- 3 min read

How to find safe housing abroad during the pandemic

Sara's take:

As many dorms in the U.S. and abroad had to close due to the pandemic, some students are considering their options for off-campus housing.

But if you're a new student going overseas, it can be difficult to know where to look.

This week, Beauty Shaw from AmberStudent, a worldwide private accommodation provider, shares some tips and information on how they can help when it comes to housing for students commencing a degree abroad in these difficult times.

Written by guest blogger Beauty Shaw

These unprecedented times have shrouded the world in uncertainty, and this outbreak has created havoc most especially for students.

If you're an incoming fresher, commencing grad student or returning student, you probably have a bunch of questions on how Covid-19 will impact your student life, particularly regarding your housing situation.

But staying informed of the policies, safety measures and restrictions in a particular country or city is the best way to be prepared.

Is it safe to rent private accommodation for housing abroad?

During the onset of coronavirus, property owners faced many setbacks, struggling to pay their mortgages, as many renters weren't able to cover their payments.

Now that things are changing and everyone is getting used to the new normal, landlords have also started leasing out their properties to students again.

However, there are still certain limitations and precautions required.

For example, property owners can no longer rent out the full properties because of the new social distancing guidelines.

Now, owners can lease only half the property, reducing the number of tenants from before.

Owners will also have to sanitize their property regularly, and some are also giving individual relaxations on rent so that students who may have lost their part-time jobs can still make ends meet.

But no students or tenants will be allowed to enter into a lease in private accommodation without a proper medical check and health report, so it may be worth carrying a rapid test with you when you travel.

Where to begin?

Organizing your accommodation in advance can save you a lot of headaches and stress and give you the security you need when arriving in a new place.

There is nothing worse than arriving in a country with your suitcases and everything but not having a secure place to go.

And it's no secret that certain countries such as Germany, for example, don't often have on-campus housing for students, especially in the big cities, as it's just not in their culture.

Sure, there are so many options out there for private accommodation, but you can start by looking at the AmberStudent page.

As Southeast Asia's largest student accommodation provider, we are currently operational in more than 100 cities in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark & Ireland, with more than 20,000 listings on our platform.

In the UK, for example, you can find some secure student accommodation in Leicester, Cardiff and throughout England , with all the safety measures taken to safeguard against the virus.

How else can AmberStudent help you?

AmberStudent is committed to giving you the best experience and options for your student accommodation worldwide, and along with a safe and secure environment, you will also find excellent and affordable student accommodation for your new home.

We also provide students with around the clock, free, personalized assistance.

And most importantly, right now we are offering free cancellation for almost all properties, a policy devised especially for helping students in this time of uncertainty.

This flexibility is extremely important for your peace of mind as you begin (or return to) your life as a student overseas, and we are happy to help.