Dorchester House

About this accommodation

Multi-use common room, two study spaces and a gym
Walking distance to Lansdowne Campus and university bus routes to Talbot Campus
Opposite Bournemouth train station and a large Asda supermarket
Two outdoor courtyards and a bike shelter
Dorchester House team member on-site 24 hours a day to provide any help you might need.

Types of room

Two students talking in a Dorchester House bedroom

Standard and Premium ensuite rooms

Available to undergraduate and postgraduate students

Ensuites rooms for undergraduate students are single occupancy and come with a 3/4-sized double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage and your very own ensuite bathroom and shower.

Ensuite rooms vary in size, shape and layout, but the standard rooms are between 12.44 and 16.11 square metres. Premium ensuite rooms are larger at between 18.96 and 25.14 square metres.

There are between three and seven ensuite bedrooms in each shared flat; each flat has a communal kitchen and living area, complete with comfy seats, a breakfast bar, storage cupboards and all the appliances you’ll need (cooker, fridge, freezer and microwave).

Studios

Available to undergraduate and postgraduate students

Studio flats come with a 3/4-sized double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage, your very own ensuite bathrooom and shower as well as a fitted kitchen area with everything you require for self-catering.

Standard studios (which are reserved for postgraduate students) vary in size, shape and layout but are between 18.78 and 24.92 square metres. Premium studios are larger, at between 25.15 and 30.34 square metres.

360° tour and gallery

Ensuites rooms for undergraduate students are single occupancy and come with a 3/4-sized double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage and your very own ensuite bathrooom and shower.

Each flat, comprising three to seven ensuite rooms, has a communal kitchen and living area, complete with comfy seats, a breakfast bar, storage cupboards and all the appliances you’ll need

Studio flats come with a 3/4 double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage, your very own ensuite bathrooom and shower as well as a fitted kitchen area with everything you require for self-catering.

The communal area in Dorchester House includes a pool table, two beach hut-style pods, and spaces to watch TV and films

Dorchester House has a small but well-equipped gym that's available exclusively to all residents

One of two study pod areas at Dorchester House, which you can book

Price lists

September starters

Standard room (undergraduate, 42-week tenancy)£169.70

Premium room (undergraduate, 42-week tenancy)£179.97

Standard studio (undergraduate/postgraduate, 50-week tenancy)£202.95

Premium studio (undergraduate/postgraduate, 50-week tenancy)£211.63

Please note: prices shown are for the academic year 2023/24. For full details, see the accommodation price guide (pdf 46kb).

January starters

Standard studio (postgraduate, 50-week tenancy)£187.50

Premium studio (postgraduate, 50-week tenancy)£190.22

Please note: prices shown are for the January 2021/22 academic year and will be updated annually. Download the January accommodation price guide 2021/22 (pdf 48kb).

Further information

Management and Code of Standards

BU will be your landlord and you will pay your rent to us but Dorchester House is owned and operated by BU's private accommodation partner, iQ Students, who works in partnership with BU to provide the accommodation. Any queries related to your accommodation contract or rent should be with your BU Residential Services Team. All other day-to-day queries or issues you might have, e.g. maintenance issues, will be dealt with by iQ Students dedicated on-site team.

BU and iQ have signed this site up to The Accommodation Code, which has been developed to encourage the highest possible standards of student accommodation provided by universities. Find out more about the code and how it benefits you.

ResLifeBU

ResLifeBU is an exclusive programme, only available in BU accommodation, designed to help you enjoy your time in student accommodation to the fullest.

Our ResLifeBU Team supports you across three core areas:

Social – providing inclusive activities and events to help you meet your fellow students and build a great community
Wellbeing – supporting your welfare, health, safety and overall comfort and security
Skills – everything you need for your new independent life, from how to keep your flat clean, to cooking an affordable and healthy meal and tips on managing your budget

Each accommodation has a friendly Resident Assistant (RA) who lives on site and is a current BU student. Having experienced it themselves, your RA has an understanding of what it’s like to move to a new home when you start at uni. There is also a Welfare Coordinator who is a current member of BU staff and is available for any wellbeing issues you might have whilst in residence. Supporting these roles we have the three ResLifeBU Coordinators, and the three ResLifeBU Officers all dedicated to helping you have the best time in our accommodation.

£1.50 of your weekly rent goes towards the funding of the programme – but if you make the most of it, you’ll find it’s worth so much more than that.

Find out more about ResLifeBU

Travelling to and from uni (and beyond)

The close proximity of Dorchester House to the train and bus station obviously makes it easy to travel in and out of Bournemouth.

There is no parking available at Dorchester House. However, the university bus service (U1) picks up and drops off right outside the block, with journeys into our Talbot Campus taking around 15 minutes. Your bus pass is included in your rent so you can use this service as much as you need throughout the year, although you can opt out of this if you choose.

The bus pass also includes unlimited travel on morebus zone A services, spanning the wider Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area.

There’s a secure bike shelter within the complex as well.

Services and security

Your weekly rent includes contents insurance. Find out more about the level of cover.

Your bedroom and common room has high-speed wifi for work and play.

All of your bills are included in your weekly rent so you have nothing further to pay.

As well as having CCTV in the building and secure access, there is also a Dorchester House team member onsite 24 hours a day to provide any help you might need.

The onsite team includes a maintenance operative who will be able to respond and resolve any faults for you in a timely manner.

There is also a ResLifeBU Team who are on hand if you have any wellbeing concerns and they also organise regular social events (see ResLifeBU above)

Booking process and terms & conditions

You can find details of booking dates and our accommodation guarantee on our How to book accommodation page.

When you’re ready to book a room, you can do so via our Accommodation Portal.

You will select your room via our Portal and your contract and rent payments will be with BU. For more details of the terms of booking and cancellation go to our Contract flexibility and cancellation page.