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Types of available accommodations in YNSITU
Home stay/Family
A homestay offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture. You have the option of just renting a bedroom, or you can choose to have breakfast and dinner with the family during weekdays, and full board at the weekend. If you have any allergies, you should mention this when booking. Your stay could be with all types of families, of different religions, with or without children,pets etc. However, you can express your preferences and they will be taken into consideration.
In some countries such as Canada, most of the population come from different countries and you may be hosted by a family who are not originally from Canada. Having said this, you have the right to live with a family (for example in Canada), that speaks fluent English. This may also happen in other multicultural countries like Canada.
You would have your own bedroom, unless you travel with another person and request a double room. In most families, bathroom facilities are shared by all members of the family, plus guests. However, you can request a private bathroom by paying a supplement.
The distance to the school may vary from a short walk to one hour by public transport. This depends basically on the size of your destination town or city. Obviously the smaller the place is, the closer to your school you may live. In a small town, you could be within walking distance, but in a big city like New York, Paris, Rome, Madrid or Tokyo, commuting times may be longer.
We strongly recommend that you book your trip as early in advance as possible, because it means that you may secure a family who live closer to the school. If you book at the last minute, you may find fewer accommodation options. If you are planning to travel in the summer booking, we highly recommend that you book 2 months in advance.
Residence
The advantage of staying in a student residence abroad is the wide array of facilities available and the opportunity to mix with students from all over the world. There are a range of accommodation options: single, double or shared rooms. You may have the option of just renting a bedroom, or choosing a meal plan. Other options that could be available are private or shared bathroom, and even kitchen facilities. Most residencies offer common rooms where you can socialize with other people who are staying in the residence.
There are generally three types of halls of residences: those owned by the schools that tend to be very close to the school, and also other student halls of residence often owned by universities or also private companies. The latter are usually on campus or in the city centre, and if they are owned by a university, they are usually only available during the summer months, as they are occupied by university students during the school year. They tend to offer additional services such as laundry (usually coin-operated), reception and in some cases, a gym, swimming pool or library. Bed linen and towels are provided and usually changed on a weekly basis. Cleaning of the room is usually done by the housekeeping staff of the residence, but you are responsible for keeping it tidy. These services could obviously vary from one residence to another.
You should bear in mind that residence accommodation tends to fill very quickly. If you are planning, for example, to take a summer course in Dublin, booking at least 3 months in advance is highly recommended as the cheaper accommodation options and the city centre residences usually fill very quickly. Another advantage is that if you live in the city centre, you are going to save a lot of money on transportation. Residences are often strict about the arrival and departure dates, although in some cases you may request additional nights at an extra cost.
Apartments/Studios
There are two main types of student apartments abroad: school-owned, or those owned by a real estate company. Studios are usually for one or two people who travel together, while if you choose to live in an apartment or house you will share the property with other people. If the property is owned by the school, the rest of the guests will be students like you. However, if you rent it from a company your house mates may not necessarily be students.
Studios are usually small and have a kitchen, a living area, one bathroom and one single or twin bedroom. In houses or apartments kitchen, living areas and bathroom are shared facilities. Bed linen and towels are usually provided and housekeeping may be included or not. Some studios/apartments are part of a large property which may offer other facilities such as laundry services (coin operated), gym, or reception. The range of options in this type of accommodation is very extensive and diverse.
If you are planning to travel in the summer, booking at least 3 months in advance is highly recommended because the cheapest options and the city centre residences fill very quickly. If you live in the city centre you are going to save a lot of money in transportation.
Hostels/Hotels
Staying in a hostel is a cheap accommodation option for short stays. In a hostel, you will be able to mix with other international young travellers. Rooms can be double, triple, quadruple or multi-bedded. You would be able to have your own room or even share a room, with your own bed and a locker in which you can store your possessions. Hostels have communal areas where you can socialize and communal kitchens where you can cook your own meals, thus saving you money. Some may provide you with a meal plan or even a free breakfast.
Like a hostel, a hotel also provides a 24-hour reception and is able to provide you with local advice on places to visit or places to eat, transportation options and they may be even able to sell you transport cards and tickets for the most visited city attractions. If you want to enjoy a more comfortable, relaxing and secure stay, a hotel could be a better option. You may have the choice of breakfast, half or full-board meals at the hotel.
Language courses abroad with accommodation with a family, in residence, in apartments or studios and in hostels or hotels. Study languages abroad with Ynsitu.
