TOP-10 tips to choose best accommodation for international students abroad

Going to a  foreign university vacationing abroad with a  language school is a new experience for a student of any age. No matter how long you plan to study at a foreign educational university, it is important to choose the right accommodation. Planning for accommodations should begin in advance, preferably from the university or language school's website - find out what they offer for students in your chosen program.

How to choose options for living abroad

When choosing an accommodation, settle on an option where you will feel comfortable and safe, consider your budget. Before deciding on a housing option, answer your questions:

• How close is the housing to your school?
• Does the school have good transportation links to other areas?
• What places are considered safe in the city where you are going? Do you prefer a busy or quiet part of town?
• How much quiet housing do you want (private room, apartment, shared apartments, residence)?
• What cost of living would suit you? What might be the amount of extra costs?
• Do you need housing with food? Do you follow a diet (vegetarian/halal/kosher/etc.)?
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Student residences and apartments

Many universities and language schools offer dormitory or apartment housing. In the residence, apartments usually have common areas - a common room, library or garden - where you can meet fellow students, so it's a great way to make friends and practice your language.

Some hostels, apartments have dining rooms with hot and cold meals or a shared kitchen where you can prepare meals.

A bedroom is a separate room or room for 2 to 4 people. The rooms usually have a bed, a closet and a desk. The availability of blankets, towels, curtains, cooking utensils, Wi-Fi depends on the establishment. Bathroom facilities are shared by several rooms, on the floor or private in the room.

Most student residences are mixed-type apartments - designed for both men and women - but some institutions offer housing only for the same sex.

The cost of living in residences, apartments (weeks):

Private sector: apartments, studios

Many students prefer to live in the private sector, renting accommodation on their own. This type of housing involves shared or individual rentals: shared rentals allow you to save on fees and live with other students and socialize after hours. Students usually have their own bedroom, but they share the bathroom, kitchen, and living room with other tenants.

One of the lesser-known foreigner housing options is gaining momentum: the intergenerational housing project: older people rent a room to a student in their apartment or house. If you are not embarrassed by strict rules and living under the same roof as the older generation, this is a safe and secure way to live abroad

Before choosing housing, contact your university or language school ,  o see if they can recommend private landlord rental options. Schools usually offer a list of reputable real estate companies, and student unions list rooms and apartments for rent on their websites.

When booking private housing, SMAPSE experts recommend that you carefully check the contract (and, ideally, the housing) before signing and paying for it.

Approximate cost of renting an apartment or studio (weeks):

Hotels, hostels

Hotels and hostels are suitable for those who prefer independent life or like solitude. The cost of accommodation, the list of services and facilities depends on the chosen hotel. The level of comfort is high: in the hotel student lives in a separate room with its own facilities, the price may include breakfast and / or dinner.

Living in a dormitory allows you to communicate with other residents in a common kitchen or lounge area, but the hotel does not allow much socializing, the student spends time in solitude.

Approximate cost of accommodation in hotels and hostels in different countries (24 hours):

Accommodation in a family

Students, especially those who attend language schools for short periods, often choose to live with a family. Intensive linguistic courses of 2-4 weeks often offer homestay, and it becomes a full part of language learning: during extracurricular hours students socialize in an informal setting, using the language skills they have acquired. The host family organizes student leisure activities:

• visits to local attractions
• museums
• theaters
• amusement park
• stores
• markets.

Special agencies are responsible for selecting families who monitor social welfare and hygiene and ensure the safety of the students. Homes/apartments are located within walking or transportation distance, usually less than an hour from the school. Family placement agencies give preference to families with 2 adults, children without pets, and comfortable accommodations. The main condition: Family members must be native speakers of the target language.

Staying with a family includes staying in a room for 1 (less often 2) person, using all the shared family space, respecting the house rules (time to go home, hang up, etc.), usually twice a day at home (with family members or with yourself).

The main advantage of living with a family is the interaction with people of different ages outside of school, covering different topics and patterns of communication.

Average cost of living with a family in different countries (weeks):