What types of rooms are available on-campus?
All bedrooms are study bedrooms, each with a private en-suite shower room. There is a small number of deluxe rooms which are slightly larger, containing a double bed and walk-in wet room. Each flat contains 4 to 6 bedrooms and a fitted kitchen with living area and television.

What is the size of a typical student bedroom?
The typical dimensions of a standard en-suite bedroom and a deluxe en-suite bedroom are shown below. Deluxe bedrooms are larger than the standard bedrooms. Deluxe rooms are fitted with a double bed instead of a single bed and have a wet room rather than a shower room. 

Bedroom Dimensions

Room Type	Bedroom Dimensions	Shower Room Dimensions	Wet Room Dimensions
Standard En Suite	3.17m x 2.50m	1.35m x 1.10m	--
Deluxe En Suite	5.28m x 2.87m	--	2.48m x 2.38m

How much does an on-campus room cost?
Prices for 2011-12:
£250.00 - security deposit
£99.50 per week - standard en-suite room
£110.00 per week - deluxe en-suite room

42-week contract: September 2011 until June 2012

	Standard En-Suite Bedroom (£99.50 per week)	Deluxe En-Suite Bedroom (£110.00 per week)
Deposit	£250	£250
Fees	£4179	£4620
TOTAL	£4429	£4870

The majority of students who wish to live on-campus will be issued with a standard 42-week contract. Certain groups of students, such as Year Out Drama students or students from Ecole de Savignac will be issued with contracts of a different length to coincide with their specific course schedules.

Am I eligible to live in the campus accommodation?
The Accommodation Office will arrange accommodation for any student who is enrolled on a full-time course at Stratford-upon-Avon College; however, we do not accept applications for campus accommodation from any UK student under the age of 18 years old.

Prospective students who live more than twenty miles away from Stratford-upon-Avon College's main campus, who are applying for campus accommodation, will be given priority over students who live less than twenty miles from the main campus.

We shall, of course, be happy to organise homestay accommodation for any student below the age of 18, or who lives within the immediate 20 mile radius of the College, who wishes to proceed with this option.

Will I need to pay any bills?
All utility bills are included in the rent. There is an additional charge for residential internet subscription. Prices for
2011-12 have yet to be confirmed; however, students can expect to pay approximately £20 per month or a one-off payment of approximately £150 for the academic year (September to June).

Will I need to sign a contract for campus accommodation?
Yes. Every residential student is issued with a contract (Short Hold Tenancy Agreement). This is for the duration of the academic year, including holiday periods. This means students do not have to vacate their rooms during Christmas, Easter or half term breaks. As the majority of contracts are now issued online, you will be asked to click on tick boxes at relevant points to accept the terms and conditions of your Tenancy Agreement instead of signing a physical Tenancy Agreement.

What do I need to supply?
You will need to supply your own bedding and towels for your room and any kitchen utensils and crockery you wish to use.

There is a supermarket directly across the road from Stratford-upon-Avon College which sells everything a new student will need. However some students might like to consider pre-ordering their essential items before they even leave home. All-Unied| (All You Need) is a company that provides a variety of packs of indispensable items to ensure students settle quickly into their accommodation; students can even create their own individually tailored pack. All-Unied also offer a wide range of popular student products (such as televisions, laptop computers, bicycles, rice cookers etc.) that are too bulky and expensive to transport. At the end of the academic year they can also help international students with summertime-storage and the homeward-bound shipping of their possessions. Please visit their website for more information: www.all-unied.com|

I am an international student and my flight arrives in the early hours of the morning. What should I do?
The campus accommodation is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That means that, if you arrive at
Stratford-upon-Avon College at 04.00am (or whatever time of the night), it's not a problem - you can still check in! We also sell bedding packs for students in this very situation to purchase, so that when you arrive, you can collapse into bed and have a good sleep before you have to think about anything else.

What rules and regulations must I follow?
Our philosophy is that students should be treated as adults. Of course, we have a duty of care for all the students who we accommodate and, therefore, there are rules and regulations enforced for your health, safety and welfare (e.g. not leaving obstacles in fire escape routes; not cooking in your rooms; ensuring visitors leave at a reasonable time and keeping noise to a minimum after 10.30pm). There is security and CCTV operating on-site at all times for the safety of all students.

All students are collectively responsible for the cleanliness and hygiene in their flats and the Accommodation Office conducts regular flat inspections to ensure that hygiene standards are maintained. See below for further information.

Who is responsible for cleaning my flat?
It is your responsibility to keep your own bedroom and shower room clean and tidy. The kitchen and living areas are the joint responsibility of all the students in your flat. The housekeeping team conducts regular flat inspections to ensure that students are maintaining the expected standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Fines are issued to any flat which fails to meet these standards.

Do I need a TV licence?
Cosmopolitan Student Homes pays for the TV licence for the television in the communal area of each flat. It is also possible to have a television in your bedroom. HOWEVER, if you have a TV in your bedroom, or any TV receiving equipment (e.g. a laptop or mobile phone which enables you to view LIVE television broadcasts), then you are not covered by the licence purchased by Cosmopolitan and you must purchase a separate TV licence.

For further information please refer to the TV Licensing website - www.tvlicensing.co.uk/students|

Can I have visitors to stay?
Yes, residential students are allowed to have visitors to stay. Due to fire and safety regulations all students are limited to one overnight guest at any one time for a maximum of two nights within a 7-night period.  There is no charge for an overnight guest.. Any overnight guest must sleep in your bedroom and not in the communal areas of your flat. Any guest must be registered with the Accommodation Office or security staff.

Unfortunately, there is no designated guest accommodation here at Stratford-upon-Avon College. We recognise that, from time to time, you may wish for friends and family to visit for periods longer than four days, or perhaps have more than one visitor.

With this in mind, you may like to visit the South Warwickshire Tourism| website. Here you can find full listings and availability of all tourist accommodation in Stratford-upon-Avon. South Warwickshire Tourism can also help you to book accommodation for any visitors.

South Warwickshire Tourism - www.shakespeare-country.co.uk|

 

Homestay Accommodation

When I apply for homestay accommodation can I choose where I live?
The Accommodation Office will use the information that you provide in your application form to help find a suitable homestay provider or ‘host’ for you. We will then allocate you to a suitable host and put you and the host in contact with one another.

All of our homestay providers have been interviewed by the Accommodation Officers and the accommodation that is being offered by the homestay provider has also been inspected to ensure that it meets the standards expected.

Please be aware that, while every effort is made to find a suitable match for any student applying for homestay accommodation, we cannot guarantee to match your requirements exactly.

What happens if I do not like my homestay accommodation?
For many students who move in with a host family, it is a very big step. For most students it will be the first time they have lived away from their own home, family and friends - and for some students it may be the first time they have lived outside of their own country. On top of that, they not only have to adjust to a new home, but a new town, a new college and a new course!

The bottom line is that it will all feel very strange and unfamiliar for a while. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way in your first few weeks. Everyone has the same feelings of insecurity when they first arrive at their new home and different people take a longer or shorter time to settle into their new life and routine.

We advise you to stay living in your allocated accommodation for a minimum of one academic term. It is important that you try to make the best of your situation - it may take several weeks to adjust and feel settled in your new environment.

Please be patient during this period of adjustment. Any concerns or worries you may have can be discussed with your host family - they want you to be happy and will want to help you resolve any problems or worries. You can also discuss any issues you may have directly with the Accommodation Officers at the College who are also here to help you.

How much does homestay accommodation cost?
Prices for 2011-12:
£200.00 - security deposit (refundable at end of stay)
£85.00 per week - self-catering (students cooks their own meals)
£120.00 per week - half board (bed, breakfast and evening meal provided by the homestay provider)
£50.00 per week - retainer fee (for holiday periods agreed in advance with the homestay provider)

All rent is to be paid in advance of the period. Usually, this is one month in advance.

 

 

 

I will receive financial support in order to pay for my homestay accommodation. How should I pay my host?
You are responsible for your rent being paid on the date that it is due (to be paid in advance), as discussed with your homestay provider. In the event that you are unable to pay your rent by the date on which it is due, it is not the responsibility of the homestay provider to subsidise you until such time that your finances become available.

This is also true in the event of a delay with any financial support that you have applied for in order to assist you with your accommodation finances. In such a case it is your responsibility to meet the shortfall in rent, which will then be reimbursed to you once your financial support becomes available. 

I am an international student and my flight arrives in the early hours of the morning. What should I do?
Many homestay providers work full-time and some may not appreciate you arriving during the night. When you know your travel arrangements (such as flight dates and times), it is, therefore, very important that you pass this information to your homestay provider and consult with them whether it is okay for you to arrive during the night.

For further details regarding homestay accommodation, please refer to the Homestay Accommodation| section.