Students who have accepted a firm or insurance offer can apply for accommodation. This page will tell you everything you need to know about the application process.

2023/24 applications

Due to high demand unfortunately we are no longer taking applications for the 2023/24 academic year. If you need any help or advice please contact the Accommodation Team on +44 (0)1904 322165 or accommodation@york.ac.uk 

Our undergraduate accommodation guarantee

UK (Home) undergraduate offer holders
If you applied to York as a new UK (Home) first-year undergraduate for 2023/24 entry, and received an offer from us, we guaranteed you an offer of a room in single-occupancy accommodation owned, managed or approved by the University, provided you 
accepted York as your firm choice and applied for accommodation by 8 June 2023.

Undergraduate International offer holders 
If you applied to York as a new undergraduate international student for 2023/24 entry, and received an offer from us, we guaranteed you an offer of a room in single-occupancy accommodation owned, managed or approved by the University, provided you accepted York as your firm choice and applied for accommodation by 31 July 2023. 


How to apply

When you apply for accommodation, we’ll ask you to rank your room choices in order. Each choice is for a specific room type in a specific college.

You can apply for different room types across different colleges. Just make sure to include at least three shared bathroom bedrooms in your preferences.

  • Login at accommodation.york.ac.uk using your You@York login details.
  • Click ‘create application’ for the next academic year.
  • On the first page, check that all your personal details are correct.
  • Select your application type: single, couple or family.

Remember not to use your school or college email address as your contact email, as you may miss out on important communications after A level results day (such as your room offer) if you lose access to this.

List your top seven accommodation options in order of preference by clicking the rooms banner icon. Each preference will specify a college, room type, let length, catering and bathroom information.

  • You can use the dropdowns and slider in the right-hand column to filter your search.
  • You can rearrange the order of your preferences by dragging and dropping them in the right-hand column.

If you're a Nursing or Midwifery student, catered accommodation won't be included in your options.

You can log back in and change your preferences at any time. Don't worry, we'll use your original application date when we allocate.

You’ll then be asked if you have any additional requirements for health, welfare or mobility reasons. Please don't wait until you have received a room offer to let us know about these, as we may not be able to find you a suitable room at that stage.

The last thing you’ll need to do is let us know who we can share your data with. This will include who we are able to talk to about your accommodation and room offer (including family members or carers), and the third-party accommodation providers we can share your application data with if we need to.

Once you’re happy with your consent options, you’ll be asked to review all your options and choices before you submit your application. Remember, you can log back in and edit your application at any time.

If you’d like to change your consent options, or allow us to speak to someone other than yourself about your accommodation once you have moved in, please let us know at accommodation@york.ac.uk.


Top tips:

  • Apply early. When you apply, we’ll take the date (not the time) of your accommodation application into account when allocating your room.
  • Choose a variety of room types that you think you’ll be happy with.

What happens next

1. Application confirmed

Once you’ve applied we'll send you a confirmation email. If you mentioned additional requirements, please ensure you upload the relevant supporting medical evidence. We'll be in touch if we require further information.

2. Receive your room offer*

Room offers are sent out from 17 August (UK A level results day), and will contain an offer of a room detailing the college, room type and let length.

3. Accept your room offer

You’ll need to accept your offer by the date stated in the email by following the link provided. Make sure you have internet access for this.

4. Make an advanced payment

You will need to make an advanced payment of £200 - this will be detailed in your room offer email.

5. Receive your room number

Room numbers will be sent out in September. Around this time, you’ll also start to hear more from your college about arrivals and events.

6. Pay your first rent instalment

Your rent is split over three instalments, the first of which will be due in October. We recommend setting up a direct debit.

*subject to change dependent on 2023 exam results day and Clearing period dates.


Your room allocation and offer

How are rooms allocated?

Most students receive an offer for one of their top three preferences.

For first-year undergraduates:

  • Firm offer holders receive priority under our accommodation guarantee.
  • We take the date (but not time) of applications into consideration when allocating. 

How it works:

  • We collect and hold all applications until our guarantee deadline date.
  • From 17 August ( UK A level results day), we put all firm-choice guaranteed students through our ‘mass allocator’ system in batches – taking into consideration the date the application was made.
  • The mass allocator will go through each batch, and pick out a student at random. That student will get their first choice if possible. If their first choice is sold out, they get their second choice; if their second choice is unavailable, their third choice; and so on, moving through students until everyone in the batch is assigned a room offer.

The best chance you have to secure one of your top three choices is to make York your firm university choice, and to apply for accommodation as soon as possible after applications open.

Not everyone will receive one of their top three accommodation preferences, given the variety of our rooms and that some room types are more popular than others.

If you are unhappy with your room offer, there are options to consider. However, most students are happy with their room after moving in, and we receive very few transfer requests.

Please contact us at accommodation@york.ac.uk before you reject your offer. If you reject your offer, or don’t accept in time, you’ll be outside our guarantee. We’ll still try to assist you, but will help those still covered first. Consider swapping or transferring your room instead.


Can I cancel my booking?

You are not eligible to end your agreement if you are a registered student at the University. 

If you are a new student who does not arrive in York to start your course, you must inform us of cancellation more than four weeks before the start of your booking. 

Students who inform us of a cancellation less than four weeks before the start of your booking will be charged four weeks’ rent. 

After the start date of booking: Please email accommodation@york.ac.uk. You will be charged the equivalent of eight weeks’ rent from the day you contact us, and a £200 cancellation fee.

To cancel your booking, please email accommodation@york.ac.uk. We'll confirm whether you're eligible, and inform you of any additional charges.