Does student accommodation come with internet?

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Do halls of residence come with internet?

The overwhelming majority of first year students are in halls of residence. As part of their rental package, universities will include utilities such as water, electricity and the internet as a fundamental necessity. If they don’t, we’d like to know! You’ll usually get free student broadband as part of your accommodation deal through the university.

Do student house shares come with internet?

So, you’re out of halls of residence and living with the squad. When you’re house hunting as a student, you’ll come across all manner of rentals. Some will come with internet (and other bills) included; some won’t. Some include furnishings, some don’t. It’s really down to your landlord.

With broadband, pretty much all packages are unlimited these days. With no cap on usage, there’s no risk of unexpectedly high bills if you over-consume, unlike, for example, electricity or water. So, with that in mind, you may come across more accommodation options that include internet but not other bills, as there’s a lower risk to the landlord. On the flipside, many landlords decide to leave all utilities to the tenant to organise.

What if my accommodation doesn’t come with internet?

If your accommodation doesn’t come with internet, don’t worry. There are heaps of broadband deals for students to take advantage of. In fact, you could well get a deal that suits your household even better this way, as you’ll be able to choose the speed and package you want.

You should also look into mobile broadband, particularly with the rollout of 5G (although even 4G coverage can offer great speeds). It also means your connection isn’t bound to your house, so you can take advantage of what you’re paying for when you’re on the go. Do consider mobile broadband if your student accommodation doesn’t come with internet: instead of doubling up on mobile data and a standard broadband deal, you could combine the two and save money. 

Last, check whether there is free WiFi where you live, particularly if you’re in a city centre. More and more locations have surprisingly reliable connectivity, plus it’s free!