Accommodation Webchat 14 th June

Transcription

1 Accommodation Webchat 14 th June Q: will the university accommodation provide the beddings and pillows for us? A: Hi, the University doesn't provide bedding and pillows but you should have the option to purchase a bedding pack which will be in your room upon arrival if you order it far enough in advance A: I got it this year and you are given the option to buy either a single bed pack or a double bed pack Q: Is it possible to arrange for private accommodation? A: Hi, you can look for private accommodation through our propertywithus team. There is a website: where private properties are advertised. If you currently hold an unconditional accepted offer of study, please propertywithus@sheffield.ac.uk with your applicant number or UCAS ID and we can provide you with access to the site. However, we do not recommend signing a contract for a property without viewing it first. Q: where could we book that for advance, please? A: You will be able to buy it on this link Q: Are the accommodations outside the University significantly cheaper as compared to the University ones? It would be great if you could tell us the approximate rent costs for them. Thanks A: University accommodation includes bills in your rent so it should be easier for you to budget. All the different rents for University accommodation can be found here there are different costs depending on the type of room you choose :) A: For private accommodation your bills would not necessarily be included and you also wouldn't have access to the fantastic residents life programme of events that we offer in University accommodation - this is a great way to meet other students and make friends :) you can see the type of events here: Q: Does the university accommodation provide any medical insurance or any form of university health care clinic services? A: Hi Law, as an international student you can access the National Health Service when you study in the UK. You must pay an NHS surcharge as part of your visa application then you can access the University medical centre. Information about this can be found here: Q: Also, can we pay for the entire year's rent before we arrive? Or is it better to pay out the rent every month? A: You can pay it in advance and you get a discount or you could pay it in 3 instalments like I did A: you can pay the rent in advance of arrival but unfortunately there is no discount for paying in full Q: Hi, is the accommodation during Orientation Week different in terms of facilities like access to a kitchen or provision of bedding? A: Talking from experience, I got my accommodation for Orientation Week on Endcliffe as well, but on a different building. However, it was very similar to the one I ended up staying in the end. It was an ensuite room. Q: hi I will apply for my student visa in September as i am out the my country i didn t know that my accommodation will not be considered till i have a visa A: in order to be guaranteed accommodation you will need to meet the requirements of the guarantee which can be found here: These are different for Undergraduates and Postgraduates. If you do not meet these requirements, unfortunately you will not be guaranteed accommodation, but you should still apply as there may be rooms available Q: will you guarantee an accommodation for me? A: international students are guaranteed accommodation, as long as you meet the conditions which can be

2 found here A: You can apply as soon as the application is open (which is now!) then allocation will be made once you have your visa. See our webpage for how to apply: Q: how do we know if our accommodations is confirmed? A: I got an with the contract and I accepted it Q: Hi, my postgraduate programme requires me just stay in the University of Sheffield for 15 weeks, and I have written some notes in my accommodation application, is it all right to be arranged for the accommodation for just 15 weeks? A: the University will not be able to offer you a 15 week contract as all of the contracts are fixed term for either 42 or 51 weeks. Q: that s the problem i did not know about the following point You apply for accommodation by the 31 July 2017 and have met the conditions of your course and used your CAS number (if applicable) no later than the 6 August A: please don't worry there are many students in a similar position to you and there are lots of options for accommodation in Sheffield if you do not meet the guarantee. You could also consider private accommodation Q: hey, I am thinking to come early in August. will university offer me accommodation before the start of my course? A:, the University does sometimes allow early arrival but this is usually only 2 or 3 days. There will not be University accommodation available in August. I would suggest, if possible, that you delay your arrival and consider booking into a hotel or a guest house for the time until your contract starts. You can find a list of some local hotels and guesthouses here: Q: Were you able to cook meals in the kitchen during Orientation Week? A: I had a kitchen in my accommodation for Orientation Week, so I could have cooked. However, I was so busy meeting new people and hanging out with them that I ended up eating with them at the Students' Union or at restaurants nearby Q: how can i find an accommodation? A: you are able to wait until you meet the requirements to be allocated and if there is suitable accommodation this will be offered to you. If it is not possible to allocate you accommodation you will be passed over to the private sector accommodation team, propertywithus who will help you Q: Is there a warden or person in charge for each block of the accommodation to whom we can go to if we have any questions? A: In Endcliffe we have got The Edge Office, which is on a central location and it is open 24/7. Also you will get assigned a residence life mentor who will be able to answer all of your questions as well Q: Can I book private accommodation before the start of my course? A: if you would like to find somewhere to stay for a short time, e.g. a guesthouse or hotel, I would suggest you book this in advance. A: we do not recommend that you sign a contract for a property without viewing it first. If you would like private accommodation and you currently hold an unconditional accepted offer to study, you can propertywithus@sheffield.ac.uk with your applicant number or UCAS ID for access to the property listings. We suggest that you may wish to book into a hotel or guest house for the first few nights of your stay in Sheffield whilst you search for suitable accommodation. A list of local hotels and guest houses can be found here:

3 Q: But I have ed the accommodation office, they said I just need to give some notes in my accommodation application, and they will try to arrange that for 15 weeks for me. A: if this is what the accommodation office have advised, then you will need to wait to see if they are able to offer you a shorter contract. They will be in contact with you if it is possible Q: I have applied for city shared for 51 weeks. but would like to know if i will be able to move in during orientation week? A: Well from past experience, I had friends that were from City accommodation but because the contract takes effect after orientation week, they booked their accommodation for orientation week through the University as well and they stayed at Endcliffe A: during orientation week there will be accommodation available to book onto - further details of last year's orientation can be found here and this will be updated over the next few weeks. Q: What are the modes of transportation from Department of Computer Science? A: the University campus is fairly small and very easy to walk around. The City centre is just 15 minute walk from the main campus and Computer Science is based very centrally. A map of the campus might help you to plan your route :) 17.gif A: There are also buses and trams which run past the University across the city (if you are tired!) and these are very low cost for students ( 1 for the bus) Q: Hi, is there a specific date that accommodation contract will start taking effect or the contract starts once moved in? what about late arrival? A, the contracts will start on either the Saturday or Sunday of intro weekend (16th or 17th September) depending on which accommodation you are allocated to. If you will be arriving late the contract will not usually be delayed for you if it is offered in advance but you will need to make us aware that you will be arriving later. Q: I have applied for the university accommodation through MUSE but it seems that there is no of confirmation of receipt on the application of my accommodation and i am a bit worried about my accommodation. whom/ where can i go to for the confirmation of my application? A: Hi Law, if you are concerned, you can the accommodation office at accommodationoffice@sheffield.ac.uk with your applicant number or UCAS ID and ask them if your application has been received Q: Umm, yes. One more thing. I'm a vegetarian and would really prefer I have a kitchen of my own to cook. Is that possible to request an accommodation where I can cook on my own? Also, are the other accommodations always with shared kitchens. I don t mind sharing the kitchen, but would prefer vegetarian people to live with. I know it sounds a little silly, but was just curious to know if there is any thing I can do to ensure this. :) A: There are some accommodations that are self catered which means that they have a shared kitchen and there are some others that are catered that don't and you can specify which one you want when you apply A: there are studios which would have a private kitchen but having a shared kitchen is a lovely way to make friends :) find out more about the rents here: Q: Hi, will it be possible to move into the allocated accommodation a day prior to move-in weekend? A: I believe it is possible because my accommodation took effect on a Monday and because I took part of orientation week they let me start the Friday before A: Hi Amanda, yes it is usually possible you will just need to confirm with the accommodation office so that your keys can be ready. Everything you need to know about moving in can be found here: Q: And also my dad will be accompanying me to for 4-5 days. Are there any accommodation uni provides

4 or nearby areas where the cost is cheap? :) A: locations nearby will depend on where you are allocated as there are two sites. You may wish to take a look at the local hotels and guest houses list for some ideas of locations and prices - most of the hotels are located in and around the city centre. You can find the list here: Q: When you say that the university does not provide bedding, does that include the mattress or just bed linen like sheets etc? A: the mattress is provided. You will need to provide your own duvet, pillows and bed sheets. Q: if we would wish to change our rooms after we have been assigned a place to stay in the university accommodation, how could we do that? A: the University does have a system for accommodation transfers. This opens a few weeks after the start of the contracts to allow students time to get used to their new environment. A transfer is not guaranteed though as it depends on there being a suitable alternate room. Q: Thanks as my course is of 1 year then should i book accommodation for 51 weeks? A: Yes, definitely :) A: 51 weeks is usually for postgraduates so it will enable you to stay in your accommodation while you are writing your dissertation :) Q: For Intro Week and Orientation week, would it be possible to be allocated to the same accommodation or student will need to move again after intro week? A: Orientation week accommodation is usually in a different location to your contract. You will need to move but you are usually given your keys on the Friday (I think) of Orientation week to allow you to move that day. Q: By when will we be able to hear about our accommodation contract? A: this depends on when you will hold an unconditional accepted offer to study. The first set of allocations is usually carried out in July. If you do not hold an unconditional offer by this point it will be allocated from the middle of August onwards. A: I heard about mine on the 11th of July Q: Do all the kitchens have induction hobs? A: Hi Nikita, I am not sure about this one but I think that they are electric hobs which are not induction hobs. They may vary between flats, blocks and locations though Have you taken our 360 degree virtual tour yet? You can see what your room will look like before you arrive Q: when can we collect our keys for the orientation week accommodation? A: I collected it as soon as I got into Endcliffe. I went to the The Edge and they instantly gave it to me A: Hi Law, this depends on when you want to arrive for orientation as there are activities for a whole week. Further information about the programme will be made available in the next few weeks here: or you can orientation@sheffield.ac.uk to get updates :) Q: I have accepted my unconditional offer and paid the deposit too :) Even filled the accommodation application. So hoping to hear in July :) A: I accepted my offer on the 14th July, so most likely you will hear about it on July :) A, you wouldn't usually pay the deposit before being allocated accommodation. Are you referring to a deposit for your tuition fees? If you currently have an unconditional offer you will likely be allocated in July Q: If I accept my university unconditional offer now and pay some fee in advance then when will i hear of my booked accommodation from accommodation office?

5 A, if you have an unconditional accepted offer to study and have completed your accommodation application the first set of allocations will be taking place in July and you may be included in this if you meet the requirements of the guarantee. A: I did that and I got my accommodation and accepted my contract on the 14th July Q: Ahh nice :) And how much distance is there from city accommodation to the university? :) A: the University is spread out and so this will depend which department you are going to be located in. City accommodation is usually between 5 and 15 minutes walk from the buildings A: it's so close! Most of the City accommodation is 5-10 minutes walk from the University :) I hope this map helps Q: Hi, I have an unconditional offer and I have applied for accommodation. Does that mean I will get a decision by mid july, or do I not get an answer until I get my visa? A: I got an answer even before I applied for my VISA A: if you meet the requirements of the guarantee which can be found here: you are likely to be allocated in July. You will need to have used your CAS rather than have a visa to meet this requirement. Q: what sort of accommodation it will be in orientation week? Will it be an en-suit room or a hall/joint room? A: Mine was an ensuite room :) Q: when did you guys apply for your visas? A: I applied for mine 3 weeks before my flight but it was because i was sorting out some of the requirements i needed A: the visa application system can vary from country to country but we have a specific visa and immigration webchat next week where our expert visa team will be able to answer any questions :) Q: Hi, I have had some complications and my offer is still conditional. I expect to resolve all this by July 10th, and send in the required documents. Will it be too late for getting an accommodation of my choice by then? (I assume I should get an unconditional offer within 10 days of my resolving the problem) A: I can't say for definite exactly when the allocations will be taking place but this is usually in mid-july. If you miss the first round of allocations, the next one will be from mid-august onwards and you should hear after this Q: I heard from university that accommodation gets confirmed once we have visa? A: In my case, I got my accommodation before having my VISA Q: when I was applying for the accommodation, it said that I have to choose both from Endcliffe and city accommodation, even though I only wanted Endcliffe. is this always the case? A: yes we ask for you to put multiple preferences including both sites so that we can allocate people what they would prefer. You can have 4 choices so if you want Endcliffe/ranmoor you could put three of these preferences and then the city site A: I got Endcliffe and by past experience I would say that you are likely to get it because most of the people that live in Endcliffe are British and they all get their results on August so if you make your accommodation application before that you would be having an advantage Q. A current student told me he had an induction hob so I thought I'd ask before buying any pots and pans. :) A: there are so many affordable shops near the University and in the City so there's no need to bring all your pots and pans with you :) Q: Yeah, it's great that you guys are doing this live chat! Please keep us updated about more such chats esp. on visas and orientation! A: Of course! We will be online every Wednesday to answer any questions - there are also some great videos etc. here:

6 Q: will everyone get a genius card or is it just for catered accommodation? A: catered accommodation is provided with them as the credit is put on to them but anyone can have one. They work like a loyalty card so you can collect points at any hustle and bustle outlet which you can use to pay when you have enough credit A: Everyone can get one - even staff :) it's a great way to collect points. I even got a free coffee on my birthday :) A: You can get more info about it here Q: Is it possible for the university to have the pick up service at the airport, because I have three luggage and it's hard to bring it on the train? When will it be ready? A: I used the meet and greet service of the university and they help you carrying your luggage. However, bear in mind that they pick you up from Manchester A: There will be an airport pick up service from Manchester Airport so we can collect you with your bags and take you to Sheffield - if you would like to be updated about this please meetgreet@sheffield.ac.uk to ask Q: So even if you don't apply for catered, you still can put money in it? A: you can put money on it but you don't need to. You can pay with cash or card at the outlets and collect points A: Exactly, that is what I did :) You can use them in restaurants of the Students Union and in the Bar of your accommodation Q: Do you know when they will pick up at the Manchester airport? A: The Meet & Greet service will be 9-17th September from MANCHESTER AIRPORT only. Please meet-greet@sheffield.ac.uk if you would like information about this :) We will also have an orientation webchat in a few weeks with more detailed information Q: I am confuse to book accommodation. please help me which one will be best for me. and how can I apply for it. I am from Pakistan and want to come with my family and 2 children. A: you can use the system to apply for family accommodation but this is very limited and not guaranteed. If you are struggling with your application please contact the accommodation office at accommodationoffice@sheffield.ac.uk Q: That's great. I'm thinking of applying for the meet and greet service. Are there any restrictions like no more than two big bags or something like that? A: There were not any restrictions that I know of, I had 2 big bags and 1 small one :) A: we don't have restrictions but you will need to book your place so that we know who we are picking up :) meet-greet@sheffield.ac.uk for more information. Also you should probably check your airline to make sure they don't charge excess for baggage! Q: For room type with shared bathroom, how many occupants will be sharing it? What about shared kitchen? A: all accommodation other than studios will be sharing a kitchen and each flat size varies so this depends on the specific flat. There will always be sufficient facilities for the occupants of the flat though so larger flats will have more space, showers, kitchen cupboards etc. Q: What do you guys do for laundry? A: WE have launderettes where you use a Top Up Card System so you can do your laundry quickly and easily without having to worry about having the right change. A: You top up your 'Circuit Laundry Card' (found in your Arrival Envelope or from Customer Services) online, so you don't have to carry cash / coins around with you to use in the Laundrette. Q:, do we need to send them an or should we just check the website regularly?

7 A: the website should be updated soon but you can them so that they alert you as soon as the booking is open :) Q: how near is the nearest train station/bus stop to Endcliffe or the city accommodation? A: there are bus stops close to all of the accommodation and the train station for Sheffield is located in the city centre. The transport links around the city are good though. Q: I have selected the option single sex accommodation. Hope to get the same? A: the accommodation team will try to give students their preference so if you have indicated this on your form they will try to provide this :) Q: for international students, do we have to empty the room during the summer? A: this will depend on the length of your contract. The University has 42 and 51 week contracts. If you have a 42 week contract you will need to remove your belongings for the summer. However, if you will need to stay you could apply for summer accommodation but this is not guaranteed. Q: When could I apply for the meet and greet service? Is it just available at the Manchester airport? How about other airport like Birmingham airport? A: Unfortunately, it is only available at the Manchester airport. If I am not mistaken I remember applying for it in August A: we only pick up from Manchester airport but if you are travelling to another airport Sheffield is very well connected by train. You will need to organise your own travel to Sheffield and during the meet and greet there will be people at Sheffield train station giving directions too :) Q: no I don't need to stay. I was wondering, if you go back home for the summer, do you have to take everything with you? or is there some place you can store it? A: The University does not offer storage of belongings over the summer period, you would need to look at a local storage company or take them with you A: some of the student societies can usually advise on finding storage if you need it :) Q: hi, is there installed Wi-Fi in the rooms or do we install it ourselves? A: All our rooms come with Wi-Fi already in the rooms, you don't need to install it A: The University uses Eduroam which connotes that you have Wi-Fi in all of the university's buildings, you just sign in with your Sheffield username Q: I'll send them an then. Unfortunately the airline does charge extra but I figured it was cheaper than other alternatives so it's alright for a one-time cost. :) A: Ok great - just a reminder there are lots of affordable shops in Sheffield for things like bedding, kitchen equipment, clothes, so you don't have to bring everything with you! Q: Hi What is the nearest hotel to the university? Also, I am still cannot find accommodation because I want private one and found one but the contract I want to start it in September, what to do? A: many private properties have contracts starting in July for 52 weeks. If the property is still available in September the landlord will start the contract from this date until the end of June. Alternatively you could look at purpose built student accommodation who offers contracts from September onwards. However, we do not recommend signing a contract for a property without viewing it first. A: There are lots of hotel options near the university. If you need budget accommodation there are B&Bs such as this one: Q: I arrive in October to start my postgrad studies...i'm moving over with my partner. Can you give me some advice re. student accom for couples, and also, which are the best sites to check out in terms of private rentals. Further question: which are the best suburbs in terms of fun/alternative culture + a higher student population? A: the University has some accommodation for couples which you can apply for online but these are limited. If you currently hold an unconditional accepted offer of study you can the propertywithus team

8 at with your applicant number for access to the property listings here: There is also information on this site about locations and house hunting in general which you might find useful. Please be aware that we do not recommend signing a contract for a property without viewing it first. Q: is there halal foods/restaurants near the university accommodations? A: yes there are and the University caters for all different dietary requirements - you can find out more here: Q: how will I pay for the accommodation? is it in monthly instalments or in one instalments? A: the accommodation can either be paid for in one instalment or in 3 instalments. If you require a different option for payment this could be discussed with the income office when you arrive. Q: do students clean their rooms and kitchen themselves? A: the students are responsible for cleaning their rooms. Shared areas of the accommodation are cleaned on a regular basis (I think every 2 weeks) Q: This is probably a slightly odd question but was there any thing that you thought you wouldn't need at university but later realised you did? Basically, the one thing you wish you had packed? A: Good question! A: Here's a video some of our students made to advise on what to pack which might help :) A: Hi Nikita, I wouldn't worry too much about this. If you find you need something later that you don't have you could always go and buy it. I would suggest making sure that you have your home comforts though! A: From past experience, I got the opposite. There were many things I thought I needed and in reality I didn't A: Some students pack cooking implements, but actually we have really good international supermarkets with good range of cooking utensils from a range of countries, so I wouldn't recommend you bringing that kind of thing. A: Bring some photos of friends and family, and if you enjoy cooking you could bring a favourite ingredient (as long as immigration allows you to bring it - people here love Marmite for example and might bring that with them if they go overseas to live for a while) Q: what is GeniUS Card? Is it for all students? A: the GeniUS card is a loyalty scheme for any user of the hustle and bustle outlets around campus and at the residences. It allows you to collect points when you buy items which you can use to purchase other items when you have earnt enough. A: You can here more about it here it is basically a card that you top up with money and you can use it to buy things at certain stores like shops in the Students' Union, bars in university accommodation etc. Q: For the sport facilities at the university any of them like only for female students only? A: I don't think that there are any female only sections or facilities but they do have some women only sports sessions like swimming A: Yes there are female swimming sessions and over 250 student societies you can join if you want to e.g. women's football :) A: There are female only changing rooms (this is standard in any sports facility in the UK) A:- As Leigh has mentioned, we have female only teams in many sports but all our facilities are shared by all. I hope that helps :-) A: More information about the Sport Sheffield can be found here: Q I'm trying to convince my mum that I don't need only winter clothes. :p A: Hahaha Nikita it really won't be THAT cold in September and you can buy things for really low cost when you get here (if you're really cold!) :)

9 A: What is more important is that you have to pack smart, with 2 coats you are set :) A: That's good advice, a few jumpers, two coats, a couple of pairs of shoes, and anything else you can buy when you are here. We have lots of decent high street shops where you can shop for clothes at decent prices. (Shops like H&M and Primark for example). A: It is 24 C today :-) Q: in terms of computers and printers etc., are there any in the accommodation rooms or is it in university libraries? A: there aren't any computers and printers in your accommodation but there are a number around campus that you can use such as in the libraries Q: Yes I meant I like maybe some sports or activities to do, is it only female changing room. A: We have female only changing rooms, and some sports are women's only like women s netball, women s swimming, women s tennis, women s football, there are lots and lots! Q: Hello, I am worried about if I got sick there, is there a medical team who can support or I also have to bring some medicines to be on the safe side? A: as an international student you can use the National Health Service as long as you pay the surcharge when you apply for your visa. This will give you access to the University's medical centre if you need it :) A: when you arrive in Orientation you will get chance to sign up to the NHS and we have a medical centre on campus for all students to use A: We also have a student-only Health Service, it is great, right next to the campus. A: Here's info for international students on what our health service is and how we can help you: Q: We don't really use duvets here because of the warm climate so I'm a bit confused about tog rating...? Some of the other applicants said 13.5 tog would be too warm and suggested getting the one where you can merge 4.5 and 10 tog or use them separately. Would you guys recommend the same? A: I find 4.5 tog is perfect for most of the year, but having the option to add on a 10tog would be great for the winter A: you don't need to bring this in your luggage though - there are great shops nearby in the city :) Q: I'll definitely buy it in Sheffield. I don't think they're even available where I live- it never drops below 15 C. :) A: Wow sounds lovely :) A: Yes - you can buy these from most supermarkets, or places like Argos, or Debenhams which are in the town centres. Q: if I chose the girls only option for the type of accommodation would I certainly have it? A: if you select that you only want single sex accommodation you shouldn't be allocated any mixed sex accommodation. Q: hi i come from Malaysia (normal temperature is 34 degrees) and what I should buy to bring there to keep me warm? A: when you arrive in September you may feel the cold so I would recommend bringing a warm jacket and maybe a scarf. Then you can buy a winter coat/scarf/hat when it gets much colder later in the year :) A: Exactly, I got used to the cold in like 2 weeks then with a normal jacket I was more comfortable. Bear in mind that the coldest times are between January and February Q: I can't wait for cool British weather...i'm not a fan of the heat. :) Thanks for the info. :) That's all for my weird questions. Thank you all for your help. This chat has been great. Can't wait for September! :) A: Brilliant! Keep the weird questions coming, we love them! :)

10 Q: if we have any further questions after today, whom can we find? A: any queries about university accommodation can be sent to and any private accommodation queries can be sent to Q: can we post them in the Facebook group instead of ing? A: Sure! so other students that may have the same questions can benefit as well! A: accommodation questions can be answered by the team directly: but definitely ask on the Facebook page and we can help :) For the next webchat topics see here: we hope you can join us :) Q: hi I want to ask about toilet rinse A: I'm not too sure what you mean by this. You will need to purchase your own toilet cleaner which you can buy in supermarkets locally. If you meant something else, please feel free to explain :) A: there are lots of affordable shops near the University and on campus where you can buy everything you need. Thanks everyone for joining our chat today it was great meeting you all! We will be back next Wednesday at 12:00 and if you have questions in the meantime please don't hesitate to contact us accommodation@sheffield.ac.uk or via the Facebook Group