Clearing accommodation
Our campus spreads across the centre of Portsmouth and is surrounded by lots of student accommodation. When you apply, our supportive Student Housing team will advise you on how and where to search for accommodation.
Whether you're looking for a room in halls, a shared house with other students or your own studio, there are plenty of options. And because we have a city campus, you'll always be in the centre of student life.
Finding Clearing accommodation
Once you've accepted your Clearing offer, we'll support you to find your new home in the city. Portsmouth is a growing University city full of options for you to consider, including shared student houses, flats, lodgings and halls with prices to suit every budget, all located near to the University.
Not sure where to start? Follow our tips below to find your new home in Portsmouth.
1. Research the city
If you've decided to study in Portsmouth for the first time after Clearing, you might not know much about the city yet.
Spend some time doing research on student forums about where other students might be living in the city, where they like to go out, and how easy it is for them to get to their classes. This will help you identify areas you might want to live in.
Also, consider your hobbies. Do you see yourself running and working out along the seafront? If so, Southsea might be for you. Planning to spend a lot of weekends away, exploring the UK by train? Then the Fratton station area could be the best choice for you to begin your weekend city breaks.
Locations to live in Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the UK's only island city. This means wherever you find a place to live, you'll never be far from the campus or the sea.
Before choosing a location, you should consider a few things:
- How close do you want to be to campus?
- Do you want to be close to the nightlife?
- Would you rather live in a more local, family-friendly area?
- Do you need good transport links out of Portsmouth?
We also recommend you visit Portsmouth or come on a campus tour, if you haven't already, to get a sense of the different locations.
These are the 4 main areas where students live in Portsmouth
Central Portsmouth is the area around Portsmouth and Southsea train station and is a popular place for students to live. The accommodation here includes the University's own halls of residence, so you'll be living around many other students.
This area of Portsmouth is also within walking distance of the main shopping areas (Gunwharf Quays and Commercial Road) as well as central Portsmouth's main nightlife at Guildhall Walk.
Located between central Portsmouth and the seafront, Southsea feels like a smaller town within a large city. There's a smaller shopping district (Palmerston Road) lined with independent restaurants and host to the monthly 'Love Southsea' market.
For independent music and small weeknight gigs, there's Albert Road, home to the legendary Wedgewood Rooms. If the theatre is more your thing, the King's Theatre on Albert Road has been putting on plays since 1907.
Fratton lies to the east of central Portsmouth and is a popular choice for students. There's no main shopping district or central nightlife area in Fratton. But rent there is more affordable and it's only about a 20-minute walk from the main University campus. Alternatively, the University bus also runs through Fratton to campus.
Fratton Park is the home of Portsmouth Football Club, which we sponsor. It's a big part of life in Portsmouth.
Eastney and Milton are both on the east side of the island. While further from the University campus, there are great bus links.
These areas are calmer than central Portsmouth or Southsea, which can make them perfect for students who prefer somewhere less hectic to live.
2. Find the right property for you
Once you've done a bit of research and picked your favourite location, it's time to start house hunting. The options available to you are:
- University halls – email student.housing@port.ac.uk or phone +44 (0) 2392 843 214 for latest availability
- Shared rental accommodation (a house or flat)
- Solo rental accommodation (a house, flat or studio flat)
- Lodging with a local resident
At Portsmouth we have a variety of accommodation, and applying through Clearing doesn't mean you won't be able to live with other students if you don't live in halls. There are usually students in shared accommodation looking to fill an extra room.
You've also got the option of lodging with a local resident, which is a great way to get to know the local area.
Applying for halls
We'll invite you to apply for a room in halls by email 1–2 working days after you accept an offer to study with us.
We allocate halls places on a first come first served basis, so the sooner you accept an offer to study with us, the more likely you can secure your preferred choice.
We'll let you know the outcome of your halls application within 2–3 working days.
3. Visit our Studentpad website
The University has its own search engine to help you find your Clearing accommodation in the private sector if you’re not going to live in halls.
It's called Studentpad, and every house, flat, lodging and private hall listed on it is officially registered with our Student Housing team.
Why should you use Studentpad to find your Clearing accommodation?
- Rent from registered landlords who follow our code of conduct
- Find other housemates
- Search according to your budget
- Use the draw-a-search function to search in specific areas
4. Join our student housing Facebook group
If you're looking to share a house with other students, or find future housemates, you can join our Student Housing Portsmouth Facebook group. This group is frequently updated by other students looking for new housemates.
5. Contact our student housing team
We have a student housing team who are always willing to help, no matter when you accept your place with us. They'll give you extensive support to help you find a place to live.
Our student housing team can:
- Give you information on halls of residence and how to apply
- Direct you to their approved private accommodation search engine
- Give you advice on housing, such as deposits and contracts
- Put you in touch with our Residence Life Team
Our Residence Life Team:
- Offer 24/7 welfare advice and support to all new students in private rented accommodation, as well as in halls
- Organise a varied social programme throughout the year for all new students, wherever you're living, to help you settle into student life
Email: student.housing@port.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 2392 843 214
