Applying and paying
- When to apply
- The application process
- Our accommodation guarantee
- Applying after the guarantee
- Accommodation adjustments (Medical support/ Care leaver)
Also see:
Applications for accommodation in 2024/25 open at the beginning of April.
When to apply
| Studying at Exeter now and looking for immediate accommodation | Apply now → |
| Joining Exeter as for Semester 2 as Study Abroad or Exchange student | Applications open on Monday 4 November 2024 Find out more → |
| Joining Exeter as a postgraduate student in January 2025 | Applications open on Monday 4 November 2024 Find out more → |
| Returning students with medical support for September 2025 | Applications open on Tuesday 25 February 2025 Find out more → |
| Joining Exeter in September 2025 | Applications open at 9:00am on Monday 7 April 2025 Find out more → |
Please note: we are only able to accept applications from returning students who have medical support from Wellbeing Services.
Before applying, make sure you have:
- accepted the University of Exeter as your Firm choice (undergraduates only - if Exeter is your Insurance choice you will not be able to apply for accommodation until you have made it your Firm choice)
- paid your tuition fee deposit (postgraduates only)
- registered an accommodation account
- found your Exeter Student ID Number (this is 9 digits and begins with 73 or 74 – it will be in emails from the University)
The application process
| Stage 1 | Create an accommodation account using your personal email address. International agents applying on behalf of students need to use a unique email address for each student. |
|---|---|
| Stage 2 | Create and submit your application form. Following submission, you'll receive a confirmation email with your application number. |
| Stage 3 | Email prompt sent advising there is an offer of accommodation ready for you to view in your accommodation account. Log in to review and accept or reject the offer. Offers expire within 3-5 days. Check your deadline date and read the terms and conditions. |
| Stage 4 | Offer is accepted. If you decide to accept the offer, you will have completed the online process |
| Stage 5 | Receive Contract Formation email, which puts you in a legally binding contract with the University. |
Our accommodation guarantee
We guarantee an offer of accommodation if you apply by 31st July 2025 and are:
- an unaccompanied* home or international undergraduate with a firm offer to study at the University of Exeter, entering into year 1 as a full-time student for the full academic year starting in September
- an unaccompanied* undergraduate or postgraduate study abroad or exchange student studying for the full academic year starting in September
- an unaccompanied* international postgraduate student with a firm offer to study at the University of Exeter, entering into year 1 as a full-time student for the full academic year starting in September
*Unaccompanied relates to the student only and not those who wish to live with a partner and/or children.
While we cannot guarantee accommodation for home postgraduates, you are still welcome to apply.
Please note, we do not guarantee you’ll be offered one of your four preferences from your application, so you could be offered a room in a residence you haven’t considered. This depends on how many applications we receive for each residence. View our 2024-25 Undergraduate Application Ratio Table to see how the number of applications received as at the guarantee deadline of 31 July 2024 compared to the number of bedspaces planned for allocation to undergraduate students. N.B. this is not an indication of current availability.
If we cannot allocate you to one of your preferences, we will use all the information in your application as a guide to give you the most appropriate room in a residence with remaining availability.
In some circumstances, we will source additional accommodation in the city which may not have previously been advertised.
Am I covered by the accommodation guarantee?
If you hold both a Firm and Insurance offer, you must apply for accommodation by the guarantee deadline. However, if you confirm you are coming to the University based on your Insurance choice on Results Day, you are not covered by the guarantee and your original accommodation application will be declined the same day. You do not need to apply again, but you must contact the Accommodation Office to ask for your application be reinstated. Once reinstated, you will be considered an insurance applicant.
If you deferred your place at the University of Exeter, you can apply for accommodation from mid-April in the year of your entry. You will be guaranteed a room if the application is submitted by the guarantee deadline. A formal offer of accommodation will be sent to you from June prior to the start of the academic year so making an application before mid-May is advisable.
If you have Exeter as your insurance or clearing choice, or you have received a place through adjustment, you can apply when your University offer is confirmed.
Please note, it can take up to 2 days for a firmly accepted offer to be transferred from Admissions to our accommodation system. This means you won’t be able to activate an accommodation account immediately.
If your original firm course offer is declined but you then firm another offer through clearing, you must contact the Accommodation Office to get your accommodation application reinstated as it will have been withdrawn after the initial decline.
If you do not meet the entry requirements needed for your course, your accommodation application will be declined. However, if you are going through a re-mark of your results to amend your grade through your school/college, please contact our Admissions Team and Accommodation Office to make them aware.
If you applied within the accommodation guarantee period and your revised grades are received by the deadline set by Admissions, we will still guarantee you accommodation.
Current INTO students progressing to first year as an undergraduate or postgraduate can apply as a new undergraduate or postgraduate.
If you are an INTO student entering the second year of a programme, you will not be guaranteed University accommodation. We recommend searching for private accommodation within the city.
Applying after our guarantee
Applications received after our guarantee deadline will be processed in date order (i.e. on a first come first serve basis). You cannot specify your 4 preferred residences in your application, but can indicate preferred catering, room type and contract length.
We will let you know if we can make an offer from early September. You’ll be emailed and given a deadline date to accept or reject the offer via your accommodation account.
An offer of accommodation will only be made if rooms are still available.
If we cannot allocate you to University accommodation, we suggest you look for private accommodation in the city, such as purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), which offers a similar living experience to our own residences and may have additional facilities. Have a look at our Accommodation Radius Map to see where they’re located.
If you have successfully found private accommodation and no longer need to be considered for university accommodation, please contact the Accommodation Office so we can withdraw your application.
Accommodation adjustments
The University recognises that some students may have accommodation requirements relating to a disability or health issue which may best be met through living in a University residence.
Please liaise with the Wellbeing Services Team and complete an online prospective student form with supporting evidence submitted. Without supporting evidence, your application won’t be processed for the specific accommodation you have requested or room adaptions (e.g. a fridge in your room).
If you require a room in university accommodation for a medical reason for the duration of your entire degree, this will not automatically be allocated to you and you need to apply each academic year for this accommodation.
Find out more about our accessible rooms.
If you are a care leaver or meet our care experienced definition, we understand you may require additional information to help you make your accommodation choices and we are happy to discuss individual requirements.
For care leavers and care experienced living within the local area who have an offer to study at the University of Exeter, a support meeting will be arranged by the University's named contact for care leavers and care experienced and this will include looking into your accommodation options.
Once your accommodation needs have been established, the University's named contact for care leavers and care experienced will liaise with the Accommodation Office and support you with making your application for accommodation, including 365-day accommodation, should this be required.
