January start postgraduate students
Welcome to Keele University! While most students begin their studies in September, we're delighted to welcome an increasing number of students who start in January. If you're joining us in January, your accommodation options differ slightly from the September intake. This guidance will help you understand your choices and navigate the application process smoothly.
Postgraduate students starting in January must apply for accommodation under the 51-week licence agreement length. This is because this matches your course length and as you're joining later in the academic year, a smaller selection of Halls of Residence and room types are available.
Study length
When applying, please select the 'Full' option.
Licence agreement length
Choose the '51 Week' option. Other options such as Single Semester, 38-week, or 41-week contracts are not suitable for Postgraduate January start students.
The following Halls of Residence and room types are available for the January 2026 start (51-week occupancy):
- Lindsay Hall – Standard Plus rooms
- Barnes Hall – Standard Shared Flats rooms
- Oaks Hall – En-suite rooms
- Barnes Hall – Superior En-suite rooms
When using the ‘Preference Preview’ area of the accommodation portal:
- Select the correct Academic Year
- Choose your Applicant Type: either Postgraduate New or Postgraduate Returning
Please note:
- The fees shown in the accommodation portal are for September start 51-week occupancy.
- The January start 51-week occupancy includes 4 additional nights.
- For accurate fee details, please visit our accommodation fees webpage.
You can apply for accommodation as early as February for a January start the following year, once you've accepted your course offer.
To avoid confusion with September applications:
- Your application may be temporarily rejected in the portal with the reason listed as '2nd semester application'.
- It will appear as 'withdrawn', but don’t worry — this is part of our internal process.
We begin allocating January start applications between mid to late October. Once your application is enabled within the accommodation portal by the Student Accommodation team, you’ll receive an accommodation offer shortly after.
If you haven’t received an offer by the end of October, and you're starting in January, please contact the Student Accommodation team.
If you have questions or need support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Student Accommodation team. We’re here to help!
Apply early, choose the right options, and get ready to join our vibrant campus community in January!
