Apply for accommodation

We guarantee accommodation for all UK, EU and international students in their first year of undergraduate study, as long as you meet our application deadlines.

Students who have made York St John University as their firm or insurance choice via UCAS can apply for our accommodation. Please be aware that rooms will only be allocated once we have been made the firm choice via UCAS. 

Accommodation application timeline

Wednesday 14 February 2024: Applications open. You can apply for accommodation from this date if you have your offer to study with us and your 9-digit student ID number. You do not need to have confirmed your university choice to apply.

From April 2024 onwards: Accommodation offers start to go out to students who have selected York St John as their firm choice. We send offers in batches, so don't worry if you do not hear from us straight away. Some rooms at our most popular sites will be reserved for applicants on courses that require an interview. You will not be disadvantaged in the allocation system if you need to wait until after your interview to apply.

Friday 28 June 2024: Deadline for accommodation applications. If you apply after this date we can no longer guarantee you a place in our accommodation. However, the allocation process will still continue while we have any remaining rooms and we will reply as soon as possible after you apply for accommodation.

From Thursday 15 August 2024: Offers start to go out to Clearing students after results day.

Before you apply

Before you can apply, you will need your offer of a place to study at York St John University. On your offer letter, you will receive a 9-digit York St John student ID number which you will need during the application process.

To apply, you will need to register for an account on our Accommodation Hub. You can pre-register before applications open, which will make your application process quicker.

To register, you will need the following:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• 9-digit student ID number from your offer letter

You will then be asked to create a password.

If you can't find your ID number, email us on accommodation@yorksj.ac.uk and we can help.

Please note that to apply for our accommodation sites, you must applying as a full time student. Part time students are not eligible for the council tax exemption which covers our properties.

How to apply

When accommodation applications have opened and you have registered for your account, you can apply for accommodation using our Accommodation Hub.

Applications are made using our simple application form. When completing this, you will be asked to choose and submit your room preferences. You will not be asked for any payment at this stage of the application.

Choosing your room preferences

When you apply, you can make 3 accommodation choices, in order of preference. We suggest you take time to consider all options and choose your preferences wisely.

You can explore our options on our Accommodation page, which contains details of our locations and prices. Each of our sites varies in atmosphere and facilities, so make sure to check any features which are essential for you, for example nearby amenities or accessible parking.

Your application is made as an individual student, and we cannot accept applications from groups of friends. If you choose the same preferences as a friend, we cannot guarantee that you will be allocated the same accommodation.

Accommodation applications made during Clearing follow the same process. However, available options may be more limited, and you may have a shorter timeframe to accept your offer.

Additional requirements

We help students with a range of needs to find the right room and site. These needs could be disabilities, health concerns, or religious or wellbeing needs.

When you apply, you will see checkboxes to mark for additional requirements and other additional circumstances. You will then be able to fill out a more detailed form where you can tell us about your additional requirements. We advise that you complete this form even if you think the type of room you have applied for will meet your needs. This will help us to make sure everything is in place for you.

Please note that assistance dogs and support animals are only permitted in accommodation with the express permission of the Head of Campus and Residential Services.

You can read more about the additional requirements process on our dedicated page.

Students with additional requirements

How we allocate rooms

Once you have applied, we will start the process of allocating your room. We do our best to meet your preferences. Due to the number of students who apply and the rooms at each site, this is not always possible.

When we allocate rooms, we work down your list of preferences. We prioritise site over room type. For example, if you ask for a large room at Limes Court as your preferred site and we cannot meet this, we will try to allocate you a standard room before moving onto your second site preference. Depending on the number of applications we get, we may not be able to meet any of your preferences. In these cases, we will do our best to allocate you to similar accommodation.

As part of the allocation process we do prioritise some students, for example, students who have a specific disability or students on a course that needs specific accommodation. Because of this, our allocation process is not strictly first come first served, however we take the date you apply into account. We advise applying as early as you can. Your preferences are not guaranteed, but the earlier you apply the more likely you are to receive one of them.

Receiving your offer

If you have chosen York St John as your firm offer on UCAS, you will receive your accommodation offer from April. We send these offers in batches, so don't worry if you do not get your offer straight away. Offers will continue to be sent from April and into the summer months. Keep an eye on the email address associated with your accommodation application, as this is where notification of your accommodation offer will be sent.  

If you apply for accommodation with York St John as your insurance offer, you will get your accommodation offer after results day if we become your firm offer.

Your offer email will tell you which room type, site, and contract length you have been allocated.

We do our best to match you with your preferred room and site, but because of high application numbers you may find that your allocated room does not meet your preferences. If we were unable to match you with one of you preferred sites, you may be allocated a University Managed House (UMH). UMHs are always shared with other York St John students, and the University acts as your landlord.

At this point in the offer process, it is not possible to change your room offer. It may be possible for you to apply to move rooms when you arrive. The room move request process starts in mid-October and all requests are subject to availability. You can find out more in our Room move policy.

Responding to your offer

Once you have received your accommodation offer, you can log in to the Accommodation Hub to accept your room.

You will be asked to pay a £200 advance rent payment when you accept your accommodation to secure the offer. The advance rent payment will later be deducted from your first rent payment.

You will need to accept your offer and pay the advance rent payment by the deadline to guarantee your room. If you miss this deadline, please contact us by emailing accommodation@yorksj.ac.uk. Your application can be reactivated, but you will be added back to the list of students still to be allocated, and we will not be able to guarantee you accommodation at this stage.

If you receive your offer after the core allocation period, such as after results day, your deadline will be adjusted. We will tell you the date at the time.

If you have any issues with accepting your offer, please try clearing your browser and logging back in to the Accommodation Hub. If the issues persist, contact us by email and we will be able to accept the offer on your behalf.

Finances and costs

You will usually pay for your accommodation in 3 instalments through the academic year. The deposit you make to secure your room will be deducted from your first rent instalment.

If you are concerned about paying for your accommodation, you may be eligible for some financial support.

Find out more about costs, payments and support on our dedicated page.

Paying for your accommodation

Changing or withdrawing your application

If you decide after you apply that you would like to change your preferences, we should be able to alter them for you. If you let us know before offers are made, we can do this without altering the time and date that your application was submitted. To change your preferences, email our team at the address below.

You can cancel your accommodation application at any time before you accept your accommodation place. You can cancel your application through the Accommodation Hub or by emailing us.

If you have accepted your accommodation and paid the advance rent payment, but have not moved in yet, you can still cancel your place. You will get a refund of your advance rent payment. In this case, please email us as soon as possible so we can arrange the refund.

When you have moved into your accommodation, you will be subject to the terms and conditions of your accommodation agreement. These will impact your right to terminate your contract. Terms and conditions for each academic year are on our Policies and documents page. These will be available for you to access before you accept the agreement.

Email accommodation@yorksj.ac.uk

Policies and additional information

For details of our documents and policies, see our Accommodation policies and documents page.

If you want to apply for one of our partner provider sites and would like more information on the application process, visit our Applying to a partner provider page.