against theft of their personal belongings up to the value of £3,500 during term and vacation, and in transit from home to the University (under certain circumstances). Full details of the scheme will be sent to you with your room allocation. Colleges Each College has an active student community, which organises social and welfare events and inter-College sporting activities. During term time, a Porter is on duty 24 hours a day and the College Residence Officer and College Secretary are there to help with any queries and rent payment. Further information about the Colleges will be sent to you later. You will be asked to pay a College fee when you arrive. This is expected to be somewhere between £20 and £30 and is used to fund College events during the course of the year which may include cultural and shopping trips, rambling (hiking) and the Christmas Ball. You will receive further information about this from your College once you have received your room allocation. What do I need to bring with me? A bedding pack will be provided which will include, a duvet (quilt), duvet cover, sheet, pillow and pillow case and costs £25. You will need to provide towels and cooking utensils – e.g. pans, plates, cutlery etc. If you do not want to bring these with you, we can tell you where suitable shops are in Lancaster where you can buy these at a reasonable price. However, you may find that there is a supply of cooking equipment in your College which you can borrow during your stay. Ask your Porter about this when you arrive. N.B If you do not want a bedding pack, please indicate this on your application form. You are responsible for laundering your own linen and making your bed. Are meals provided?All accommodation is self-catering and there are kitchens on each corridor. The kitchens are equipped with a cooker and microwave, fridge and freezer, a kettle or water heater and you will have a cupboard for your personal use. There are also chairs and a table. There are many catering outlets on campus including a pizzeria, an Indian restaurant, a fish and chip shop, a Chinese restaurant, several coffee shops including the Fylde Coffee bar which is alcohol free. You may also want to try The Venue coffee bar in the centre of the campus off Alexandra Square and the Hub café in the Management School . The Spar supermarket has a takeaway service for sandwiches, salads and hot meals. Do rooms have a computer network point and a phone?All the rooms on campus have a computer data point. You can connect your computer to the network point to obtain access to the campus network, email and the internet. There is an annual connection charge of £71.65 and once you are connected, there are no further charges. You should indicate on your housing application form if you need this. If your computer does not have a suitable network card, you will need to buy one. Full details of how to do this will be sent to you nearer the time. A telephone is located in each study bedroom, and cross campus calls are free. After arrival, you can subscribe to an account which will enable you to make and receive external calls at a rate lower than British Telecom payphones.
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