News flash! Low cost Christmas present ideas
Just because you’re strapped for cash this Christmas, it doesn’t mean you can’t show your loved ones how much you care. Check out some of our favourite DIY low cost Christmas gift ideas...
LOVE LIVING WITH HOST? Rebook for September 2025
Finally, A-Level results day is almost upon us. And we’re sure you’ve made it through the mountains of coursework and stresses of exams to come out the other side and secure your place at university. But when those results land in your inbox don’t panic if things haven’t gone to plan, check out our guide to A-Level results day here for some tips and advice. To help make the transition from home life to university life as stress-free as possible we’ve pulled together a few top tips:
For many students, the next step after accepting your place at university is confirming your accommodation choice for the year ahead, if you’ve already booked at Host, you will have had the confirmation details sent to you, if not get in touch with us as soon as possible.
Not sorted your accommodation yet?
Not to worry, you’re in luck! Here at Host, we still have availability across the UK. Take a look at our locations to see if we can help.
Before thinking about packing and hitting the local Ikea for those all-important essentials, start learning to cook, get those three or four favourite meals on point to impress the new flatmates! Being able to cook, clean and look after yourself before you head off to university makes life so much easier and enjoyable when you arrive.
Money worries should be the least of your stresses about starting university, but it’s all too easy to see that first student loan payment hit your account and blow it in the first week! (Believe us we’ve all done it!) It’s definitely a good idea to work out how much you need to spend on food and other essentials and then how much you have to start enjoying the Uni lifestyle. Set and live on that budget for a few weeks before leaving for university. Try using cash rather than debit card, especially with contactless, using cash will make you more aware of how much you have left.
Pull together a plan and get ahead of the game, think about your new home, check out our FAQs section for any questions you may have about living with us at Host, and if you can’t find the answer drop us a message on our social media. What equipment will you need? A new laptop? Stationery, Duvets, kitchen items like crockery and pans?
Think about your student finances, make sure to organise your student bank account as soon as possible Which? has a really handy guide to student bank accounts and check out Save the Student’s guide to the best student bank accounts 2019.
Think about the other student essentials, with Host, contents insurance is included in your agreement, so you don’t need to worry about that.
What about a Young person’s railcard? it costs £30 a year and entitles you to a 1/3rd off rail fares. National Express also offer a coachcard through NatWest which saves a 1/3 on all UK standard and flexible adult fares plus 15% off festival and event travel. – Perfect for those weekend trips back home or adventures with your new Uni mates.
An absolute essential is a TOTUM card, the new name for NUS Extra, which costs £12 for a year or £32 for three years and gives you access to over 200 deals and discounts on almost anything including 10% off at ASOS and 5% at Amazon.
Also follow websites like save the student where they have a whole section on saving money at uni.
At Host we’ve set up a Facebook page for each of our locations, and many of them create private groups for the academic year, make sure to follow your new accommodation’s page and have a look if they’ve created a group.
But also have a look if there are any pages set up on Facebook for your new course or search twitter and see if anyone else is sharing their news about joining your university or course. Check out the student union website for any societies you’re interested in. Try reaching out to those and find a related Facebook page and join in the conversation.
Most importantly don’t worry if you don’t find anyone online before joining, everyone will be in the same situation as you, come fresher’s week. – Have a look at our 10 top tips to help you meet new people.
There are literally hundreds of search results for “what to pack for university”, from everyone like Ikea through to Which? One of the simplest and best essentials guides we have come across is from UCAS.
Our best tip for packing? get it done early, make a checklist and go through it a few times before the big day! There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new accommodation to find out you left that favourite top back home.
Take a look our student room essentials blog and find out all about UniKitOut.
University is great, it’s one of the most enjoyable and exciting times of your life. And with these tips to get you started, it’ll be an amazing life-changing experience. And remember your friendly Host team will always be on hand when you need them.
Still looking for accommodation for September? Don’t panic, it’s not too late. We still have availability at many of our halls across the UK and Ireland. Take a look at our locations and find your Host for the 2019/20 academic year.
To become more ‘environmentally friendly’, Host is launching the #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
It’s a simple campaign! For every percent we reduce our overall utilities (electric, water and gas) consumption by we donate to one of our nominated charities.
Show me all newsJust because you’re strapped for cash this Christmas, it doesn’t mean you can’t show your loved ones how much you care. Check out some of our favourite DIY low cost Christmas gift ideas...
Learn to study like a Harvard student. The shift from high school to the demanding pace of college academics can be overwhelming for many students , and figuring out the most effective study strategies for a new, heavier course load can feel like a challenging task.
When you’re viewing student accommodation for university, we understand the importance of asking questions to learn more about the space. You might feel pressure to secure student accommodation, but it pays off to be thorough when arranging viewings. We’ve put together a list of the best questions to ask when viewing student accommodation.