How to apply for accommodation
What's important to you?
We have a range of university-owned, managed or approved partner accommodation – either on Streatham campus or just a short walk, cycle or bus ride away within the city.
On this page:
- Your accommodation application
- Top Tips – Completing your accommodation application
- The benefits of University accommodation
- Approved partners
- Top Tips – Researching your accommodation options
Our range of accommodation varies in style, size, standard and budget, so when completing your accommodation application form, it’s a good idea to consider what’s important to you.
Residences are located on Streatham campus and in attractive locations around the historic, vibrant, one-university city of Exeter, operated either by the university or one of our carefully chosen approved partners.
The University of Exeter continually invests in its properties to provide new facilities and upgrade existing ones. Building development works in close proximity to some existing residences began in Summer 2025 – find out more.
Your accommodation application
When you apply for accommodation, along with selecting your preference for particular residences, you will also be asked for the main priority factor you would like us to consider. This is because several of our residences, particularly those located on the Streatham campus, receive far more applications than we have rooms available, so the offer you receive might not be for one of your application preferences. If this happens, we’ll use the answers in your accommodation application to guide us in finding an alternative residence that is of a similar style or standard.
What’s most important to you? Room type, cost, catering basis, or are you open to anything? Think about the range of accommodation available and what you would prefer most.
You might want to discuss this question with your parents or supporters to get their perspective, especially if they will be contributing to your rent payments.
Top Tips - Completing your accommodation application
While you might want to be in an en-suite room or in a prime location, this could be at the higher price range and is likely to be popular in terms of the number of applications per room. It’s worth talking with others to work out what really matters.
- Room types – Self-contained studios, ensuite with your own bathroom or standard where you share bathroom facilities with others. We also have twin rooms for 2 students to share.
- Catering basis - Catered, including breakfast and dinner on weekdays and breakfast, brunch and dinner at weekends, or self-catered if you’d prefer to cook for yourself.
- Contract lengths and prices – these vary across the different residences.
Our helpful Undergraduate and Postgraduate tables allow you to compare accommodation details, including rent prices, bed sizes, ratios of applications for each bedspace, walking distances and contract lengths.
Benefits of University accommodation
- Guaranteed accommodation^
- All-inclusive bills+
- Safe and secure
- On or close to campus
- Support from Residence Life Team
- Wifi in all rooms
- Laundry facilities (additional cost)
- Maintenance service
Find out what's included in your rent on the Applying and Paying page.
Approved Partner Accommodation
Approved partners have been carefully selected and provide:
- A safe and welcoming environment for students
- Quality, modern facilities, some including social spaces and onsite gym
- Convenient locations within easy distance of our university campuses
- Events programmes to welcome and engage students
- Exeter is a one-university city, so only students from the University of Exeter will be living in approved partner accommodation
View approved accommodation partner details in the Room Finder and hear from students who have experienced living with an approved partner through blogs and videos on the Student Stories webpage.
Top Tips for researching your accommodation options
- Take a look at our Room Finder to filter accommodation and browse details about each residence. View the Virtual Tours for an idea of what the accommodation looks like. Please note: while virtual tour footage is kept as up to date as possible, some changes may have occurred since the footage was taken. It does not include details of building development works in close proximity to some existing residences - find out more.
- Use the Undergraduate and Postgraduate tables to compare accommodation details
- Visit residences in person before choosing if you can, by attending our Offer Holder Visitor Days and Open Days, which are held throughout the year. Please note – only certain residences are available to view at these events.
- Check our Student Stories webpage for blog and video insights into student living experiences, including some from students who still enjoyed a positive experience despite not getting one of their accommodation preferences.
