We’re delighted to welcome blogs by one of our student ambassadors, Hien T Dao, who will be sharing posts about her experience of coming to Sheffield and studying on our MA Education course. T Hien joins the School of Education from her home country of Vietnam.
Advice on Accommodation
Prior to arriving in Sheffield, the most difficult issue I had was finding a place to live. Here are a few things I’ve learnt through my own and my friends’ experiences.
1. University Accommodation or Private Sector Accommodation?
Sheffield’s accommodation is separated into two categories: university accommodation and private sector accommodation.
The majority of university accommodation is designed in the style of a building with numerous rooms, with options such as en-suite, deluxe, studio, and apartment.
- Advantages: Lovely home, fully furnished, several utilities, excellent security, and spotless condition. The contract is straightforward, and you’ll feel safe because there will generally be a front desk or assistance in the event of an emergency. You may also take advantage of some of the dormitory’s amenities, such as free printing, or purchase a membership to save money on university services.
- Disadvantages: Contracts might be longer than in the private sector, and the price will be higher.
Private Sector Accommodation is often a shared house.
- Advantages: The cost is less than that of university accommodation, and many of you will be more comfortable. Contracts might be cut short.
- Disadvantages: The security is not as good as university accommodation; there is no emergency support person, so if you have a problem, you’ll have to wait a long time for it to be resolved; and there are no utility services associated.
We’ll be renting a property before we arrive, therefore finding out and agreeing to rent a house must be a critical and dangerous decision. If you rent university accommodation, all you have to do is look up the university’s website and contact them; if you don’t, you should expect some issues. And that’s what I did, and it’s what I recommend to you as well. To begin, look for properties on a few trustworthy websites, such as rightmove, spareroom, and others; After that, you may contact relatives, friends, or the Society of your country in Sheffield for assistance by having someone come to inspect the house, both to verify the home address and to have a viewing. If you already know or have heard of some of the buildings (and hence feel safe), schedule an online viewing and then inquire further about the furniture, amenities, and location of the room. Then finalise the tenancy contract, payment, term, deposit, etc. by email or Whatsapp. Please only pay a deposit if you are completely certain.
2. Where?
Find out more about your renting destination because sometimes when you rent a house, you will approximate the location with the city centre or the location of the University of Sheffield on the map, but you will not be able to determine that the University of Sheffield is a city-based university, meaning the buildings are scattered across different locations. Furthermore, I had a strong sense of our university’s size. When I first realised that travelling between two university buildings may take up to an hour, I was surprised. With School of Education, we will usually study all Diamond, Hick Building, … or a few nearby buildings, so carefully consider the house before you rent it, because if you are not used to walking or public transportation at first, it would be a trouble.
3. With whom?
Whether you realise it or not, the party is a part of the culture here, in my opinion. My friends also complain to me about how she goes to bed early or requires quiet time in the evenings and at night, but her flatmates frequently party (around 2–3 times a week), disrupting her sleep and negatively impacting her studies and mental health. You’ll be bored if you really want to party but have to spend the day with bookworm buddies who are glued to their books. So think about whether you want to be alone or with flatmates, and if so, who would make you feel most at ease.
Here are some pieces of advice. Wish you luck on your journey.
#Sheffield #UniversityofSheffield #MAEducation #studyabroard #accommodation
Hien T Dao
