How to apply for student accommodation

Applications for single-occupancy rooms in our accommodation must be made through our online portal.  

To register, you’ll need your: 

• personal email address (do not use a school or college email address) 
• phone number 
• home address 
• student ID number (you’ll find this in your offer email)

Apply for accommodation 

You do not need to make a payment when you apply. Find out more about how and when you'll pay for your accommodation. 

If you need any assistance applying, have a look at our application guide. If you have any further questions, you can email us at accommodation@soton.ac.uk. 

1. Choose between 3 to 5 rooms, or 1 if you want to live in Winchester. 
2. List your room choices in order of preference. 
3. Choose your contract length. 

You will also be able to request things such as: 

• adaptations for accessibility and comfort 
• a quieter flat 
• a single-gender flat 
• a no-alcohol flat 

You can visit our accommodation at Open Days throughout the year to help you make your choices. 

You’ll get an email confirming your application once you’ve submitted it. Please check your junk or spam folder if you don’t receive it, and remember to make us a “trusted sender” in your email client. 

When will accommodation offers be sent? 

Students planning to study undergraduate courses (conditional and unconditional offer holders) will receive an accommodation offer within one month of submitting an application. 

International students planning to study postgraduate courses with unconditional offers will receive an accommodation offer within one month of submitting an application. 

International students planning to study postgraduate courses with conditional offers will receive an accommodation offer after the middle of May 2023. 

Any applications submitted after the guarantee deadline date will be allocated and offered as space permits. This may take a few weeks. Applications submitted after the guarantee deadline date are not guaranteed accommodation. 
 
We will send an email notifying you that you have an accommodation offer to accept. Please check the accommodation portal regularly as well, so you don’t miss the offer. 
 
You will have a short period of time to review the offer and accept it. 

If you subsequently do not come to study at the University of Southampton, your accommodation offer will be withdrawn and your application cancelled - you don't need to do anything and there will be no financial penalties or liabilities.

Most applicants are offered one of their top three choices, and any offer made to you will be the best available on the day the allocation is made. We do not allocate on a first come, first served basis. 
 
After your offer is accepted, you will need to complete your online accommodation induction. September arrivals will receive an email once this is live (this is usually mid-August), and any arrivals during the academic year will be able to access the induction as soon as an offer has been accepted. 

Those arriving over the main September arrival weekend will need to book an arrival slot, which again can be done via the accommodation portal. Then all you need to do is pack and look forward to moving into your new home. 

If you want to stay in halls for another year, applications open for a short period each year for current students to apply.  Returner applications will next open in February 2024 for 2024/25 applications.

The application process is the same as for first-year students, with one important exception – you can apply with other students in a group. 

When applying, you can enter your "Group Reference" on the final page before submitting the application. This Group Reference must be agreed between your group, so try to make it unique so that there is no confusion with other groups. 

We must receive an application from everyone in the group individually and we encourage you to submit the same site/room type/catering/contract preferences. 

Accommodation offers are usually sent within 2 weeks of applications closing , and you will need to make a prepayment of £150 to accept your offer. 

If demand exceeds supply, a ballot will be held for available places.

Students with children 

The University has a limited quantity of family houses for students with children. If you're coming to Southampton with your partner and/or children, you must use our online form to request family accommodation.

Any offer made will be subject to us having a property available that is suitable for your family size. 

Request family accommodation