accommodation

Angelique is originally from the Seychelles and has recently finished as a Law student at the University of London. After just completing a move to Bristol, she goes through some top tips for all you other students moving in the next few weeks.

"From September, at the start of the new academic year, thousands of students will be moving either from their home country to another country, or from one part of the country to another to study. Either way moving is no easy task.

Not only is there the emotional distress over whether you will like your new house, get along with your housemates and figure your way around the area, but there is also the hassle of actually physically getting from one place and settling in another.

This year, I have moved from London to Bristol and now that I feel slightly more settled than I did two days ago, I will share with you some tips and advice about moving. 

Tip One: There is no need to pack unessential things. Three years have passed by and there are clothes that I took with me initially to university which I have still not worn. Although, I wouldn't say "pack light", only pack what you need. Remember Poundland is never too far away if you need a spatula.

The UK welcomes thousands of international students every year. These students attend colleges and universities here to get a good education, breaking their ties with their homes and leaving loved ones behind.

For some this separation is harder than they ever anticipated. Many have English as a second language and a few can struggle to communicate and make new friends, leaving them home sick and struggling.

Budget

Every student understands the importance of a budget. Many students work part time to supplement their income, but arriving in a foreign country and moving into an empty apartment close to campus can be a nightmare.

With international shipping and removals from John Mason, students are able to bring a piece of home with them on their journey and enjoy comforts of home in their new apartment without breaking the bank and buying new furniture.

When you weigh up the cost of buying new furniture on arrival and the time it takes, bringing pieces from home makes all the sense in the world. This way the student gets a furnished apartment with all the comforts from home, reducing the home sickness and stress and enabling them to concentrate on their degree rather than worrying about furniture.

Looking for Leeds student accommodation can be a stressful experience, particularly if you're moving away from home for the first time or studying in a new country. However, if you bear a few things in mind on your search, and remember that as a student renter you have the same rights as any other private tenant, you could soon be on your first step to a great year at uni.

The majority of landlords you'll meet will be open and honest about the property you're moving into, but it's still a good idea to be observant when you're being shown round a house or flat. Look for signs of damp, such as dark patches on the walls and flaking paint, as well as indicators of pests like mouse droppings or slug trails. There should be plenty of plug sockets to go around and your landlord should be able to show you a valid Gas Safety Certificate.

Security is also an issue that is often overlooked by students, which is why they are so frequently targeted by burglars. Make sure the windows are all lockable and there is a five-bar mortice lock on each external door - a security grate and burglar alarm are also great assets for keeping out intruders.

Broken headboards, flooding, fire damage and stained mattresses are the most common forms of damage done by Scottish students in their halls of residence. New figures show that universities in Scotland have suffered over £600,000 worth of damage by their own students in the last five years, with an average of seven new cases each day.

Figures have been taken from all of Scotland's 21 universities since the year 2006, with the total amount of damage adding up to £610,000, spread over 14,000 different cases.

Aberdeen University has the dubious honour of having the most reckless students, as it recorded £144,000 worth of damage in the past five years. However, the university claimed that the vast majority of the damage caused was simply through everyday use and that very few students are ever fined for damage to their rooms:

"Most of the damage is identified once the students have vacated the property and it is unlikely to lead to disciplinary action...Students who have persisted in causing vandalism have been evicted from student residences."

As another college in England opens an accommodation block specifically for international students, we look at the growing trend for large housing developments designed with non-UK students in mind.                                                                                                                  _____________________________________________

Gloucestershire College unveiled a brand new accommodation block over the weekend to cope with the increasing numbers of international students coming to study in the area. The £1.5million development has 35 rooms and over half of them have already been snapped up for the academic year. This is, however, far from a one-off case, but actually part of a much larger trend in the UK.