[HDNG]IN COLLEGE:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]A1[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Catered: 2% [BULL] Cost: ú44.35 (38wks) [BULL] Self-catering: 58% [BULL] Cost: ú27 (38wks)[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Availability:[EBOLD] All 1st years not native to Birmingham are guaranteed accommodation if they apply in time, mostly on campus in 3 20-storey towers and 4 low-rise blocks of self-catering flats and at the University Village at Handsworth Wood, 4 miles from the campus. Just over 1/3 of the rest of students can also be housed, including most finalists. The Village offers the choice of catered hall places in Handsworth Hall (178 places) or 2 smaller houses, or self-catering flats (in groups of 6), often reserved for mature students. Almost every room is single and most areas are mixed. There is limited provision (66 places) for married couples (without children) and free parking at the Village only. Students in self-catered rooms can rent them for an extra 8 weeks at half rent.[HDNG]EXTERNALLY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]A1[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Ave rent: ú32[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Availability:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Accommodation is cheap and easy to find.[EITAL] Selly Oak and Selly Park are the closest and the most student infested. [ITAL]Harbourne is a bit posher, where yuppie, filofax-flashing students park their Golf GTIs (elsewhere parking ain't so easy, but cars aren't necessary). It's quieter and not so much of a student ghetto, unlike King's Heath and Moseley, the homes of the more bohemian students and which are really cheap and have a villagey feel, [EITAL]but are further from the University (2 to 3 miles).[ITAL] Edgbaston is Brum's poshest part, but, the part of Edgbaston that's near the cricket ground is a red light district, quite run down, poor, multi-racial - being so cheap, it's ideal for students. [EITAL] [ITAL]Incidentally, they often get propositioned (ú20 in the car, ú25 in a bed - fancy being a [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH] [ITAL]researcher?). The scuzzier parts of Balsall Heath are best avoided. [EITAL][PARA][PARA][STAT][BULL] Renting: 40%[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Housing help:[EBOLD] The Students Advisory Centre offers standard renting contracts and help with landlords, [ITAL]but students don't need much help - there's plenty of University-managed accommodation and housing around town.[EITAL][PARA][PARA]
