Student accommodation in Glasgow

Student accommodation in Glasgow starts at £100 and can cost over £280 per person per week (pppw). The average rental cost for student lets in Glasgow is around £120 pppw, excluding bills. For purpose built apartments, the average is £146 pppw. How much you spend all depends on your preferences and whether you choose to opt for a student house share in Glasgow or luxury student accommodation in Glasgow. Your chosen neighbourhood can have a huge influence on your monthly rental cost too.

Students attending one of Glasgow’s many universities tend to opt for properties in the city centre, Partick, Finnieston or Hillhead. With universities and campuses across the city, travel connections, campus locations and the type of property you prefer can all influence your decision when it comes to choosing private student accommodation in Glasgow.

Living in Glasgow is not necessarily cheap, but many students can get by easily on a budget. There are some great options for cheap student accommodation in Glasgow, and many bars, clubs, cafes, shops, public transport and restaurants offer student discounts. Moving into a house share is a great way to save on monthly living expenses.

While tuition fees for Scottish residents are generally free and paid for by the Scottish government, this is not the case with student rentals in Glasgow.

Glasgow has the second largest population of students in the UK and it was also voted the friendliest city in the 2021 Rough Guides Survey. Each of the city's universities has received recognition in its own right, and in addition, the city has some quality student accommodation in Glasgow.

Named the Scottish University of the Year in 2022 in the Good University Guide, The University of Glasgow is also one of the top 100 in the world - according to the Times Higher World University Rankings 2022.

Glasgow University is ranked 73rd in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2022.

Many student properties in Glasgow are now advertised with bills included in the price. Where this is the case, your rental price could include electricity, gas, internet, TV licence and water bills and this is clearly stated on the listing. Properties without bills included are also available, giving you the flexibility to choose your own energy and water suppliers and internet service provider.

It is normal for property managers to require you to pay a security deposit at the time of booking or before you move in. Where a deposit is required and you are signing a tenancy agreement, your property manager must protect your deposit in a legally recognised tenancy deposit scheme. As long as you look after the property and have no deductions for damage or unpaid rent, your deposit will be returned to you after your tenancy agreement ends. Tenancy deposits are legally capped at five weeks’ rent per person, so if your own portion of the rent is £100 per week, the maximum deposit would be £500. It is more common however for student deposits to be in the £100-250 range.

The majority of student accommodation in Glasgow is rented for fixed contract lengths. For purpose built student accommodation, 43 and 51 week fixed term contracts are the most common. For shared houses, 52 week stays are the most common and generally start in July to September.

Short-term student rentals in Glasgow are becoming more popular every year. As a result, property managers are increasingly offering shorter tenancy lengths, whether for the summer period or for individual semesters and terms. This is more common in the purpose built student accommodation sector than in shared student rental houses in Glasgow.