Accommodation
At Edinburgh Language Academy we can help you find a place to stay while studying with us.
The types of the available accommodation:
- Student Residencies - July & August ONLY - New for 2010! High quality single and double rooms with en suite facilities in shared 3-5 bedroom flats or studios. All centrally located, close to all amenities. Self catering, half/full board for groups over 10 students can be organised.
- Homestay – single or shared room with local residents either on Bed & Breakfast, Half-Board or self-catering basis.
- Private home – renting a single room or sharing a twin room in a private home on a self-catering basis.
- Hotels/Hostels/Bed and Breakfasts - Edinburgh has a huge variety of accommodation and we can advise you on the options within your budget. We would be happy to arrange this for your stay if you prefer this option.
These accommodation options are very convenient for students especially if coming for short-term courses as there is no need to spend time looking for a place to stay in an unfamiliar city. All the small details are sorted for you and all costs are included in a weekly fee with no surprises. More information on the summer residences can be found here.
However, if you are brave enough to deal with Scottish property rent laws and your course of study is longer than six months you can try to find accommodation yourself.
All of our accommodation is pre-selected and carefully chosen by personal visits by the academy staff. Those selected for students maintain our highest standards of safety, comfort, and convenience of location. Stays with host families may include continental breakfast and packed lunch or/and cooked dinner on request. If you prefer you can stay on a self cetering basis. It's up to you. Those selecting the option of sharing a student flat are on a self-catering basis only.
All accommodation is booked from the Sunday before the course begins until the Saturday after the course finishes. 1 week = 6 nights.
Example: photographs of a private home accommodation.
Accommodation Prices - ALL PER PERSON PER WEEK
Homestay accommodation:
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Homestay HB (daily breakfast and dinner every day) single room Homestay B&B (bed and breakfast) single room Homestay HB shared room |
£140/150 per week £110 per week £110 per week |
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Executive Homestay Homestay HB (breakfast and dinner every day) single/double room with en-suite bathroom Homestay B&B (breakfast and dinner every day) sharing room with en-suite bathroom |
£200/220 per week £150/180 per week |
Private home accommodation:
| Shared room in a private flat (self-catering) | £140 pp per week | |
| Shared room with en-suite bathroom in a private flat (self-catering) | £150 pp per week | |
| Single room in a private flat (self-catering) | £160 pp per week | |
| Single room with en-suite bathroom in a private flat (self-catering) | £200 pp per week |
Shared flats require a room deposit of £100. This amount will be returned at the end of your stay after inspection of premises. All flats have bed linen. Students should bring their own towels.
Hotel, Hostel and Bed & Breakfast accommodation prices are available on request
*Please be advised that a supplement of £30 is payable per week during the month of August and Christmas and New Year.
*Prices may vary depending on location of Homestay
About Edinburgh accommodation
Because Edinburgh has a large student population, there is an extensive choice of flats to rent. If you want to rent a flat yourself or with friends, you will probably have to go through a rental agent and take out a Short Term Lease. These leases are normally for 6 months, but can be for a year or longer. A one bedroom flat costs from £475 - £525 per month, with two bedroom flats costing from £600-£700. You will usually have to pay one month rent in advance plus one-month deposit. The agent may also charge fees in addition to this, but remember everything is negotiable!
On top of the rent, you will probably need to pay property tax called Council Tax to Edinburgh City Council. This can vary, but is usually from about £100 per month. If you live alone, you will get a 25% discount. If you are a full-time student (studying 20 hours or more), this tax is often not charged.
If you want to share a flat with other students, many flat-shares are advertised on Internet sites such as http://www.gumtree.com/. People looking for others to share a flat with often advertise in a magazine called The List, which is published every two weeks. Certain cafes and shops also have notice boards where customers can advertise; these include The Blue Moon Café and Real Foods on Broughton Street and The Elephant House on George IV Bridge.
Neighbourhoods in the city
Even though Edinburgh is small, it is still large enough to have different neighbourhoods, each with its own character. Some even feel like villages within the city.
Leith
Leith is the waterfront area on the north side of the city and is where the school is based. There are many flats in the area, both modern and traditional, along with bars, shops and sports facilities. Rental prices here are traditionally lower than in other areas, but fashionable waterfront properties are usually more expensive.
Stockbridge.
Stockbridge has a definite village atmosphere with local shops for food and speciality shopping. It has many bars, cafes and restaurants. Flats are more difficult and expensive to rent here, but quality of life is high.
Marchmont and Morningside
Marchmont is sometimes called ‘a student ghetto’. It is close to many university campus sites, and has a very large number of students and many flats available to rent. Rental prices are usually higher than in Leith.
Gorgie and Dalry
In many ways, Gorgie and Dalry are like Leith. Rental prices and types of accommodation are similar. There are fewer amenities in the area, but new cinema and entertainment complexes are making the area more attractive
