Going to college but nowhere to live? Try a homestay

[Homestay.com]

With the Leaving Cert exam results and CAO college places just announced, the annual scramble for student accommodation has well and truly begun. With an increase in rent prices as well as a shortage of housing, students are finding it harder than ever to secure affordable accommodation.

For many, the transition from school to college can mean relocating to a new city and most likely will be their first experience of living without their parents. For others, such as international or post-graduate students, the college experience may be familiar but the relocation to a new city is not.

While this is a stressful process for students, it is important to keep a level head when looking for accommodation and to remember that there are solutions out there.

In Dublin in particular, but also in several other of our cities, plenty of our hosts accept long term booking and have prices that are well within a student budget. Not only that, but the price quoted by our hosts includes a light breakfast, which is one other thing ticked off on your monthly budget!

Ailbhe from Monaghan booked a homestay in Dublin for a few weeks in September. She will be studying for a Masters in Arts Management and Cultural Policy at UCD.

She plans to check again in a few weeks if there’s any other accommodation available like an apartment for example, but she isn’t hopeful so she wanted to act fast to ensure she had something sorted out before term starts. She has spoken to her homestay hosts about extending her stay if she needs to and they’ve told her it’s no problem.

“I found Homestay.com while searching for digs type accommodation on Google,” Ailbhe said. “I hadn’t heard of homestays before but thought it sounded great.”

Remember that if you are moving to another city and looking for accommodation, it is important to keep in mind a budget that will include your living expenses such as groceries, bills such as internet or with your phone network and of course transportation. Our blog post on transportation in Dublin will be useful for any newcomers to the city and make sure you look at transport links from your accommodation to your university before signing. Getting a bike could be a smart investment for keeping your costs down in the long run.

Remember that going to university is a tough but equally rewarding experience that you will take with your for the rest of your life. In the midst of the accommodation searches, the essay-writing and the budgeting, don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

By: Mary Plunkett