Explained: Which college has the dearest student accommodation? Where is cheapest?

Eva Osborne

Every summer, and sometimes even earlier, third-level students across the country begin the painstaking search for accommodation in their university cities.

As well as a lack of availability, price is another big issue for students and their families when they are looking for somewhere to live for the academic year.

So, how much does it cost for student accommodation at Irish colleges? And what sources can help students and their families secure housing for the academic year?

@breakingnews.ie Which college has the most expensive student accommodation? And where is the cheapest? Vist BreakingNews.ie for more rent statistics #ucd #dcu #trinitycollegedublin #universityofgalway #universityoflimerick #universitycollegecork ♬ original sound - breakingnews.ie

University College Dublin (UCD) is leading the way in terms of the most expensive college for student housing, with students being asked to fork out €11,764.80 for an en-suite room in Village 3 of the college's on-campus accommodation.

With a €735 booking and security deposit, a monthly license of €1,305.15, and a monthly utilities bill of €60.80, it snatches the title of the most expensive on-campus accommodation option for students in the State.

On the lower end of UCD's scale, its cheapest option will set students and their families back €5,666.44 for the academic year. This fee is for a shared bedroom in Village 1.

Trinity College Dublin's student accommodation requires a hefty wallet too, with a 38-week stay in its Kavanagh Court/3rd Party Student Accommodation costing €305 per week, or €11,590 in total.

In the college's Heritage buildings, students will pay €8,875.47 for a room. The cheapest place to stay is in Trinity Hall, where a shared/twin ensuite will cost €5,930.25 for the academic year.

The most expensive on-campus accommodation option for students at the University of Galway is in Dunlin Village, where a standard plus double room with a private bathroom will cost €881 per month, on top of a €250 booking deposit and €631 instalment deposit.

This makes for a total price of €8,810. The cheapest option is Corrib Village, where a bed in a standard sharing twin room will cost €362 per month, on top of a €250 deposit fee and €112 instalment deposit. €3,620 is the total for this option.

For an on-campus room in Maynooth University, students can expect to pay €7,003 for a single room with an ensuite for the academic year in Rye Hall.

A single room with a shared bathroom will bring the price down to €5,411 for the college year.

Back in Dublin, rates at Dublin City University (DCU) for a single bed reach €€6,872.89, excluding a refundable €831.40 deposit.

The cheapest option appears to be a stay in a single room in St Patrick's accommodation, with the total for the academic year coming to €6,035.53, excluding the refundable €730.10 deposit.

At University College Cork (UCC), a single ensuite bedroom in its University Hall accommodation will cost €6,305 alongside a €650 utility charge.

A double ensuite bedroom in Crow's Nest will cost €8,585 for the academic year with a €650 utilities charge added on.

The cheapest option at UCC is a twin non-ensuite bedroom in Castlewhite Apartments, where it will cost €3,816 for the academic year as well as a €650 utilities charge.

In Limerick, the most expensive on-campus accommodation option is in University of Limerick's Thomond/Cappavilla two-bed apartment.

A total of €7,905 for the academic year and a €5oo deposit is required for a room there.

The cheapest option is a standard bedroom in the university's off-campus housing at Troy Village.

A room in a five, six, or seven-bedroom apartment there will cost €5,159 with a €500 deposit required.

Accommodation support

AMLÉ (Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn), the third-level students' union, has supports in place for students seeking accommodation.

They encourage students to visit their college's students union for advice or help securing accommodation for the academic year.

Student unions also give landlord advice and advice on managing money.

Individual colleges also have supports in place to help students and their families look for and secure accommodation, both on and off campus.

The University of Galway has the Accommodation Advisory Service, and many other colleges direct students to its residence offices or StudentPad, a student accommodation search engine.