As a student on a course with mandatory NHS placements, where you live during your time with BU may depend on the course you choose and your placement locality. Typically – in your first year at least – you can either stay in one of our halls of residence and travel to work at your placement locality, or you can choose to stay closer to where you’ve been placed.
If you are enrolling on one of the courses below, you will have the option to live in one of the student halls or hospital accommodation. As you will experience the full 24-hour shift pattern, including weekend and night shifts, you should consider whether you would prefer to live near campus and travel to placement, or to live near your placement locality and travel to campus for the lectures.
- BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
- BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing
- BSc (Hons) Children’s & Young People’s Nursing
- BSc (Hons) Midwifery
- BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice
For students on other courses with NHS placements such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Paramedic Science, you do not need to consider hospital accommodation and should instead investigate BU accommodation options.
Making the right choice for you
If you're not sure which option will be best for you in your first year, these student stories may help.
Nursing student Marie Drayton shares her experiences of living in hospital accommodation.
Lucy Biggs is a nursing student who opted to live in halls for her first year.
Staying in halls
You also have the option of staying in one of BU's halls of residence if you prefer, travelling to your placement location as required.
If you choose this option, you may be able to claim back travel expenses and dual accommodation costs – but it is worth carefully considering how this will fit in with your travel plans and shift schedule.
All of our halls of residence (except Purbeck House & Bailey Point), are available on 50-week tenancies.
In some cases, you may need to accept accommodation on a shorter tenancy and then apply for a summer let with the relevant provider, however they may require you to move rooms.
Skip to our hospital accommodation
Visit our halls of residence listing page
FAQs
When to book hospital accommodation
You will find out your placement locality in your offer letter. In some circumstances (e.g. Clearing), you may expect to receive information about your placement locality within a week of receiving your offer. Once you have this information, you can contact suitable hospital accommodation for availability and application.
How to book hospital accommodation
Please contact the accommodation office of the hospital accommodation directly if you wish to book. Contact details can be found on each accommodation option’s page.
Please note, if you choose to live in BU accommodation, we are unable to release you from your contract should you book alternative accommodation during your placements. However you may be able to claim back travel expenses and dual accommodation costs that may be incurred during your placements from the NHS.
*Please note that the spaces at hospital accommodation are very limited and there is no guarantee from BU as booking has to be made directly to the hospital accommodation.
How can I claim back travel and dual accommodation expenses?
Which accommodation options have parking?
University accommodation options do not have on-site parking. This is why we encourage you to really consider how you will get to and from your hospital placement location while working shift patterns where you may start or finish shifts at varying times of day or night.
The University campus locations do not have dedicated student parking for when you attend timetabled teaching for your course. However the Lansdowne campus has good transport links and timetabled teaching is only during daytime working hours, unlike placement work.
Our Unilet properties, depending on the site location, may have limited parking space. Please contact our accommodation team for further information.
Find out more about Unilet
Suitable accommodation options for Paramedic Science students
Paramedic Science students need to consider accommodation with parking, as you may need a car for your placement.
You may want to consider our Unilet properties, which offer limited parking space. Alternatively, there is also private rentals option through BU Lettings. Please contact our accommodation team for further information.
ResLifeBU
ResLifeBU is a programme designed to help you enjoy your time in student accommodation to the fullest. It’s included in all of the accommodation managed by or in partnership with BU.
Our ResLifeBU Team supports you across three core areas:
- Social, covering a wide range of inclusive activities and events
- Wellbeing, comprising your welfare, health, safety and overall comfort and security
- Skills – from cooking masterclasses to tips on managing your budget
The team comprises of our ResLife Assistants (RAs) who are current BU students and live on site with an understanding of what it’s like to move to a new home when you start at uni. Our Welfare Coordinator is a current member of BU staff and is available for any wellbeing issues you might have whilst in residence.
£1 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
NHS accommodation
You have a range of options of where to stay if you need to be close to your placement location – from the on-site accommodation at many hospitals, to shared houses in locations such as Yeovil. If you are staying in hospital accommodation you can still get fully involved in BU activities and support can be accessed on site.
Find out about the accommodation available if your placement location is the Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Read about the hospital accommodation available if you are on placement with the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Read about the accommodation available at Musgrove Park Hospital and find out how to apply for a room if this is your placement location.
Discover where you could live if you are based at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for your placements.
Find out about the accommodation available if you will be completing your placements at Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
Learn about the available accommodation if you are completing your placements at Salisbury Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Read about the accommodation available if you are completing your placements at St Mary’s Hospital Newport.
Learn about the available accommodation if you are going to be completing your placements at Yeovil District Hospital.
