Waiting for the second-round offers leaves intending students in a difficult position where accommodation is concerned. Most may be reluctant to commit themselves to arranging a place to live until their final destination is confirmed, which means that they are already a few steps behind their peers by the time they finally settle on a place to study.
As those students now consider their second-round offers, there is both good and bad news for them. Most on-campus accommodation, with certain provisos listed below, is now fully booked; so college-based accommodation is unlikely to be an option. The good news is that most colleges are reporting a steady supply of accommodation, so finding digs, or other private accommodation, is unlikely to be too much of a problem for the present.
The supply of budget accommodation in Dublin has been growing smaller and smaller in recent years, a trend that is unlikely to be reversed this year. Students taking up a place in a Dublin college should start searching for accommodation immediately. But, that said, there really is no need to panic.
A student's first step should be to contact his or her college accommodation office. As Margaret Rowe, head of accommodation in Dublin City University, points out: "They are out knocking on doors instead of going into their colleges and asking for accommodation lists." The redesignation of Waterford RTC as an Institute of Technology and the college's considerable student population means that demand for accommodation in the city is high - although there appear to be no problems as yet. In Galway, the city's booming economy and a lengthening tourist season has affected accommodation prices and availability; however, the director of accommodation in University College, Galway, Margaret Faherty, says that everyone will be housed and there is no need to panic.
Finally, when seeking accommodation:
start early
bring a friend
have deposit money close to hand
get a rent book
beware of accommodation agencies
consult the students' union or college accommodation office before signing leases or rental agreements
be flexible and don't limit yourself to one particular area
contact your accommodation office if you secure accommodation from a college list, so that accommodation can be marked off the list
Dublin
On-campus
At the time of writing, Trinity College Dublin was still receiving application forms for rooms in Trinity Hall, the off-campus accommodation provided by the college for first years. University College Dublin has completed its annual lottery for on-campus accommodation, so all places for first years have now been filled. Dublin City University's on-campus accommodation was already completely pre-booked before the first round offers were published, so no joy there. In Maynooth, meanwhile, all on-campus accommodation is fully booked, as is the off-campus hostel accommodation.
Off-campus
The search for accommodation in Dublin really only began in earnest last week, so availability is still difficult to gauge, despite scare stories in some papers. According to Alan MacSimoin, accommodation officer in TCD students' union, there is currently a surplus of digs on his books, but there are "fewer and fewer small flats. They are almost extinct as a species!" Prices for those flats, where they are available, are also rising; the rent on one flat rose by over 50 per cent in the last 12 months.
MacSimoin estimates that house-sharing in Dublin, the best value option for students, is likely to cost £40-£50 per head per week. A one-bedroom flat, suitable for two people, could cost about £90 per week. Five days in digs will cost £50-£55, seven days £65-£70.
According to Margaret Rowe, head of DCU's accommodation office, there is a good pool of digs and self-catering accommodation, and a certain amount of house-sharing available. "I think the best advice is to be flexible, not to look for specific areas, or to be too rigid in what they want, and to consider lodgings if they can't get what they want immediately," she says. "The important thing is that they contact us as soon as they get their offers."
Things are moving steadily in Maynooth with no problems or shortages reported. Cost: Digs in Maynooth will cost £52 for five days and £67 for seven days. Self-catering will cost £27 for a single room or £25 for a shared room.
Limerick
All on-campus accommodation at the University of Limerick is fully booked. Off-campus, for UL and Limerick RTC, there is no shortage, as yet. There are a number of independent hostels offering accommodation to students in Limerick, although this correspondent had no success in contacting either the Park Lodge or the Broad Street Hostel. Clyde Hostel was booked up, but shared rooms were still available in the Kilree Lodge (061) 401364.
Cost: According to UL's accommodation office, digs should cost £50-£60 for five days and £60-£70 for seven days. House sharing could cost up to £35 per week.
Galway
University College Galway's student accommodation in Corrib Village is fully booked. UCG's director of accommodation, Margaret Faherty, says that the situation had eased a little by last week and the university was continuing to update its lists on a daily basis.
Cost: Digs should cost £55-£62 for five days and £65-£75 for seven days. Self-catering should cost £35-£42 per week. Five-bedroom houses, suitable for up to five students, and two-bed flats, suitable for two to four students, should cost £130-£150 per week divided between all the tenants. A twin-bedded flat will cost up to £100 per week. Costs are likely to be similar in Galway RTC, where the chaplaincy assists with accommodation.
Cork
University College Cork operates seven student complexes all of which are fully booked at present. According to the university's accommodation office, that situation may change with the release of the second round offers since some students may decide to take up an offer from another college and thereby free up accommodation. It may be worth ringing UCC's accommodation office early this morning to find out.
Off-campus, the supply of private houses and digs appears to be good, with no problems reported, so both UCC and Cork RTC students shouldn't have too many difficulties.
Cost: Digs should cost £50-£55 for five days and £65-£70 for seven days. House-sharing costs from £30-£40 per week.
Other Areas
In Athlone RTC, the students are "flying in", according to the students' union, but there is still a lot of accommodation on the union's books. A new hostel, Loughree Lodge, has opened across from the college, with 61 single and twin en-suite rooms. Further details are available from (0902) 76738. Cost: Digs cost £45 for five days. Self-catering costs £30 for five days. House-sharing costs from £25-30.
Anne Carpenter, head of student services in Carlow RTC, says that there is a lot of accommodation in Carlow at present, reflecting the level of investment in the town's property market. First year students had their information day last Friday, so many of them will have already booked their accommodation, but new arrivals should have no worries.
Cost: Digs cost £35£40 per week for five days and £55 per week for seven days. House or flat sharing should cost £25-£30 per week, plus bills.
In Dundalk RTC, there are no major problems reported as yet and a lot of places are still being advertised in the local papers. The union provides an updated accommodation list for students.
Cost: Five days in digs will cost up to £40 near the college. Flat and house-sharing can cost from £15-£30 per week.
For students of Letterkenny RTC, the supply of digs continues to be plentiful. Places are also still available, for approximately £23 per week, at Celtic Apartments, the new, purpose-built student accommodation near the college. Further details from (074) 24203.
Cost: Digs cost about £35 for five days and £45 for seven days. Rented accommodation varies from £25 per week for house-sharing and £45 for new apartments.
Sligo RTC continues to be well-provided for in terms of housing, and no problems are reported.
Cost: £40-£50 for five days in digs and £25 per week for house-sharing.
No problems in Tralee RTC, where the chaplaincy reports that there continues to be a plentiful supply of digs, self-catering accommodation, flats and houses, as well as a great deal of purposebuilt student accommodation.
Cost: Digs should cost from £40-£55 for five days. House-sharing varies from £20-£30 per week.
On-campus accommodation at Waterford Institute of Technology is fully booked. The students' union, which deals with rented accommodation, reports that the supply of houses suitable for four or five people is becoming scarce, but there is still a good deal of accommodation available.
Cost: Digs should cost £45-£55 per week. House and flat-sharing should cost £25-£30 per week.
