Hi Everyone, it's your DCU Student Union Vice President for Academic Life.
I've seen lots of posts about Accommodation in DCU over the last few weeks. Having gone through college with both accommodation and commuting some semester's, I do feel the pain of getting accommodation and consequences of not having a bed for the academic year.
Thanks to the moderator, I have created this post as a full explainer of accommodation information and advice while looking for a bed 🛏️
DCU Accommodation 🏨
DCU has official accommodation located on its three Campuses. These being on Glasnevin, St Patrick's Campus & All Hallows. They reserve a number of beds for First Year Students, International Students, Postgraduate, and disability students registered with the college.
The lottery opens in February and closes in March in which Students apply to enter with a chance of getting a bed on campus. This is an extremely competitive lottery which puts stress on students, so do have following back up plans in case it doesn't fall through. Rates fluctuate depending on room size, campus, and year of study, between €700-€1100 for a room.
It is important to note that beds do go unoccupied throughout the year. This is due to students dropping out of college and the increase in rent DCU has brought annually pricing students out of a bed. Keep an eye during October & November and email campus.residences@dcu.ie to enquiry about any empty beds.
If you have anymore information, follow the link below 🔗
DCU Accommodation Site
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DCU SU StudentPad 🏡
The Student Union runs a third party licensed site called Student Pad. This site allows DCU students to contact and apply for "Rent-a-room" or "Digs" accommodation in the surrounding DCU area. The Rent-a-room is when you occupy a room in a landlord's property for the year and share occupation with them for the year.
We monitor the site and ensure landlords don't overcharge students and provide the necessary facilities students require for the year. Max rent on the site is set at €800 a month, providing a much cheaper alternative accommodation for students.
When you login to the site. You will first have to create an account and wait for us to verify you which happens during Monday - Friday. Once you're in, you can search properties, filter them to your needs, find housemates and directly contact landlords.
The link to the StudentPad is attached below. I will also make you aware of Rental Scam Awareness towards the end of this post.
DCU SU StudentPad
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Off-Campus Accommodation 🏢🚌
These Off-Campus Accommodation is ran by private companies. Although these are quite modern and provide extra facilities and benefits to students. They do come at a much higher cost to students. They are located throughout Dublin and tend to be close to a Bus stop that will bring you to DCU. I have attached the list below of Off-Campus Accommodation providers that DCU Students use. If you Google the names you should be able to find their websites easily.
- Hazelwood Student Village
- GSV Student Living
- Amber Students
- Shanowen Square
- Shanowen Hall
- ASPEN
- YUGO Broadstone Hall
- Archway Court
- YUGO Dominick
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Rental Scam Awareness ⚠️
With the current student accommodation crisis, there are active scammers trying to convince students of false accommodation. This tricks students paying for rooms that don't exist and leaving students without a bed on arrival to their accommodation and losing from a couple of hundred to thousands of euro. AMLÉ alongside Threshold has provided three steps to keep an eye out for to prevent students falling victim to rental scams.
The 3 Rules to Avoid Rental Scams
Inspect the Property in Person: Whenever possible, visit the property in person and take a picture of the landlord or letting agent’s photo ID before making any payments. Don’t feel rushed to make a quick decision and to rely on online photos or virtual tours.
Use Secure Payment Methods and a Contract: Use secure payment platforms or methods that offer you protection. Avoid making cash payments or transferring money directly to someone without verifying their identity or their account details, especially if that account is a foreign bank account. Additionally, request a written contract that clearly explains the terms and conditions of the rental agreement, including rent amount, deposit and any additional fees.
Trust Your Instinct and Seek Help: If something feels too good to be true, trust your instincts and investigate further. Scammers often try to rush you into making decisions but take your time and seek advice if needed. Threshold is happy to offer you advice if you are unsure about a property.
For more information, you can follow the link below for more information on Rental Scams.
Threshold Scamwatch
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I hope the following guide above helps answer questions on accommodation for the upcoming year. If you have any questions don't be afraid to reach out or contact the DCU Student Union as we're more than happy to help.
Best of luck everyone finding a bed, and I look forward to working with the DCU Community for the upcoming year.
DCU Student Union VP for Academic Life