Secure your accommodation

What to bring:

Tick off your items as you pack to make sure you don't forget anything!

• Print off and bring your Accommodation Boarding Pass
• A duvet and pillows (please note that these are not provided by the University)
• Bed linen
• Toiletries
• Clothes
• Crockery / cutlery / cooking equipment
• A clock
• Towels
• Tea towels
• Some photos / small personal items to make your room feel homely and cosy!
• An adaptor if you're bringing electrical items from overseas

If you'd like to bring fairy lights, these must be battery-operated LED type, CE kite marked and purchased in the UK.  

Any electrical equipment that you bring (hairdryer, hair straighteners, lamps, etc) must be PAT tested. If you can't do this before you arrive, don't worry - we provide a free testing service in each hall. 

If you’d like to order items before you arrive you can kit yourself out for uni through our friends at either Chaffinch or UniKitOut.

You can order bedding, kitchen, bathroom kits and more, plus save 10% with discount code KEELE10 if you decide to order anything through UniKitOut - or there’s free delivery with discount code Keele2015 if you decide to order anything from Chaffinch.

The Great Donate is a student-led scheme and will be around during Welcome Week with stalls in front of the Students’ Union selling used, but in good condition, pots, pans, plates, cutlery, stationary, clothes hangers etc. 

It's green, it's cheap, it raises funds for student sustainability projects - and it's one less thing to bring with you! 

Find out more at The Great Donate on Facebook.

What NOT to bring:

• Candles and other items that have a naked flame
• Mini fridge (if you need a mini fridge for medical purposes, we can provide this for you - please contact support.dds@keele.ac.uk)
• Additional kitchen appliances, including but not limited to: deep fat or air fryers, microwaves or grills of any kind 
• Heaters
• Extension cables - these must be PAT tested before they are used or you can buy one from our campus store
• Items that need hanging up with nails or hooks - you will be charged for any damage caused by using these items
• Weapons, knives, imitation guns
• Pets or animals (including fish)

Please have a look at our move-in day web page.

After the first two weeks of any semester, you are allowed to have a guest stay in your room but you must register their stay on the Accommodation Portal.

More information can be found on our Guest accommodation page.

• You will need to pay a £450 Advance Payment by Thursday 31st August for September arrivals and as soon as possible after accepting your offer for January arrivals. 
• This payment consists of a £150 room deposit that is refundable when you leave (less any charges for damage) and a £300 advance payment which will be deducted from your first instalment of accommodation fees. 
• You will then pay online by instalments on the payment dates shown on the Sort your Money and Finance page.  

If you spot that something isn't working as it should, please log this via the Service Desk - the sooner we know about it, the sooner we can fix it. 

• Log in to the Service Desk
• Choose the 'Accommodation' tile
• Choose 'Request a repair' (and choose the type) from the options on the right
• Complete and submit the form
• Want to know how the repair is progressing? Log back into Service Desk and check on the logged repair

Find out how we prioritise repairs to ensure health and safety on this Accommodation web page.

All campus bedrooms have the following as standard:

• A bed (beds are single, except in en-suite plus rooms which have 3/4 size beds and en-suite superior rooms which have either 3/4 size or double beds)
  •  You can find out what size bed you will have in our accommodation section.
• Carpet
• Curtains or blinds
• A wardrobe
• Shelves
• A desk and chair
• A notice board
• A mirror
• Free Wi-Fi

The kitchens in halls each have:

• A cooker and microwave
• A fridge and freezer
• A sink with hot and cold water (cold water is suitable for drinking)
• Worktop space and cupboards
• A kettle
• Do not bring any additional kitchen appliances, including but not limited to: deep fat or air fryers, microwaves or grills of any kind

If you would like to, you can order a kitchen starter pack and bed linen through our friends at either Chaffinch or UniKitOut. 

You can order bedding, kitchen, bathroom kits and more, plus save 10% with discount code KEELE10 if you decide to order anything through UniKitOut - or there’s free delivery with discount code Keele2015 if you decide to order anything from Chaffinch. 

We have five launderettes on campus that are open to everyone (you will need your Keele Card to access) - 2 at Barnes, 1 at Horwood, 1 at Holly Cross and 1 at Lindsay.

You can check if there is a washing machine available in the campus laundrettes before you leave your room - just tap the 'Laundry Service' tile on your Keele App!

The washing machines don't have a drawer for washing powder softener so you should load your powder or capsules directly into the drum.

It's a good idea to buy a 2-in-1 detergent that includes softener as this can't be added separately like in your washing machine at home.

There are clear contact numbers displayed in the launderettes for any assistance or help if needed.

When you stay in the halls of residence at Keele University, your accommodation fee includes contents insurance on your belongings. Visit our page on contents insurance for more information.

Keele University is located in North Staffordshire, close to the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Many of our students already live in the local area prior to beginning their studies at Keele, and some students also choose to live off campus in the local area.

Finding off-campus accommodation

If you are looking to live off campus, we have plenty of information to help you with your search. If you’re bringing your family with you, you will need to look in the local area for accommodation as there is no family housing on campus.

We have our own off-campus accommodation search engine keelestudentpad.co.uk where any landlord or institution advertising with us must have up-to-date certificates for gas, electricity and energy performance, and be accredited with a UK-wide landlord accreditation scheme. 

You can also view our House Hunting guidance for students.

Council tax

Full-time students do not have to pay council tax, so if you live in University halls or a house where everyone is a full-time student, you shouldn’t receive a bill from the council. Towards the end of October each year, Keele University sends a list to Newcastle Borough Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Cheshire East Council confirming the names of all full-time students, therefore you should not need to provide the council with any documentation confirming your student status. If you live outside of these local council areas, you can obtain a Student Status letter from your eVision account to provide to your council.

Please note: if you are a resident in a house with someone who is not a full-time student, you may be liable for paying a proportion of the council tax for that property. If you think you should be exempt but are still getting a bill, contact the Student Accommodation Office or Advice and Support at Keele (ASK) in the Students’ Union for guidance.

Find out more about accommodation

Please have a browse through our accommodation web pages and get in touch if you have any questions. We can help with a range of off-campus queries, including questions about your contract or landlord.