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Undergraduate Student Accommodation at SOAS

Moving to a major city like London is very exciting, but it can also be daunting, especially if it is your first time away from home. All new undergraduates from outside London are advised to apply for a place in a student residence. We have around 1000 bed spaces available each year and while we try to offer accommodation to as many new students as possible, unfortunately we are unable to guarantee campus housing for all new students.

The School will do everything it can to help you to apply for accommodation. If we are unable to offer you a place in a student residence, we will be able to provide you with the help and advice you need to find accommodation elsewhere.

SOAS Hall of Residence - Dinwiddy House

SOAS undergraduate students have exclusive access to Dinwiddy House, which is located on Pentonville Road (N1), adjacent to Vernon Square and a 20-minute walk from Russell Square.

  • Mixed residence, self-catering
  • 510 single en-suite rooms arranged in cluster flats of five to seven rooms with a shared kitchen/dining area
  • Basic broadband internet service included (upgradable for an additional fee)
  • Communal areas: common room with a TV, DVD player and vending machines; laundry room; secure bike shed
  • Bed linen not provided but available for purchase (subject to availability)
  • Wheelchair access and rooms specially equipped for students with disabilities. Please discuss any specific needs you might have with the SOAS Disability Officer before applying.
  • Fee per week for a single en-suite room for academic year 2012–2013: £139.09
  • Contracts are for 38 weeks and inclusive of the Christmas and Easter breaks (stays may be extendable during the summer, subject to availability)
  • Dinwiddy House is managed by Sanctuary Management Services (SMS). For more information and to apply please visit their website: www.smsstudent.co.uk

Intercollegiate Halls

SOAS students may also apply for a place in one of the Intercollegiate Halls owned and maintained by the University of London. This offers a valuable opportunity to mix with students from other colleges of the University. All provide catering, offering breakfast and evening meals on weekdays and all meals at weekends.

Buildings tend to be older than those of the SOAS residences and therefore many rooms do not have more modern conveniences such as en-suite facilities, however, personal telephones and data points for internet connection are now offered. The fees vary but are inclusive of the vacation periods.

The Intercollegiate Halls vary considerably in age and style of building. Students with special needs are advised to discuss them with the individual residence prior to application.

Approximately 170 places have been reserved for SOAS students for the 2012-2013 session. For more information and to apply for a place please see www.smsstudent.co.uk/intercollegiatehalls.asp.

Note: Study Abroad or Semester Abroad, Erasmus/Socrates and Exchange Students should also follow the guidelines given above for undergraduate students. Please see the Accommodation for Study Abroad Students pages. 

Private Accommodation

If you prefer to live in the private sector, the University of London Housing Services offers guidance to new students. It maintains a database of private sector and University-owned accommodation including rooms in private homes, flat-shares, rooms with meals, flats and houses for groups of two or more students and couples, with or without families, whole blocks of self-catering flats for up to 136 students, lists of hotels, hostels and accommodation agencies.

For details contact:
University of London Housing Services (ULHS)
4th Floor ULU Building, Malet Street, London  WC1E 7HY
Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8880
Email: housing@lon.ac.uk
The office is open to personal callers Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm, and on Saturdays in September from 10am–2pm. Information is also available on www.housing.london.ac.uk

Independent Halls

London also has a range of independent halls for undergraduate students in London, many of which are close to SOAS, for example:

You may also find the following websites useful: