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Allocations Policy 2025-26

Purpose Statement

To set out clearly for colleagues, students and others, the University’s approach to processing applications for accommodation, with a view to achieving consistency, fairness, and transparency.

Scope
This policy applies to applicants for residential accommodation that is owned or managed by one of the following:

  • The University
  • A private provider of purpose-built student accommodation by arrangement with the University (managed partnership)
  • Other private providers of purpose-built student accommodation

Who can apply for accommodation?
Anyone with a firm offer to study from the University can apply for accommodation. Once someone with a place to study on a course has made Newcastle University their ‘firm choice’ the University will inform that person how, and when, they can use the accommodation portal. Places in accommodation are subject to availability.

The University welcomes applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital/civil partnership status, pregnancy, and maternity.

Choice and availability
Applicants applying to live with us should expect to live with people from a variety of cultures, religions, and backgrounds and respect the diversity of our community.

Due to availability and demand, it is not always possible to offer applicants their preferred accommodation or gender sharing preference. If an applicant’s choices are not available, the University will try to offer a close match based on a combination of room type, preferred location, and price. 

Depending on the volume of applications we receive, it may be necessary for us to source additional accommodation in the surrounding area which may not previously have been advertised. In this event, we will notify applicants as soon as possible.

How to apply
Applications are encouraged through the Accommodation Services online portal. Applicants who are unable to use the portal may contact the Allocations Team at allocations-enquiries@ncl.ac.uk or by telephone at 0191 208 3333.allocations-enquiries@ncl.ac.uk or by telephone at 0191 208 3333.

It is recommended that applicants familiarise themselves with the different application routes, eligibility criteria, and information on our website before making their application.

The application process will depend on:

  • application type (eg single, couple or family)
  • degree programme (undergraduate or postgraduate)
  • if the applicant is covered by the Accommodation Guarantee
  • if an applicant requires a specialist allocation
  • the date that the applicant applies

There are two ways to make an application:

1. Advanced Booking
This option is available to new undergraduate applicants who meet the conditions of the Accommodation Guarantee. This option allows eligible applicants to reserve a room at the time of application.

Advanced Booking will open on 10 June and closes at 12 noon (UK time) on 28 July. Up to 95% of rooms will be released in three batches on:

  • Tuesday 10 June
  • Tuesday 1 July
  • Tuesday 22 July

Once released, rooms will remain available until they are fully booked or until the closing date, whichever comes first.

The following conditions apply:

  • once a room has been reserved, it cannot be changed
  • if you do not meet the academic conditions of your university offer or decide not to attend Newcastle University, your reservation will be cancelled
  • if the reserved room proves unsuitable due to a disability or health condition, the reservation will be reviewed. Where possible, an alternative room will be offered

To meet the Accommodation Guarantee, we may need to open a guaranteed waiting list. If this happens, we will let applicants know. They will still be guaranteed a room, but applicants may need to submit accommodation preferences instead of Advanced Booking.

We manually review all reservations before issuing accommodation contracts. This is to make sure the room is suitable and that flats are balanced. As a result, applicants may be offered an alternative room to which they reserved, and no allocation should be considered final until the contract has been received and signed.

Advanced Booking for applicants with a disability or health need
Applicants who require minor adjustments (eg a fridge for medication) may proceed with Advanced Booking. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the room they select meets their needs. After reserving, they should complete the Disability and Health Information Form and the Accommodation Team will review the submission and confirm any necessary adjustments.

Applicants who require accessible accommodation cannot use Advanced Booking because the University must ensure the room is suitable for their needs. These applicants will receive a specialist allocation following the submission of an application and supporting medical information.

Further guidance on applying for accommodation with a disability can be found on our Applying for Accessible Accommodation webpage.

2. Submit an Application
Applicants who are not eligible for Advanced Booking, including postgraduate students, part-year students, and those applying as couples or families, will be able to submit an application.

In the application, they will indicate their preferred accommodation options. They should consider their choices carefully to ensure they apply for the accommodation that is most likely to suit their requirements. As accommodation options are not guaranteed, applicants will need to rank alternative preferences which will be considered if there is no availability in their chosen residences.

Applications are not processed on a first-come, first-served basis. At the time of processing, each application will be awarded a random computer-generated number, and we will allocate applications in ascending numerical order.

Applicants who submit an application while eligible for Advanced Booking will be processed by the Allocations Team. Applications will be reviewed based on availability at the time of processing, and we aim to confirm all reservations by 28 July.  Availability at this time will be limited, once an allocation is made, it cannot be changed for an alternative.

Specialist allocations
Special procedures apply to applicants who require certain types of accommodation.

Applicants with disability or health needs - applicants who need reasonable adjustments to their accommodation, should inform us at the point of application. To ensure that applicants are allocated rooms that are best suited to their needs, Accommodation Services may request medical information or opinion. Priority for specialist allocation will only be given if applicants notify us of their needs at the point of application. The University can only consider these needs if Accommodation Services are informed in good time.

The University does not discriminate against those needing adapted accommodation or need further reasonable adjustments, nor will we discriminate against persons who need to have a carer living with them. However, the University is only required to make adjustments that are considered reasonable,

If an applicant requires a specific facility (eg an en suite), and this is available through the Advanced Booking option, they may reserve the room without the need to submit further information.

Medical information will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with any other students unless requested by the applicant.

Non-guaranteed applicants with disability or health needs – due to the timeline of processing applications, we may have limited availability for anyone that requires a specialist allocation and are applying after the guarantee date or via the insurance or clearing routes. Rooms with adaptations are limited and it is important for any person applying later in the process to contact Accommodation Services once they have received their offer to study from the University.

Care experienced/Estranged applicants – applications from care experienced and estranged students will be received as outlined in Applying for Accommodation, and they will be able to choose a suitable room via the Advance Booking option.

In addition, we can offer continuous accommodation contracts over the summer period for students that require this option; however, a room move may be required due to summer works. Additionally, we will do our best to accommodate requests such as summer storage for personal belongings and early arrival into accommodation, subject to availability.

LGBTQA+ applicants – applicants are not expected to inform Accommodation Services of their sexual orientation or their gender identity. We aim to ensure that all University-owned and managed partnership accommodation is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for everyone. However, we understand that people in the LGBTQA+ community may require a priority allocation for a certain wash type, or gender sharing preference in order to feel safe and secure. If appropriate, applicants should contact us at allocations-enquiries@ncl.ac.uk to discuss this further. Applications will be received as outlined in Applying for Accommodation.

Under 18s – applicants whose 18th birthday falls after the commencement of their tenancy will be subject to the Under 18s Policy. Applications from under 18s will be received as outlined in Applying for Accommodation and they will be able to choose a suitable room via the Advance Booking option. Priority for accommodation organised through the University will be given to this group even where they do not meet the accommodation guarantee. Students who are under 18 will be allocated with students that are over 18.

Applicants with a partner and/or children - there are a limited number of places available for couples without children and for families with children. Due to availability, we are unable to guarantee accommodation to this type of applicant. Where we can allocate suitable accommodation, contracts will be for one academic year only. For expediency, applications will be processed in time received order, therefore family and couple applicants should submit their application as soon as possible. Applications will only be processed if the applicant is an unconditional firm offer holder.

Timing
Applicants that utilise the Advance Booking system will have a room reserved for them immediately. This is a reservation only and does not become a formal offer until we issue an offer/contract for acceptance. This is likely to be after A-level results are announced on 14 August. There is a deadline to accept the contract, and if this is not met, the reservation will be cancelled and the room offered to someone else.

Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria for Advance Booking and therefore ‘submit an application’ will be processed depending on their application type and academic status.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring their emails and actioning any offers of accommodation within the given deadline.

Open Day flats
Within our portfolio, we have flats that we use for Open Days to enable prospective students to view the accommodation. The accommodation contract for these flats may end earlier than our standard 40-week contract, although the contract will still cover the full teaching period. In addition, weekend access will be required for two Open Days in the Autumn term (September-November).

Every student that is allocated to an Open Day flat will be notified at the accommodation offer stage. If the room offer is not suitable, they are able to contact Accommodation Services for an alternative offer dependent on availability. All students that are allocated to these types of flats will be financially compensated for the inconvenience.

Cancellations
Applicants that have reserved a room using the ‘Advanced Booking’ method but have not signed the accommodation contract, are able to cancel their reservation by contacting allocations-enquiries@ncl.ac.uk. Where an applicant cancels their reservation, no other offer of accommodation will be made, and their application will be cancelled.

Where an applicant has reserved a room using the ‘Advanced Booking’ method but does not obtain the grades to study at Newcastle University, their reservation will be cancelled.

Once a student has accepted an accommodation offer, there are only limited circumstances in which the application can be cancelled. Where valid cancellations are made, the accommodation will be re-allocated according to this policy. This may occasionally mean that a guaranteed applicant or applicant from a priority category is not allocated one of their choices of residence, but a person applying later is able to reserve a place in one of these residences.

Changing your accommodation offer
Once an application has been processed, and a student has been offered a room, it is not usually possible to change this unless a procedural irregularity has occurred. All offers are made within the parameters of our accommodation guarantee, namely the provision of a bedroom within our portfolio, not necessarily a bedroom of choice.

When contacting the University to discuss room allocations, applicants are reminded that all communication needs to be in line with the Student Charter. Our colleagues work hard to support our students and therefore aggressive, abusive or offensive language to our team will not be tolerated. We expect our colleagues to be treated with the courtesy, dignity, and respect they deserve. Employees of the University, whose family members plan on attending University will not be given any preferential treatment regarding room allocation.

Appendix 1 – Accommodation guarantees

Offers made under our guarantee may be in University-owned accommodation, in a managed partnership or in purpose-built accommodation managed by a private provider. The University does not guarantee to match the applicant’s preferences.

Offers of accommodation under this guarantee are time limited. The University will not guarantee accommodation unless the applicant accepts their accommodation offer within the stipulated deadline.

Accommodation Guarantee
The University guarantees to make an offer of accommodation to applicants who meet the following criteria:

  • you are a new student about to start your first year of an undergraduate or postgraduate taught course
  • you have applied as a single student (not as a couple or family)
  • you have made Newcastle University your 'firm' choice and have applied for a full year's accommodation by 12 noon (UK time) on 28 July 2025 (undergraduate)
  • if you are a postgraduate taught student, you have applied for accommodation and hold an unconditional firm offer by 30 June 2025

Appendix 2 - Non-guaranteed students

Applicants who are not eligible for the Accommodation Guarantee may still apply for accommodation. The University will use this policy to determine the order in which non-guaranteed applications are processed. 

a) Returning students – subject to recruitment targets, a number of rooms may be reserved for returners. however, this is not guaranteed. Returners must not have any rent arrears or other serious breaches of their existing tenancy agreements. Students wishing to return can find further information and express an interest to return via the accommodation website (eligibility criteria apply).

b) Late/Insurance/Clearing applicants – students who failed to apply by the guarantee date or those coming to Newcastle via the insurance/clearing route will only be able to reserve accommodation after all guaranteed students and those from category a) have been made offers. The application will be opened to this group from 18 August and availability is expected to be limited.

c) Semester, part-year students and distance learners – applications are not processed unless there are vacant rooms still available after meeting the accommodation guarantee and after processing applications from categories a) and b).

d) Suspended students — applications from students who suspended after the first term in a previous year are not processed unless there are rooms still available after meeting the accommodation guarantee and after processing applications from categories a), b) and c).

If University accommodation is unavailable for any student within the ‘Non-guaranteed’ student group, the Accommodation Service will support wherever possible in making you aware of alternative student accommodation provision elsewhere in the city or surrounding areas.

 

 

Reviewed: May 2025
Review date: March 2026
Policy owner: Senior Management Team, Accommodation Services

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