Keele UniversityInternational Study Centre
University Accommodation
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The University has five Halls of Residence with over 3,200 bedrooms available on campus. All Halls of Residence are within easy walking distance of the centre of campus and the ISC. International students are guaranteed accommodation for the duration of their degree. You need to confirm your place at the ISC so that the University can reserve a room. If you do not confirm your place, you will be helped on a case by case basis.
Halls of Residence
Halls are a focus for social life but great emphasis is placed on creating an atmosphere that is conducive to academic study. All house both male and female students and have similar facilities, including social space areas, bars and a launderette.
Residential Managers and Resident Tutors offer support 24-hours a day to help with any problems you may have. They also provide a link to other services within the University.
70% of full-time students live in campus residences: the highest proportion of any UK university.Your accommodation options
A choice of single rooms in on-campus accommodation is available to you at Keele University:
- Standard study bedroom (with wash basin)
- En-suite study bedroom
- Premier en-suite study bedroom (with upgraded shower and kitchen facilities and a larger bed)
The number of rooms within a Standard residence vary, with adequate bathroom, shower and kitchen facilities available for residents to share. Some are grouped into 4 person self - contained flats, others are placed on corridors of 8 - 12 rooms. In En-suite residences, kitchen facilities are shared between four to eight students. All student accommodation is non-smoking.
Self-catering facilities
University accommodation is offered on a self-catering basis, to give you the maximum flexibility to choose what, when and where you eat. All Halls of Residence have shared kitchens with cooking facilities so you can hone your culinary skills or just have a snack. You’ll need pots and pans, cutlery and a tin opener.
Accommodation fees
Rents vary depending on the type of accommodation. See the fees page for guideline accommodation rents.
Students staying in on-campus residences must have paid an Accommodation Confirmation Payment of £2000 one month before the start of term to secure their room. You will be expected to pay the remainder of your rent directly to the university as per their terms and conditions.
Other living costs: You should budget for weekly living costs (excluding accommodation) of approximately £80.
Virtual tour of the accommodation
Watch video guides to the halls of residence at Keele:
Settling in
When you arrive we aim to help you to settle in as quickly and as smoothly as possible. We know that when you arrive at Keele you may feel anxious that you do not know anyone. But everyone feels the same, and living in university accommodation you soon get to meet your neighbours.
All rooms are self-catered, and there is a telephone provided, which can receive and make local and international calls. Calls within the campus are free of charge. Students need to register to make external calls. Internet facilities are accessible via the network connection point in your room.
Your room will be reserved for two weeks from your due arrival date only. If you have not arrived by this date, your reserved room will be re-allocated. You may be required to pay from the start of the tenancy, even if you arrive late into term.
If you have provided the IAC with your expected arrival date, which is beyond the two week reservation limit, the room will be held for you, at your expense for a maximum of another two weeks. Please note that your room will only be held for you if you have paid your £2000 Accommodation Confirmation Payment.
Arriving in your room you should find a pre-ordered bedding pack, which will include sheets, pillow(s), pillowcase(s), a duvet cover, and a towel. If your bedding pack is not in your room, please speak to the reception office at the Student Accommodation Office, in the Darwin Building. The bedding packs cost between £20 and £35 (dependant on bed size) and will be charged against your student account. A basic level of insurance cover will be provided for all student rooms, with the option for individuals to extend the level of cover if required. As all accommodation at Keele is self-catered, students are required to bring their own kitchen equipment. Essential items can be bought locally either at the campus store or at local shops. There are launderettes in Barnes, Horwood, Lindsay, Hawthorns, and Oaks/Holly Cross.
Please note that dependant on your study plan, you may be required to move rooms during your course, and may have to sign separate contracts for each tenancy period.
Accommodation rules
Please note that certain rules must be followed if you are living in student accommodation and there are strict policies for students who violate these rules.
Key rules include: All accommodation blocks are designated as ‘No Smoking’ and smoking is not allowed anywhere within them. All study bedrooms are for single use only – you are not allowed to have another person to stay in your room without following the correct procedures for booking in a guest.
You should read and understand the Contractual Licence Agreement that you are agreeing to when you accept a room.
The Keele Card
You will be issued with a Keele card on registration during your first weekend at Keele. The Keele card acts as a ‘cashless card’ – which can be loaded with cash, or money can be transferred directly from a bank account to the card. This card is used for identity at Keele, e.g. in examinations, or for borrowing books from the library. It can also be used to purchase food, at a discount, from restaurants on campus and, in some instances, is used for access to your accommodation block. You will be given a photo form on arrival which you will need to complete for your Keele card.
Meal Plans
The Meal Plans (generally for term time use) offer flexible options to suit your personal preferences, budget and lifestyle. There is also flexibility in the menu selection and eating times that allow you to eat what you want and when you want, dependent on the plan chosen. The way it works is by topping up your Meal Plan card by monthly direct debit payments which gives you a weekly spend. You can then spend it at the catering outlets and in doing so you will also receive discounts off the already discounted student prices, which can be up to a further 5%.
For more information and the terms and conditions click here.
Private Accommodation Options
Under 18s in Private Accommodation at the ISC
We are aware that there are a number of students enquiring about our ISC courses who will be Under 18 at the start of their course, and who wish to arrange their own accommodation in the private sector. Please note that we require any student who will be Under 18 at the start of the course, and states that they will organise their own private accommodation to provide an address to the International Admissions Centre before they can be confirmed on the ISC course. Students over the age of 18 are also encouraged to provide the International Admissions Centre with their private address details.
For students who would like to find their own accommodation, for either long or short stay options, please view our Accommodation Factsheet (
pdf, 57KB).