FAQs

Who is eligible to book our accommodation?

New students who have accepted a conditional or unconditional offer of study at UHI, as well as continuing students who have confirmed their intention to return, are eligible to apply. The minimum age for applicants is 16  and you must be 16 on or before the 24th August 2024.

How do I book a room?

Room bookings are made through our online booking portal by clicking this link: Online Booking Portal. You can also email studentaccommodation@uhi.ac.uk to express your interest or ask any questions you may have.

Can I view your rooms?

Yes, viewings can be arranged by emailing student.accommodation@uhi.ac.uk or by calling 01463 225201.

How are rooms allocated?

When processing accommodation applications we endeavour to ensure that all applications are treated fairly and to allocate based on the preferences you have selected, offering a room that matches the highest preference possible, based on the room availability we have at the time we process your application.  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 2024. 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.

What is a Priority Applicant?

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 an application is received to discuss further requirements, support, or to request more information. The University will work with applicants to assess their needs and make all reasonable adjustments to ensure that they can access appropriate accommodation.

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 2024. Once all reserved rooms have been allocated, Priority Applicants will be allocated any remaining unallocated rooms on a first-come, first-served basis.

Do I need to accept my room offer by the expiry date?

Yes, if you do not accept your room offer by the expiry date we will assume that you do not wish to take up your room offer and your room will be allocated to another applicant.

When will I receive a room offer?

Once we have confirmed your eligibility to apply for accommodation and subject to room availability, a room offer will be made. Rooms offers will begin to be sent after the 20th of June although during busy periods and academic holidays this may take longer. You will be notified via email on the email address used in your accommodation application that a room offer has been made.  You will then need to login to the accommodation portal to accept or decline your offer. Please check your spam folder in your emails as some email providers default to this. We would ask you to list emails from our email account student.accommodation@uhi.ac.uk as a trusted provider should they default to your spam folders.

I have been placed on the waiting list. What happens next?

Once all available rooms have been allocated, eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list, and allocated rooms in the event of withdrawals, cancellations, or upon the release of any unused reserved rooms, based on their position on this list.

I have special requirements for my living needs. can the University help with these?

Yes. Please contact us so we can arrange a confidential discussion on your specific needs. We will always do what we can to find you suitable accommodation.

I am not sure what lease length to choose?

Our standard lease length is 41 weeks. This covers you for the duration of the academic year. We also offer leases for just semester one and just semester two. For the accommodation in Dornoch and Fort William we also offer a 31 week lease which ends in early April 2025 in line with some courses ending earlier for placements.  If you are unsure when your course starts or which lease length to choose then please contact your course leader or the accommodation team for further assistance.  

Some tenancies may be available to be extended into the summer subject to certain criteria. These tenancies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

If required, certain priority groups (for example, Care Experienced Students or those who are estranged from their families) are given a tenancy agreement that extends into the summer and will end the week before the next academic years check in weekend. These longer tenancies are subject to an application review by both the accommodation team and the transitions team.

Will I have to clear my room during the Christmas and Easter break?

No. The student accommodation is open throughout the academic year so you can stay whenever you want during your tenancy period. 

When is my first rental payment due?

If you are paying monthly your first rental payment is due before you move in and thereafter on the 20th of each month.  If you are paying in full then the full rental amount is due before you move in. You can find information on how much you will be due to pay depending on your lease length here.

How do I pay my rent?

If you are a student with a UK home address then you will usually have the option of paying in monthly instalments or in full. Monthly payments must be set up as a direct debit, information on setting these up will be sent with a successful room offer. 

If your permanent home address is outside the UK then you must pay your rent in full before you can move in. The account details for paying this by bank transfer are available on the portal and by contacting student.accommodation@uhi.ac.uk.

What happens if I can't make payment or there is a problem with my payment?

Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your situation.  Don't leave it until it is a huge problem.  We have excellent student services teams at all our partner colleges who will be able to provide advice and help on what help may be available to you.

What happens if I need to cancel my room or withdraw from the University?

Please contact us as soon as possible.

What happens if I don't get the grades to start/continue at the University?

Please contact us as soon as possible.

How do I know when my booking is complete?

Your booking is only complete once you have accepted your room offer and signed your tenancy agreement.  

What happens to my mail?

Each flat has its own postbox which letters and small packages will be delivered to. Larger items will be held at reception for you to collect.

Are there laundry facilities for my personal laundry?

Do I need a TV licence to watch TV in my room?

Yes. If you watch TV in your accommodation you must have your own TV licence. One from back home does not cover you.  However a TV licence is not required to watch the TV in the communal kitchens.

Is there parking?

There is limited parking at all of our sites available on a first come first served basis. Tenants are encouraged to make use of our covered cycle storage.

How do I arrange an arrival time?

You will be able to pick an arrival slot once you have signed your tenancy agreement. There are a limited number of slots on both the 24th and 25th of August. If you are unable to select the time you would like or are having issues with the dates of arrival please contact us on student.accommodation@uhi.ac.uk. 

What do I need to bring with me and what is provided?

A useful guide about What to pack is available for students.

Can I bring my pet with me?

No, pets are not allowed.

Can I have a guest at the student accommodation?

Guests are welcome at the accommodation provided that they are signed in at the main accommodation reception. This must include the full name of the visitor and the full name of the tenant being visited. Visitors may be asked to leave if the full name is not provided. 

Any visitor under the age of 16 must be accompanied by or have the written consent of somebody with parental responsibility

Under no circumstances are guests allowed to stay overnight. We have a duty of care for all our students and we need to be sure that only residents are staying. We have also found that room-mates don’t like it when their flat is used by strangers – it’s important to respect others’ space.

All Visitors must leave the accommodation by 12am. 

Everyone that enters the accommodation must be able to produce when asked photographic ID, failure to do so will result in being asked to leave the accommodation. 

The University reserves the right to deny access to the accommodation or ask guests to leave at its sole discretion. 

Do electrical items I bring need to be PAT tested?

Yes. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is undertaken every year by UHI and involves testing all items that have a standard 3-pin plug. This is undertaken towards the start of the calendar year so as to include any new electrical items that residents may be given for Christmas. The UHI Accommodation team will contact all residents to arrange testing. Residents should undertake a simple user check before using all electrical equipment to ensure that it is free from damage or signs of deterioration. Such items should be taken out of use immediately as they may be unsafe to use. Faults with any electrical or other equipment provided by UHI should be reported to the Accommodation team as soon as possible. Further information on electrical equipment can be found here: Maintaining portable electrical equipment in low-risk environments (INDG236(rev2)) (hse.gov.uk)