Student Information and Services: Pre-departure Information - Accommodation
Accommodation - Assessing your accommodation needs
Before you start looking for accommodation you need to assess what your needs are. What is important to you? What accommodation have you lived in, in the past? What made it comfortable, and what made it uncomfortable? Asking yourself these questions will help to focus you on your housing requirements.
Location
- Do you want to live on or off-campus? Don’t assume that campus accommodation in Ireland is the same as campus accommodation in your home country.
- Do you rely on public transport? If so, consider living on-campus, or off-campus near the University or on major public transport routes.
- Will you look for part time work? Think of where you will look for work and how you will get to your workplace.
Facilities
Do you want your own room? Do you need a quiet place for study, strong light for design drawings, access to a computer, an area to practice musical instruments?
- Are you willing to share bathroom and kitchen facilities?
- Will you need to connect to utilities such as electricity, gas, and telephone?
- Do you want meals provided? If so, do you have any special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian or halal food?
- Will you need furniture? All on-campus accommodation is furnished. The majority of private accommodation off-campus also rents fully furnished.
Legal Questions
How long do you require accommodation?
What are the conditions of the tenancy agreement?
Bills: If your name is on a utility bill (eg. electricity, telephone, gas) you are legally responsible for payment. Ensure all co-tenants share the responsibilities and have their names on all the bills.
Costs
- How much is the rent?
- How much is the security deposit?
- What are the costs of the average utility bills?
- Are there any connection fees?
Finding accommodation
The University appreciates how important it is for students to have comfortable accommodation at a reasonable price. Within UCC there are a number of services which assist with accommodation.
UCC Campus Accommodation may be booked and the deposit paid, on-line at www.ucccampusaccommodation.com
Off Campus Accommodation
The University is situated in a pleasant residential area where there is a wide variety of housing options to suit individuals or groups. Rents vary according to size, location, distance from the University and facilities.
The University's Accommodation Office provides a free comprehensive service designed to assist students in finding suitable and reasonably priced off-campus accommodation quickly. As well as providing group arrangements for individual colleges, the Accommodation Office provides an on-line accommodation placement service for international students. As demand is high we recommend that you apply early to ensure you get accommodation most suited to your needs. For information contact overseasacc@ucc.ie
We strongly recommend that students book their accommodation before arriving in Ireland.
UCC Campus Accommodation
UCC Campus Accommodation aims to provide “a home away from home” for our international students. Campus Accommodation is more than just a place to eat and sleep - it provides a background for social, cultural and sporting outlets and the chance to develop friendships that will last a lifetime.
UCC Campus Accommodation provides residential accommodation from September to the beginning of June. The accommodation comprises four accommodation complexes: Castlewhite Apartments, Victoria Lodge and University Hall. Dennehy’s Cross are beautifully appointed luxury apartments, perfect for Post Graduate students. The rooms are available in two or three bedroom apartments and are furnished and equipped to the highest standard.
Campus Accommodation is provided in self-catering student apartments. Most rooms are en-suite and all have 24 hour internet access. They are mostly single bedrooms, sharing living and kitchen facilities with 2-4 others. A small number of twin rooms are available. The cost for a single en-suite room (private shower, basin, and toilet) is from €122 per week, based on a 39 week term. Cheaper accommodation is available at Castlewhite. A €250 booking deposit is needed to secure a place and a deposit of €450 is taken for utilities (electricity, refuse, tv licence etc.).
Campus Accommodation is fully furnished. Pillows and duvets are available for purchase, at cost price, from reception.
Castlewhite Apartments
UCC Castlewhite Apartments are elegantly located on the tree-lined banks of the River Lee in the historic and verdant setting of University College Cork. It boasts high speed wireless internet access, an amazing location, great security services and double beds. All bathrooms are shared between 3-6 residents. Price range: €108 to €115 per week
Victoria Lodge
UCC Victoria Lodge comprises 3, 4 & 5 bed apartments which are a short walk away from University College Cork. There is a common room with open access computers and a flat screen tv. Price range: €116 to €122 per week.
University Hall
University Hall is a calm oasis in the chaos that is University life. It is a fully gated complex with a common room, a meeting room and a computer room. All rooms have double beds and there are a small number of high dependency rooms in this complex. University Hall also has a number of open access computers available. Price range: €113 to €118 per week.
Some of the many advantages of staying with Campus Accommodation are:
- High speed wireless internet access
- Proximity to the university campus
- Complexes specially designed with comfortable apartments to suit student life
- Nightly security patrols in each complex
- Complexes have reception services, self service launderettes and lending libraries
- Accommodation is fully furnished. Pillows and duvets are available for purchase, at cost price, from reception.
- All bookings are dealt with on line at: http://www.ucccampusaccommodation.com/
Booking Information:
A €250 deposit is required to reserve a room. Bookings can only be made online at http://www.ucccampusaccommodation.com/. Upon reservation a secure credit card link will be sent to enable you to pay by credit card. All details to complete your booking will be forwarded to you on application.
It is customary, in some countries, for students to receive information about their flatmates. This is not the case in Ireland due to legal reasons. Students will not be sent details about their flatmates.
Private Student Apartments
The Accommodation Office offers a free placement service for our overseas students. You can book a room in one of several privately owned student apartment complexes within walking distance of the University. You will have a single study bedroom and will share living and cooking areas with approx 3-4 other students. Many rooms will have their own en-suite bathroom and internet connections. A small number of shared (twin) rooms are also available. Rates for single rooms vary from €65 to €158 per week based on a fixed term of the full academic year.
Special arrangements for one term contracts can be made for half year students on request. However, as the number of “one term only” places are limited, it is important to apply early.
For full information on this service contact overseasacc@ucc.ie or go to the Accommodation Office website: www.ucc.ie/overseas
Houses (Full year students only)
International students may choose to rent privately owned houses. Bookings are made by students dealing directly with the owners. Accommodation is self-catering. It is possible to rent a flat (apartment) or a house shared with other students on a rental agreement. A room in a student house will cost about €85 - €100 per person per week.
Unlike student complexes, private student houses cannot be reserved in advance of arrival in Cork because of the significant variations in the standards of student houses and the difficulty of meeting individual student requirements. A reputable landlord will want to meet with you before making any agreement with you to rent their property. Accordingly, students usually stay in a hostel or Bed and Breakfast guest house (at a cost of approximately €14 - €50 per night) pending the finding of suitable accommodation.
Please Note:
Landlords do not rent rooms in houses for one term unless you specifically ask for this. Very few will agree. Therefore house shares are usually only an option for full year students. If you move into a house and leave before the end of the agreed term you will lose your deposit and may be perused for the full rent for the remainder of your agreement. Do not sign an agreement or undertake to rent a room for longer than you are going to stay in a house or apartment , unless you are prepared to pay for this full period.
Extra costs:
Students should note that electricity and heating costs are additional to the rent in both apartment complexes and privately rented houses. Guide prices to the cost of daily living in Cork are available on the Accommodation Office website.
Temporary Accommodation
Unless accommodation is reserved in advance, it is essential to arrive in Cork before the beginning of the academic year in order to secure good accommodation as there is a very heavy demand for this in August/September.
Be prepared to do a lot of walking and view several properties before you select one most suited to your requirements. Experience shows that most students are satisfactorily placed within a week but the process can take longer. The Accommodation Office will have full details of accommodation available on each day The University will be happy to assist in making arrangements for temporary accommodation in a hostel or Bed and Breakfast guest house while you search for accommodation - please contact the International Education Office. Details of temporary accommodation options, prices and contact numbers are also available at www.ucc.ie/overseas .
Sources of Accommodation Information
The Accommodation Office at University College Cork provides a special housing service for international students and will provide you with free up-to-the-minute information on all your housing options. We have extended opening hours in August and September from 9.15 am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm. Sat. so please call in or contact us at
UCC Accommodation Office
Tel: 00 353 21 4902353 or 00 353 21 4902353
Fax: 00 353 21 4274483
Email: overseasacc@ucc.ie
IMPORTANT
It is essential that all students consult the Accommodation Office before signing any tenancy contracts/agreements so as to avoid often expensive difficulties at a later stage. The Accommodation Office Staff will explain terms, your responsibilities, the landlord’s responsibilities as well as your legal obligations. The law in Ireland may be very different from the situation in your home country and you will need to know exactly what you are contracting to. In general once you have signed a lease for a stated term (e.g. 1st. September 2011 to 30 May 2012 you cannot terminate the lease before the end of this term, so you cannot change your mind about a property once you have signed a lease. If you leave a property earlier than agreed the landlord can pursue you for the full rent to the end of the agreement.
