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Before you actually move to a foreign country for your education, a proper accommodation has to be prepared in advanced so you can have comfortable place to relax after taking a huge step of life. Accommodation that you choose while studying abroad is going to be like your second home where you will spend next few years of your life. So, it is a big deal for not only students but his/her parents that their kid live a comfortable life.
In this article we will be discussing what type of accommodation will be best for you as a student in a foreign country. Before that you should know what are your options for residence. A students who is away from home have more options of accommodation than anyone. Students residence is generally categorized in two sections:
- On-Campus Residence
- Off-Campus Residence
Off Campus Residence
Off-Campus Residence is any place to live that is not located inside your university or college premises. This type of accommodation is provided by the univeristy and you have to find one yourself. Outside the university when you are finding some accommodation yourself, you have plenty of options to choose from according to your budget or taste. Types of Off-campus residence you can get are:
1. Flat
2. Private Hostel
3. House
4. Paying Guest
Flat:
A flat is a room some big building or plaza. There can one or more room in a flat. You can get whole flat of one room for yourself or you can share it with your friends or other class mates. Often flats also provide basic furniture with the flat however, most of it depends on how much you willing to spend. You can get from a poor flat to an expensive luxurious flat. How much a flat will cost you depends on the country you have chosen as study abroad destinations. In some countries you can find a flat in as low as 3 thousand Pakistani rupees and as expensive as up to 5 lac Pakistani rupees in other countries.
Private Hostel:
There are many private individuals who offer private hostels. They offer all facilities that any university hostel provides. In hostels you will have to share room with some other mates who can be your friends or you can also get whole room for yourself if you can afford. In hostels you don’t have to worry about any chores or billing and everything is provided to you even food service which costs extra.
House:
A private is also a good option to select as your residence while studying abroad, however, this can be most expensive mean of accommodation. A house for a single student can be pretty difficult to afford. If you have a whole bunch of friends who all wish to live together than you should get a private house. You will need to arrange everything from A to Z of your own. This accommodation is good if you can do all your chores yourself like cooking, cleaning and paying bills.
Paying Guest:
Paying guest might be best option for you if you want a family like feeling even while studying abroad. Paying guest lives in a house with a family that provides you room with all facilities and also takes care of your food and wash your clothes. However, for young student, it is easy to such accommodation. If you have a good reference, there is a chance that someone will take you in still no one wants to keep a young strange man in their house and it can be unsafe for female student to live in stranger’s house. Just so you know, Paying guest can be most expensive accommodation to get.
On Campus Residence
On campus residence, as the name suggests, is any accommodation that is located inside your university or college premises. On campus residence has its own pros and cons, mostly pros though. Inside university, you can live near to your all class fellows, department with every facility available there. There can be following types of accommodation you can get on campus.
1. Student Dormitories
2. Society, Fraternity/Sorority Houses
Student Dormitories:
Student dorms are provided by the university administration inside university. Dormitories are hostels that established with 
the premises of campus for students to live. Student dorms are also cheaper than off campus residence and they provide every facility that a student needs. In one room, from two to three students live. All basic needs like closet, beds and chairs (optional) are provided by the administration. You just pay whole years charges in advance and after that you got nothing to worry about. University also provided the facility of mess which is optional to avail. For mess, you will have to pay extra monthly basis.
the premises of campus for students to live. Student dorms are also cheaper than off campus residence and they provide every facility that a student needs. In one room, from two to three students live. All basic needs like closet, beds and chairs (optional) are provided by the administration. You just pay whole years charges in advance and after that you got nothing to worry about. University also provided the facility of mess which is optional to avail. For mess, you will have to pay extra monthly basis.Society, Fraternity/Sorority Houses:
If you join a fraternity, sorority, some society or club; they have a house of their in the campus where only members can live. These houses are also a great place to live with all your fellows of same group. This is not for free, if you are wondering, if you join one of them and live in the house, you will have to pay monthly charges and also take care of it along with all other mates.
· SEE ALSO: Why You Should Not Join Greek Houses
What Accommodation is Best to Live?
I have myself lived in Off campus residence and on campus residence and what I learned from this experience, I am going share it with you. First chose to live outside the university so I can have my privacy and freedom and you have to abide by some regulations of the hostel in the university. I had my freedom, however, I had to everything by myself like cleaning the house, paying bills, cooking and many other things like that. This was still not big problem even though I had to manage my job and studies with all the chores. But what I didn’t like was the loneliness. I was outside the university and there was another friend with me but we couldn’t have much fun and used to get very bored.
It is difficult to become paying guest besides I don’t think you should choose this option or you will bound yourself and won’t get to learn, enjoy and experience much.
Off campus hostel are not usually in good condition, cost extra and you still can’t feel comfortable there.
It is not very easy to become part of a fraternity or clubs etc. Even if you do, you don’t get to be right away after admission. There is complete procedure that you have to go through before that and some of that is not very likeable. In addition, they also cost extra.
If you live in university dormitories, you may have problems in first week if there is any ragging issue otherwise, you will find all your classmates there. University dorms are a place where you are always enjoying with your friends. Depending on the rules of the hall, you will see students playing, having fun in the mid night. You also get a lot of help in studies there. You can get security from the university. Everything you need is available near like your department and cafeterias. And the mess food of hostels is not as bad as people say it is. You are paying for the service, if you don’t like it you can just unsubscribe and get your mess security fee back.
What I recommend, University Dormitories are best for accommodation while studying abroad.
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