Lancaster University offers a wide range of undergraduate accommodation to suit different preferences and budgets. We have been rated the UK's Best University Halls eight times since 2010 at the annual National Student Housing Awards.
Take a look at what's available and what you can expect below.
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Most new undergraduates choose to live on campus in their first year and find our collegiate set up the perfect way to make friends and settle in. There are eight undergraduate colleges to choose from, breaking down the university population into smaller communities, and all accommodation is located within them.
Our accommodation portfolio is split into three main room categories:
Bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms (3,661 rooms);
Bedrooms with shared toilet/shower facilities (1,952 rooms);
Self-contained studios have private toilet/shower and a kitchenette (154 units).
We also have opportunities for Accommodation Ambassadors to help facilitate our show flats for visitors on open days. See the show flats page for more information.
As an incoming full-time undergraduate, you are guaranteed a place on campus if Lancaster is your firm choice university, you have firmly accepted an offer via UCAS, and you submit your application before 10 August.
If you are transferring to Lancaster from another university direct to Part II you still benefit from this guarantee, providing we receive your application by the 10 August deadline.
We do not offer a formal guarantee to students joining us as their insurance choice or through clearing, though we can usually accommodate many students in those categories and can advise on alternative options if the need arises.
Erasmus exchange students are not guaranteed a place in university accommodation.
We are unable to house part-time students or those under 17 years of age.
The colleges are smaller communities within the main university population, each with slightly different facilities and student experiences. There are eight undergraduate college on campus, housing between around 600 and 800 students each.
What you apply for will come down to your personal preference but the accommodation on offer will be a key factor. You should choose one that best represents both your social and residential requirements
We can prioritise your application for accommodation if you provide us with information about a disability or impairment, so please do notify us of any special circumstances regarding disabilities, medical conditions and allergies when you apply. You should advise us about any such needs as early as possible to maximise the possibility of us finding a suitable room. You may wish to view details about adapted rooms for students with disabilities here.
The vast majority of our beds are single size - 900mm wide and either 1900 or 2100mm long. Take a look at each room type for more specifics and contact your Accommodation Manager if you are unsure. If you are particularly tall, please tell us in the additional notes field of the online application form so we can aim to place you in a room with a long bed.
Only the self-contained studios and some rooms in Bowland Hall are larger at 1200mm wide, and the family flats vary from one to the next so you should check the details for each when applying.
That depends on what type of room you have, but the range of prices are listed within each of the options available, and apply to 2024/25.
All accommodation fees are inclusive of heating, electricity, wired and wireless internet and campus security. Your possessions are also insured up to the value of £10,000. More details can be found on the Cover4Students website.
A basic cleaning service is included for all shared areas in our halls of residence such as kitchens, shared shower rooms and corridors, though you will need to clean your own room! The slight exception is in the Grizedale/County 'townhouse' style accommodation where only the communal ground floor (and not the upstairs toilet/shower rooms) are cleaned. There is no cleaning service at all in the studio apartments or family flats.
Most of our accommodation is self-catered but four of the colleges do offer catered areas. See the Catered Accommodation option below for details.
The Freedom Card offers a flexible alternative to those students that want to live in self-catered accommodation but still enjoy discounted food in campus outlets at their convenience.
Yes, our contracts are of a set length and run from the start of Welcome Week until early July – after the end of the summer term (unless you are attending as a foundation student or part of the Study Abroad programme where these dates vary).
Our accommodation is home to a diverse mix of students from different nationalities, backgrounds and cultures, with different characteristics and personalities. It is reflective of the make-up of the student body at Lancaster and across the UK today.
When you apply, we will ask you to express two preferences of college and room type. These are non-weighted, and we will look at both when allocating you. Your preferences will inform how we can best match you to a suitable room.
Think about what kind of accommodation you would like to live in, and which colleges might best suit you. We will also ask if you would like to live in catered or self-catered accommodation, or single-gender accommodation*. You can also add additional free text information, and we’ll let you indicate if any one choice is your top priority, to help us find the best match we can.
We will try to place new students together to help with the settling in process**. You can expect to be living with students from around the world, but we aim to place everyone with somebody they can relate to. Around 1 in 3 of our undergraduate students come from outside the UK.
You will not be asked personality based questions because we want to give everyone the chance to form friendships with people with differing interests, cultures and backgrounds. We believe that this makes us a truly diverse community, the benefits of which can be enjoyed by everyone.
*Note that very few UK students choose to live in single-gender accommodation so these areas are largely made up of international students.
**While we normally place new students together this is not always possible, especially later in the process. Study Abroad/Exchange students here for a short time only are normally placed with second and third year students.
Around a week before you arrive you will be sent an invoice by email. This details your accommodation fees and their due dates, the first of which will normally be a few days after the contract start date. Please keep it safe as it will only be sent out once. You should note the due dates and be sure to make the payment in time, or speak with your Accommodation Manager in advance if ever you encounter problems.
We certainly hope there aren't and aim to return everyone's deposit in full at the end of the year.
There will be students however that lose their keys or break a mirror, or leave their room dirty when they leave. These are chargeable damages but avoidable with a little care. You can find out more about cleaning and damages charges here.
Students looking for help and advice on renting accommodation off-campus can find it, along with a searchable list of University-approved properties, on the Lancaster University Homes website.
Lancaster students have a variety of options open to them after year one. The city centre has a good supply of accommodation (including our own halls at Chancellor's Wharf) and there are also some rooms available on campus for students who want to return. Our annual Housing Fair in November sets out your options immediately prior to our application process starting for returners.
If your course includes a placement year abroad or in industry you can benefit from a further guarantee of accommodation on your return providing you submit an application by the relevant deadline. There are no guarantees for other students.
Applicants are advised that the campus is being invested in and that as such, there may be building work ongoing near to some of the accommodation. See the estates development page for details of current projects.
As an incoming undergraduate you will be invited to apply for college membership and accommodation from June in the year you are due to start. We will contact all students that have accepted a place on a course by email, inviting them to create an account and submit an application. This process will continue throughout the summer as more students accept places.
If you have an unconditional offer or are deferring entry we will still contact you at the appropriate time, but unfortunately we can’t accept applications any earlier.
Receiving
We will send your offer of accommodation by email and ask that you log back into your online account to view the details and accept or reject it. This offer will reflect the best match to the preferences you express in your application and you will have seven days to consider it. If we don't hear back from you within that time we will be unable to hold the room, so please make sure that you have regular access to your email account.
We do not make any undergraduate room offers until the UK exam results are published in mid-August and we know who is definitely coming.
Please note that demand for rooms is high and that if you choose to reject our offer we will be unable to make an alternative. You are advised to contact your Accommodation Manager to discuss any queries that you may have.
Accepting
When you click to accept the offer you are accepting the Terms and Conditions of the contract presented to you. You will also be directed to secure the room by paying a £200 deposit, refundable at the end of the contract providing no deductions have been made.
The contract you accept is legally binding, and sets down the conditions of the agreement between yourself and the University. You cannot be released from it, and will be obliged to pay all accommodation fees relating to it. You must therefore budget carefully, making sure you have enough money to manage during your time in Lancaster. Please make sure you understand this completely before applying for or accepting a room.
Arriving
In the lead up to your arrival date your Accommodation Manager will be in touch with your invoice and information about collecting your keys.
Please note that we don't issue room numbers in advance.
The following table gives an overview only, and full details of the different options can be found via the icons above. Our contracts generally run for 40 weeks.
NB where catering is included this excludes the Christmas and Easter vacations – 31 weeks of the contract term.