Our daughter (19yrs old) has now decided to apply to do a semester of Uni at Oxford. We will be 'leaving' her in London at the end of our holiday. Tuition isn't a problem as it is an exchange, so she will still be paying (HECs) her tuition here as if she was still attending Griffith Uni, (Brisbane).

The problem we are having is accommodation. Does anyone have any experience or tips for finding somthing, safe & affordable? It will probably be her and a girlfriend. Idealy a 'room' in a family home or similar.
Hope this isn't too off the subject of travel?

If accommodation isn't provided (lots of the American exchange programmes have their own buildings on the outskirts of the city but I don't know about Australian exchanges)some options are;

- www.dailyinfo.co.uk has a housing board
- if she and her friend can afford it, renting an apartment (google for agencies, there are lots in Oxford, e.g. Hamptons, Knight Frank, Finders Keepers) will be about £800 a month for a one bedroom in the centre, less for the outskirts.
- asking any college she may be attached to whether there are any college rooms vacant - as she's only there for a term they probably won't want to commit to this before the academic year starts, but rooms do become free throughout the year as a few students usually leave for personal reasons.

Thanks Papagena, the trouble is £800 converts to about $1850 Aus. dollars. thats a lot of money for one month, when she plans to be there for 6. She has a good savings a/c as she has worked since grade 9 and also as an exchange student she is able to work part time in the UK. But thats a huge amount of money.
We will look at all your sugestions, thanks.
Becs mum.

I just typed 'oxford lodgings' into google and lots of links come up. One which may be of interest is a accommodation share and lodgings list/register - both wanted and available. I haven't checked it out properly though, but here is the link

oxford.freeexchange.co.uk/pages/5005.html

Also, I have found in the past that local tourist information centres are very helpful. Type 'tourist information oxford' into google, and you get the links and you can email them or call them and ask the same question you asked here, and get on-the-spot advice.

try www.oxfordcity.co.uk
and www.touristnetuk.com/wm/oxford/

Good luck, and I hope your daughter has fun. Thirty years ago I had a boyfriend in Oxford and spent many happy weekends there - it's a wonderful place to be young!!

thank you Julia_t, will have a good look at your links. Sometimes its really helpful just to get a starting point.
Yes, oh to be young again!!(but know what I know, now..lol)

A proper exchange agreement should have made some arrangement about residential accommodation (or it did when I worked in this field!). So even if regular student accommodation isn't guaranteed the receiving university should have advisory and information services who would be much more expert than us, and that's where your daughter should start: www.ox.ac.uk or www.brookes.ac.uk, depending on which university it is (I'm guessing Oxford Brookes).

If they're not offering even that much, then Griffith should be looking twice at the exchange agreement!

Aussiedreamer, if you'd like a more in-depth discussion of accommodation options in Oxford please email me at [email protected]

Thanks, as she has only just applied there is still a lot to work out. Once she is accepted then offers for accommodation will be made. But they have given us the cost and its very high, so we were just investigating other avenues.
Papagena, I will get Bec' to send you an email.........thanks heaps.