Accommodation Guide

On campus accommodation is always in demand and can be expensive. It is generally organised as apartments of 4 to 8 students, with a private bedroom and a shared kitchen, living room and bathroom. Rent must normally be paid at the start of each semester, rather than on a monthly basis. An advance security deposit is also required, and refunded when you leave.

Utilities such as heating are usually extra, although some student residences include heat and electricity in their initial charge and deduct payment for usage in excess of the average allowed for from the security deposit. It is important to check specific arrangements with your college.

This can be a good option for students who are unable to secure a room in on-campus accommodation, as they provide many of the same services, accommodate students only, and they are usually located close to college campuses. The colleges themselves sometimes have arrangements with these providers, and may place you directly in this type of accommodation if you apply for on-campus accommodation but there is not enough room for every applicant.

The downside of this type of accommodation is that it is often more expensive. In particular, many private off-campus student apartments built in recent years offer "luxury" accommodation, and rents can be up to €10,000 for a 9-month lease.

There is limited availability for this option, but it can be quite flexible. You stay in a hostel with other students, and your monthly rent provides for use of a communal living area and kitchen, along with a bedroom. Breakfast and sometimes dinner will be included in the rent, as are utility bills.

You can live as a paying guest in an Irish home, where you have your own room with space to study, but share the house with the family. This is sometimes a popular option with students attending English language schools, especially for short courses, but is also an arrangement that works well for many further and higher education students.

In Ireland, accommodation with a family is commonly known as living in "digs"; in other countries it may be better known as "homestay". Normally, morning and evening meals will be provided but you will need to buy your own midday meal on campus or elsewhere. There are no extra charges for heat, light etc., and some of your laundry will be done.

The options here include renting a bedsit, a flat/apartment, or sharing a house. It is usually cheaper to share accommodation with others.

A bed-sit is a a single room unit with basic cooking facilities (a mini-kitchen area), a bed and some additional furniture. Toilet and bathroom facilities are generally shared with the other occupants of the building, though there may be a self-contained shower.

A flat or apartment will offer a kitchen and living room (possibly combined), a bathroom, and one or more bedrooms. Again, quality and cost varies. A compact one bedroom unit may cost more than a bed-sit, while a three bedroom flat/apartment will cost substantially more.

A house or apartment share with other people can be the cheapest, as bills are divided among more people. Sharing a room can reduce costs even further, and has become increasingly common due to the accommodation crisis.

In all cases, rents are usually payable monthly and in advance. At the beginning of a letting period you pay a deposit of one month's rent, which will be refunded when you leave (provided you have not caused any damage to the premises). The normal length of a lease is 9 or 12 months, and it can be difficult to find anything shorter. If you break a lease without notice, or if you do not adhere to the terms of the lease, you will lose your deposit.