Getting a place at a good drama school is a tough process but what about when you actually get a place? Where will you be living? How do you go about finding a room? Here is a quick guide to drama school accommodation.
Campus or Halls of Residence
If you get a place at Central Central School of Speech and Drama you may be lucky enough to obtain a room in their halls of residence. Central does not have its own halls of residence but has an allocation in the University of London’s Intercollegiate Halls. There are also several private Halls of Residence close to Central. There are only about 20 places available, so apply early.
Even if you are lucky to get a place on campus or in halls of residence, it will be for the first year only. After that you you will need to make your own arrangements, but by that time you will have adjusted to student life and most probably met the group of friends you want to share with.
Accommodation Events
Some colleges may offer accommodation events, where you can get to meet other students, and hopefully look for a house together. Also any drama school will have a list of rented properties that are for students so check with your college admin team for further details. It’s a good idea to look into the accommodation situation when you are applying for a place, and definitely ask the students if you get to visit the drama schools of choice. Most drama schools will have a section on their website about student accommodation. That should be your first point of call.
Renting a room with a family
There is the option of just renting a room with a family or with other non students. This option tends to be more a much quieter affair than living with other students. Some landlords may just rent you a room without piling on additional bills on top. Some students actually opt for this or know a relative who lives in the location.
House share with other students
But living with other students can be fun and it can also be hell on earth. If you have had a cushy life at home with all your cleaning, laundry and food being prepared for you then you are for one hell of a shock! Student living is a roller coaster of a ride and a great learning curve as you all have to muck in together and live the best way you can. Your student days will help you learn all the basics like washing, cleaning (yes students have to clean!), cooking and organising the bills. All this in the end will prepare you for living on your own after drama school.
It’s also good to live with other students because you can all work together and support each other when it’s needed. Not all students get on, there will be arguments about who used the last of the milk and whose turn it is to wash up, but you end up working it out. Like most things you need a bit of patience and understanding…and it’s not all about you anymore. But there is the fun element too. No more living at home with Mum and Dad. The numerous parties to be had not to mention the romances you will have.
Accommodation Location
When choosing your accommodation, bear in mind the location and how far it is from your school. You don’t want to catching two buses and a couple of tubes to get there. Some drama schools in London are centrally based in zone 1 like RADA which is in Bloomsbury. Other drama schools are further out of the centre like Arts Ed and Mountview which are both in zone 3.
Student Accommodation Agencies
There are some student accommodation agencies who can also help you find a roof over your head. You can contact them if you are a group ready to move in or if you are just looking for yourself. They can offer you a room, studio flat or even rent you a place in some private student halls. Check out the site accommodationforstudents.com which is a student accomodation agency which have lists nationwide. Letting agents on any high street will also have some student accommodation on their sites. Some may want you to lay out deposits and administration fees, so choose wisely.