Applying for accommodation
Student accommodation applications 2023/24
Applications for student accommodation for the 2024/25 academic year are opening soon.
Who can apply
New students who have accepted a conditional or unconditional offer of study at the University of the Highlands and Islands, as well as continuing students who have expressed an intention to return to the University, are eligible to apply for accommodation in our student accommodation. The minimum age for applications is 16 and you must be 16 on or before the 26 August 2023.
Priority applicants
The University reserves a number of rooms for Priority Applicants. This means that a number of rooms will be reserved exclusively for Priority Applicants, and will not be allocated to non-priority applicants until 30th June 2023. Once all reserved rooms have been allocated, Priority Applicants will be allocated any remaining unallocated rooms on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications from students who meet any of the following criteria will be considered a Priority Applicant for the purpose of allocating accommodation (in no particular order):
- Any applicant with a physical or mental impairment (as defined under the Equality Act 2010).
- Any applicant who is a care experienced – Care experienced refers to anyone who has been, or is currently in care. This care may have been provided in many different settings such as, Kinship care (living with a relative who us not your mum or dad) or looked after at home (with the help of social work).
- Any applicant who is estranged – an estranged young person is someone who no longer has the support of their family due to a breakdown in their relationship which has led to ceased contact. This might mean you biological or adoptive parents or wider family members who have been responsible for supporting you in the past. Estranged students have no experience of being in care and do not have a corporate parent in charge of them.
- Any applicant who is a carer – A carer is someone who has paid or unpaid caring responsibilities for a family or friend who is frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
- Any international applicant.
Applicants who meet one or more of the above categories should select all those that apply on their application form. Priority applicants may be contacted by the accommodation team once their application is received to discuss further requirements, support, or to request more information.
What happens next
Once we have recieved your application it will be checked and if successful and subject to availability, you will receive a room offer from us. Room offers will usually be sent within 14 days from your application being received via email to the email address provided with your accommodation application. Please note that during busy periods this may take longer.
Rooms are allocated to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis per the date of application received with the exception of Priority Applicants who apply before 30th June 2023. All successful applicants who meet the relevant allocation criteria will be allocated a room in accordance with any specified room preferences or requirements, subject to availability. Any students who require a specific room for medical reasons may be asked to provide supporting medical evidence of this prior to allocation.
Every effort is made to place students according to their preferences but high demand for certain types of accommodation and/or locations means this cannot be guaranteed.
Any student with a history of University residential debt or who has a serious disciplinary record will not be offered accommodation. The University Accommodation Office reserves the right not to offer accommodation to any applicant.
If you are elgible but a room is not available you will be put on a waiting list and contacted as soon as a room becomes availble.
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