FAQs (for prospective students)

Information about your tenancy

Will I be guaranteed accommodation in my first year?

We can provide accommodation for all new UCAS main scheme undergraduates, although students who enter the University through the

system are allocated rooms after main scheme students have been accommodated.

Accommodation is also guaranteed for all new, full‑time postgraduates who have confirmed their acceptance and met the conditions for a course by 1 September each year.

The Housing Office will assist any student who is not allocated a room on campus to find alternative accommodation.

How will my accommodation lease work?

If you are an undergraduate student, you are currently required to pay accommodation fees for a period of 36 weeks. This covers your induction or "Freshers" week, term time, and the Christmas and Easter holidays. If you wish to remain in halls over the summer vacation, this can be arranged at an additional cost, although it may not be possible to remain in the same room. Availability of campus accommodation may vary in 2012 compared to other years due to the London Olympics. It may not be possible to accommodation the usual number of students due to Brunel's commitment to provide rooms to LOCOG for those taking part in the Olympics or providing support to LOCOG. An update will be provided at a later date on the Accommodation Office website.

If you are a postgraduate student your lease period is 51 weeks.

How will I pay for my accommodation?

Undergraduate students pay for their accommodation in three termly instalments, and postgraduate students pay in four instalments. You can pay by direct debit, debit or credit card, cash or cheque, and payments can be made online, at the University Cash Office, or over the phone.

To secure a room on campus at Brunel you will need to pay a deposit of £250 (2011/12). Assuming you have no outstanding charges or fines, this will be paid back to you by reducing the cost of your last rent payment at the end of the tenancy period.

Will my room and belongings be insured?

Insurance of buildings and basic insurance for your personal belongings are included in your rent. However, if you own any particularly valuable items you can add them to the insurance policy for a small additional cost – it is advisable to read the extent of your cover carefully.

Information about the halls of residence

How many halls are there?

There are 34 self-catering halls of residence on campus, 31 of which have en suite facilities. This brings our on‑campus accommodation to 4,549 rooms, including studio flats for co-habiting couples.

Do you have couples accommodation on-campus?

There are 112 studio flats on-campus available for co-habiting couples. If you are in a long term stable relationship and would like to live with your partner (student or non-student) you may wish to apply for one of our studio flats on campus. Applications for studio flat accommodation can found made via our online application centre.

What will I find in my bedroom?

All rooms contain the following:

bed
bedding and bed linen (although you are welcome to bring your own)
bedside table
wardrobe
desk and chair
shelves
notice board
mirror
waste paper bin
Internet connection point

Standard rooms have a washbasin and vanity unit and en suite rooms have a shower/bath, washbasin, vanity unit and lavatory.

All rooms are non-smoking.

What will I find in the kitchen?

All kitchens contain the following:

oven, hob and grill
fridge and freezer
kettle
toaster
kitchen table and seating
kitchen bin
iron and ironing board
dustpan and brush
mop and bucket
recycling facilities

There is also ample storage space for food and utensils. Halls do not normally have microwaves, although you may be able to bring your own. You will need to bring your own cooking utensils and crockery.

How many washrooms and lavatories are there in standard halls?

Standard halls have at least one bath/shower room and lavatory per corridor.

Who will I be living with?

Rooms in halls are grouped into flats or corridors of up to 16 students. Halls are usually mixed sex in ensuite and single sex in standard accommodation, but the Accommodation Office will try to accommodate requests for single sex flats/floors.

Will I do my own laundry and cleaning?

A set of bedding/linen provided by the University this can be returned to your Residence Office should you decided to bring your own. Each hall has a launderette located within the hall or nearby so that you can wash your own clothes, towels, etc. Launderettes require a small charge for usage and you will need to provide your own detergent.

Communal areas are cleaned regularly, but you will be responsible for cleaning your own dishes and generally keeping things tidy.

Can I access the Internet in my room?

Each room has an Internet connection point, but you do need to provide your own computer equipment, including a network card (available for around £30 (10/11) from the Computer Centre shop, if you do not have your own) and network cable. Network access is available for free, 24 hours a day, subject to correct usage.

If you do not have your own computer you can use one of Brunel’s many workstations around the campus, some of which are available 24 hours a day.

If I bring a TV, will I need a licence?

If you bring any equipment for receiving or viewing television programmes with you to University, you must purchase a television licence. We are unfortunately unable to license an entire hall of residence. For more information please click here.

Will I need to pay any utility bills?

No. The use of utilities, such as electricity, gas and water, are included in your rent already.

Will my possessions be safe?

Security to the halls of residence is ensured via swipe card entry systems or entrance code systems. Your flat/corridor and your room are also lockable.

Residence Managers can be found in a central Residences Office either within or near your hall, every weekday between 8.30am and 5pm. They will help you to resolve any problems or queries that may arise while you are living in halls. During evenings and weekends, Brunel’s own security staff patrol the campus and check all University buildings, and students requiring assistance can contact them outside of normal office hours.

We also have our own Metropolitan Police Officer based on campus, to build relationships and confidence within the community and the local area.

Your personal possessions are automatically covered by a standard insurance policy and you can opt to cover items such as bicycles and laptops for a small extra cost.

Where will my post be delivered?

Post is delivered to secure, allocated pigeonholes which are located in the reception of your hall of residence.

Are there rooms for students with disabilities?

Most halls of residence have specially adapted rooms for use by students with disabilities, including wheelchair accessible rooms and rooms designed specifically for students with hearing impairments. Other adaptations can be made to meet individual students’ needs as they arise.

The University also recognises that some disabled students would face a substantial disadvantage if they were not able to continue living on campus after their first year, and will consider all such cases fairly, in accordance with the University Accommodation Medical Policy. Please contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service for more information.

Where can I eat?

Your meals are not provided for you, but all our halls are self-catering. If you don’t wish to cook for yourself, you can find a variety places to eat around campus.

Self-catering Each flat has a well-equipped kitchen allowing you to prepare your own meals at times that suit you. Sainsbury's, Tesco, Co-op, Iceland and Lidl are all within a bus-ride from campus.
Eating on campus There are plenty of places to eat across campus. The More Foodhall is the main refectory, and provides an extensive range of breakfasts, lunches and evening meals (including vegetarian and halal options) at reasonable prices, throughout the week. In addition, there are several bars, cafes, restaurants and kiosks where you can pick up bistro-style meals, sandwiches, snacks, pub-style food and hot and cold drinks.

Meal vouchers You can purchase an all-purpose meal voucher package for use in the main campus food outlets. Each voucher is redeemable to the value of £6 of food or non-alcoholic drinks, and they can be purchased in packages of either 10, 50 or 100 vouchers for extra savings. The following rates are valid for 2011 entry, and should be used as a guide only:

2011/12 Meal Voucher Plan

	You pay	Actual value	You save
10 vouchers	£54.00	£60.00	£6.00
50 vouchers	£260.00	£300.00	£40.00
100 vouchers	£510.00	£600.00	£90.00

Applying for accommodation on campus

How do I apply for a room in halls?

To be considered for a room in Brunel’s halls of residence, all you need to do is indicate when choosing Brunel on your UCAS form that you will not be living at home. If you are offered a place on a course, the Accommodation Office will then contact you with further details.

Can I choose which hall I live in?

The facilities are very similar across all our halls of residence, so you can only indicate a preference for an en suite or standard room, rather than for a specific hall. The Accommodation Office will take your preference into account, but your choice cannot be guaranteed as some types of accommodation are more popular than others.

Travel and transport

Can I bring a car to University?

If you live in halls of residence or within a two-mile radius of the University, you will not be permitted to park on campus. If you live further than two miles away, or if you are a disabled blue badge holder, you will be eligible to apply for a parking permit, which currently costs £93 a year.

Special arrangements will be in place at the start and end of each year so that new Freshers and returning students can load and unload their personal belongings.

Can I bring a bike to University?

There are a number of secure cycle sheds around the campus, should you wish to bring a bicycle. Access can be arranged through the Residences Office.

What is local public transport like?

Uxbridge and Brunel are very well served by public transport services. Around nine bus routes run via the University, and the campus is just a 15-20 minute walk from the town centre. Uxbridge is also part of the tube network (Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines), which provides a direct route into central London - a journey to Baker Street takes around 45 minutes.

In addition, the local towns of West Drayton and Hayes, which are both just a short bus-ride from campus, have National Rail stations that take you to London Paddington (about 20 minutes) or West towards Reading and Bristol.

Details can be fround on the Transport for London website.