By Rob McLaren
Strathclyde students living in halls next year will face higher accommodation fees than their University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University counterparts.
The financial blow comes despite a successful campaign by the Strath Union to halt a planned increase in fees. Under university plans, students living in halls could have been expected to pay up to £580 per month in rent in the most expensive accommodations.
But following discussions between university officials and the Student Executive and Halls Reps, students moving into halls in 2019/20 will pay no more than their counterparts in 2018/19.
Currently, that amounts to £105 per week in the cheapest accommodation, Birkbeck Court, and £137 per week in the three most expensive halls, Chancellors Hall, James Goold Hall and James Young Hall.
However, the cheapest 39-week tenancy offered to Strathclyde students – £4,095 in Birkbeck Court – is still more expensive than the cheapest accommodation offered by Glasgow’s other two universities.
Residents of GU’s Cairncross House will pay £3,841 in 2019/20, while those living in GCU’s Caledonian Court are currently charged £3,891 for shared accommodation.
The campaign against rent increases represented the latest in a series of victories by the outgoing Student Executive on behalf of Strathclyde students.
Re-elected Strath Union President, Matt Crilly said: “I want to thank the Halls Reps and VP Support John Agbonrofo for their help and input in making this possible.
“This has been an amazing achievement for the Union. Providing safe and affordable accommodation is vital in ensuring students have a positive Strathclyde experience.”
In February, the Union was successful in its campaign to abolish student graduation fees, following a petition and an online poll in which over 1,200 students supported the abolition of fees.
Previously, students faced charges of £35 to attend their graduation, and £20 even if they did not attend the ceremony.
And in March, the outgoing Student Executive was rewarded for its efforts on behalf of students, being named as University Students’ Association of the Year at the NUS Scotland Awards.
