Edinburgh is an old city, so the accommodation in Old Town often consists of buildings that are rich in history.
Daria
When I was trying to research which student accommodation to choose for my stay in Edinburgh, I found most of my information on the accommodation website (Our accommodation | UOE Accommodation (ed.ac.uk)) and I also used the live chat function with the accommodation team. However, I found it was still a little difficult to imagine what it would be like to live in some of the options I had selected. I ended up getting a flat at South College Street which is paired with Robertson Close. Since I’ve realized there were a lot of visiting students in my building, I thought maybe I could share some more information about what it’s like living in this accommodation.
I’ll start off with a really great positive, which is the location in my opinion (if you don’t have any classes at the Kings Campus). It is really a three-minute walk from Bistro Square, George Square and the Main Library. So, I often find myself being late to classes now because I leave my flat when the class starts (but I’m still only three minutes late!). Some of the rooms here have a direct view on Old College which is pretty great. There’s really all you could ask for in terms of grocery stores: Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Lidl can all be reached within a five-minute walk. There’s also a good number of charity shops in the area, the Pleasance Gym is a five-minute walk away and the bus stop is right around the corner.
And considering South College Street is one of the cheaper accommodations, compared to Pollock Halls for example, for the very central location you’re getting, I think it’s definitely worth its value. However, there are of course downsides. It is a very old building, so the flats are not very modern looking and the furniture sometimes looks a little run down but it’s still very functional. Edinburgh is an old city, so the accommodation in Old Town often consists of buildings that are rich in history. There is no lift so if you live on the third floor or higher up, you will be getting a good workout every time you leave your flat. Because it is an old building, every flat looks a little different. My kitchen doesn’t have any windows and it’s a very tight space but some of them have a little common living room space and bigger kitchens instead.
You also can choose between two sizes for your room (small and standard). I chose the standard size because I wanted to be sure I could fit an air mattress so my friends from back home could come and visit me and that has worked out really well since my room is pretty big. I will say though that from what I’ve seen, the small rooms could also fit an air mattress, it’s just a much tighter space but it could still work.
I hope you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when searching for student accommodation. I think when choosing a place to live in Edinburgh, you just have to see what you prioritize the most (location, price, modern or old buildings, etc.) and I hope you find place you’ll enjoy living in!
Daria
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