Accommodation and Support

Most postgraduate students at Lancaster University live on-campus in the purpose-built Graduate College, which has excellent accommodation for postgraduate students. The Graduate College is situated on Alexandra Park in the south west of campus. Most bedrooms in the College are en-suite, with private shower and toilet facilities. The average size of a bedroom is 11 m2. There are some standard rooms and high specification, self-contained studio apartments available in Graduate College. Kitchen facilities are generally shared by between 4 and 9 students. Some of the bedrooms are specifically adapted for students with disabilities, including ground floor rooms for wheelchair users or students who have restricted mobility. All rooms have computer data points with access to email, the internet and the campus network.

All on-campus student rooms have network points, so, for a small annual charge, students with their own PC can get unlimited internet access from their own rooms.

Accommodation Guarantees
If you are a single postgraduate student from outside the European Union, you are guaranteed on-campus accommodation for your first year of study at the University, provided that your residence application form has been received by aspecified date in August, you have notified your firm acceptance of a place and fulfilled conditions of admission and you are registered on a full-time course of at least 9 months, starting in September/October. These guarantees also apply to single postgraduate students from within the European Union, provided your residence application form has been received by a specified date in July.

Letting Periods and Residence Charges
Rooms are let on a 51 week basis (October – late September) or a 40 week basis (October – July).
In 2007/8 the rents are as follows: en-suite rooms cost between £81.20 and £84.00 per week; standard rooms cost between £62.65 and £72.45 per week
studio apartments cost between £99.75 and £115.85 per week. If you are sharing a twin studio, the cost will be £58.00 per person, per week. These amounts include heating, lighting and water and a basic cleaning service for communal areas. Payment is normally made by termly direct debit from a UK bank account – full details of payment methods will be sent when an offer of a room is made.

SUPPORT SERVICES
Lancaster University has a strong support network which aims to help students make the most of their time at Lancaster. This is provided partly by the college system, but also by a Counselling Service and a Disabilities Service. The University has an active policy of access to higher education for disabled students and mature students. We particularly encourage applications in these areas.

All students at Lancaster are automatically members of the Lancaster University Students' Union (LUSU). The Union deals with welfare matters and represents students on University committees. The Union organises entertainment on campus and at its social centre and nightclub, the Sugar House, in the centre of the city. Over 60 clubs and societies are affiliated to LUSU which cater for sporting, leisure, political, outdoor, religious, cultural and educational pursuits. You'll find out about all the societies at the Societies Bazaar held in Intro Week. The Union also runs shops on the Bailrigg campus, selling stationery, gifts, non-prescription medication and second-hand books.