A place in halls is usually only guaranteed for one or two years of a three-year course; usually for the first and/or third years. For your second and/or your third year flat or house sharing tends to be a popular choice. Flats and houses for rent are advertised in local papers, shop windows and in your institution's accommodation office. The best time to look for accommodation is before the end of the summer term, in June and July. If you find a flat or house at this time of year, you may need to pay for it over the summer. Some landlords will, however, reduce the amount if you are not going to be living there straight away. If you enjoy independence and cooking for yourself, sharing a flat or house is a great option. For a room in a house or flat shared with other students, expect to pay between £200 and £500 per month.  The rent often excludes household bills, such as water, electricity, telephone and council tax, so check with your landlord what the rent does include before you sign the contract, so there are no unexpected costs after you move in.

Short for 'bedroom/sitting room', a bed-sit is a one room apartment in a larger building. Each room will have a single or double bed with a washing area and many also have a private cooker and bathroom. Bed-sits can be any size from reasonably spacious to extremely cramped. Although cheap, bed-sits can be lonely unless you are in a building with lots of other students. Noisy neighbours can also make it difficult to study and you will have a landlord or agency to deal with. However bed-sits can be a good way of assuring your freedom if you find the rules imposed in halls of residence too restrictive. Expect to pay between £200 and £600 per month, usually excluding household bills.

This is a particularly popular option for English language students and younger students at further education colleges. You live in the home of a host family, where you have your own study-bedroom and a certain number of meals with the family. Arrangements are flexible according to the needs and wants of the student, although your stay is usually seen as a kind of cultural exchange. Complete immersion in UK life is often the best way to develop your language skills and understanding of the culture and customs of a British family. You will be expected to respect and abide by basic rules that the family may impose. You are paying, however, so services such as babysitting and housework are entirely at your discretion and you are under no obligation. Home stays can work very well for students who value security and prefer a home environment, although if the host family has young children you may find that it is not the best environment for quiet study. The real advantage is that you will have to speak English daily.

Short-term home stays

In most cases home stays will be arranged for the duration of your course, either privately or through the institution you are going to attend. If you choose another accommodation option, however, it may still be possible to arrange a short, one-off weekend home stay by way of an introduction to British culture and home life. They can also be arranged through organisations such as local churches, temples, mosques or synagogues, and charitable organisations with international links. One particular organisation that arranges weekend home stay visits across the UK is Host UK, which was set up by the British Council in 1991. You can find out more at www.hostuk.org

This is a room in a family house or a house owned by another individual who lives on the premises; the owner may be another student. Lodging can be similar to a home stay but the relationship is more commercial and there may be little or no element of cultural exchange. You may have little contact with the family or landlord and be treated simply as a tenant rather than as a paying guest. You are still entitled to privacy, respect and a decent standard of living, although the family or landlord may have rules about bringing guests and friends into the house. Lodgings are advertised locally in newspapers, shops and supermarkets and also through student accommodation offices and religious and charitable organisations. For lodgings where meals are included, you can expect to pay between £350 and £400 per month.  Household bills are usually included.