Parents and supporters
Leaving home for university is a big step and, as the new term approaches, parents and supporters as well as students will often experience a mixture of emotions. With this in mind, the University offers tips for parents and supporters to help with the transition to higher education.
We understand how important it is for students to have somewhere to call 'home' during their time with us, which is why our student residences offer a welcoming community and provide a safe, secure environment to live and study in.
Making the move to student accommodation
You can find out all the important information about student accommodation on our website, from choosing the right residence, to applying and paying.
If you can, talk to your young person about their accommodation preferences. When they apply for accommodation, along with their preferences of residence they will also be asked to give us the main priority factor they would like us to consider. This is so that we know what is more important to them, if we are unable to allocate them to one of your preferences. Is it the location, room type, cost, catering basis, or are they open to anything? You might find that their answer differs from the one you would give! While they might want to be in an en-suite room or a prime location, this could come at additional cost. It’s worth discussing this together so you can work out what really matters. You can find out more about how we allocate to rooms.
When the time comes to moving in, we provide the details needed to plan arriving at our accommodation, as well as support whilst living with us.
You can also find out about the terms and conditions of living in university owned or managed accommodation, alongside other legal information on the Contracts and Policies page.
Why choose to apply through us?
- A diverse and welcoming student community
- Our accommodation guarantee for students who meet the criteria and apply before 31 July
- All-inclusive rents - no extra bills to pay
- Safe and secure
- Wifi in all rooms
- Laundry facilities
- Maintenance service
- Residence Life Team to help students settle in and provide advice
- Committed to one of the national Student Accommodation Codes
Approved partner accommodation
We will be partnering with additional approved accommodation providers in the city due to the proposed developments on campus. This off-campus accommodation will ensure we still meet our accommodation guarantee. Partner accommodation details are available on the Room Finder webpage.
Accommodation after the first year
It’s surprising how quickly the first year can go and finding accommodation beyond the University can seem daunting. Exeter has many private accommodation options and the University and Students’ Guild provide a wealth of information, guidance and events to help students find a place to live from their second year, through the Move Smart campaign.
How to support those living away at University
We are here to support our students and help them feel welcomed into the University community. We may not always be able to give you the information or outcome that you want, but we are always working to the best interests of the students guided by appropriate policies and legislation.
In return, we ask that you treat our staff with the kindness and respect that they deserve, so that they feel valued and safe in the work that they are doing.
Keeping a positive attitude will help to support a good start to university life for your young person. Letting them know that it is completely normal to feel nervous or anxious, but you have confidence in them can provide a boost.
Encouraging them to be more independent as September approaches will help to build their self-confidence and equip them to organise themselves and make their own decisions during their day to day life at university.
Leaving home is a big step and most students will feel homesick at some point. It is important that they know you are there for them and that they can contact you if they need some support.
As tempting as it may be to invite them to visit home whenever they are upset, by encouraging your child to give it time can help overcome these times, along with reminding them that they are unlikely to be the only ones feeling low. Encourage them to use the support services available at the University, including the Residence Life Team who offer in-house support and advice to our residents.
Some students will throw themselves into university life, and you may not hear from them as often as you would like. Try contacting them via message rather than phone calls - you may get an answer more often!
The University of Exeter welcomes students to the University as adults and the Accommodation Agreement is a contract between the University of Exeter and your young person. Once they have entered into a contract with us, we will discuss all matters relating to their residency directly with them.
The Accommodation Office will be happy to provide you with general information, however, any specific information about your child’s accommodation including application, offer or their time in residence can only be given to the student directly. This is so that we can adhere to legislation set by General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) (2018). Before the student signs their accommodation agreement, they can give consent for us to speak to you about a specific matter on their behalf, however, we would recommend that you speak with your young person about any concerns you may have in the first instance.
If you are a parent or guardian making contact with the Reception Team where your young person is living, please be aware that they cannot discuss specific details about students living in accommodation due to data protection regulations. However, they are more than happy to help with general enquiries. If you are raising a query on behalf of a student, we would encourage the student to contact the Residence Reception team directly.
Please be reassured that whilst living here, we have excellent support services in place to assist and support students when they need it to give them the best experience whilst living at university.
Please take a look at our Contracts and Policy pages for more information on our Privacy Notice, terms and conditions and relevant contacts. You can also find out more about the University data protection policies.
