The best places to stay are on the west of the city, in areas such as Haymarket, Dalry, Gorgie, Chesser, Slateford, Currie, Juniper Green and Balerno. See the full map in the Accommodation Guide.
If you are using public transport to get the campus, then you should look for a property on the 25, 34 or 45 Lothian Buses routes.
You can expect to pay £400 - £450 per room or £550-£650 for a one bedroom flat. These prices do not include bills, so make sure you budget for these in addition to your rent. The cost of your bills will depend on the kind of property, type of heating and the type of windows. (If you'd prefer to pay for your accommodation and bills all together, you should consider private student-only accommodation, which usually includes all living costs in the same way as halls of residence.)
Finding a flatmate
There are several ways you can find a flatmate to help share the cost of living in a privately rented property:
There are several ways you can find a flatmate to help share the cost of living in a University leased flat:
Exchange and one semester students
If you are only in Edinburgh for one semester, here are some options for finding short term accommodation:
- On-campus accommodation through the University may be available for one semester depending on availability. Please email halls@hw.ac.uk for further information.
- Private student accommodation providers in the city may be able to offer student accommodation for one semester or the full academic year depending on availability. City Room Rentals can advise on rooms availability and costs for all of the student housing providers in the city. They can be contacted on +44 (0)131 210 0050 or by emailing booking@cityroomrentals.co.uk. As this type of accommodation is like halls of residence this can be booked in advance without viewing and is a secure option for advanced bookings.
- Student lodgings may have availability for one semester. These can be found by looking on www.studentpad.co.uk.
ACCOMMODATION WEBSITES
https://www.facebook.com/groups/flatmateHW/ - this is a Heriot Watt FB Page for students looking to find flat mates.
https://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/edinburgh/off-campus/private-rented-accommodation.htm - Heriot Watt advice for finding accommodation
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/student-accommodation/Edinburgh.html - rightmoves website which advertises student accommodation
http://www.crm-students.com/crm-accommodation/edinburgh/ - student accommodation website advertising shorter term lets for students
https://www.studentpad.co.uk/institution/heriot-watt-university
http://www.unitestudents.com/edinburgh
https://www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/edinburgh - spare room website
https://www.homestay.com/scotland/edinburgh - host family website
http://www.homestayin.com/Edinburgh?page=1 – another host family website