What to take to university

CONTENTS

1. Documents

2. Bedroom

3. Electronics

4. Clothes

5. Bathroom

6. Kitchen

7. Food and household goods

8. Helpful extras

9. Need to travel light?

Leaving home for the first time gives you a lot to think about. Once you’ve secured your uni accommodation, you’ll probably be thinking about what to take with you. Take a look at our suggestions to help you make your packing list for your first term at university.

Documents 

It’s good to have a plastic folder or sturdy envelope where you can keep all your important documents together in a safe place. You don’t need to bring masses, but we’d recommend you have the following documents with you for any eventualities. 

• Travel documents -Passport and/or ID and Visa if you need one.  
• Emergency contact numbers 
• Bank details, bank card and credit card. 
• University acceptance letter – this can be useful if you want to open a student bank account. 
• Student finance documents 
• Any travel or contents insurance documents  
• NI number – if you have one, this will make it easier for you to start a part-time job. 
• NHS number – if you have one, don’t worry if not you will still be able to register with a local GP

Bedroom

Most university halls will provide you with essential furniture like a bed, mattress, desk, chair, lamp, and wastepaper basket. You should check your accommodation provider’s website to see exactly what’s provided in the room. Everything else will be down to you. Below is a list of essentials you should take with you and some extras to make it feel like home. You can also order bedding packs online to be delivered to your accommodation for your arrival.

• Duvet  
• Pillows 
• Duvet covers and sheets (we recommend two so you can wash one and use one) 
• Decorations to make you feel at home, such as photos, posters, cushions, or cuddly toys. 
• Stationery 
• Books – You don’t need to take your entire collection, but your current read plus a few extra should do it. You can always swap books with your fellow residents as you get to know them.  

Electronics 

Before you start to pack any electronic item,  visit your accommodation provider’s website to check the rules. Some items are banned for safety reasons. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that any electronics you pack carry the CE mark. This mark shows that it has been tested by the manufacturer and has been shown to meet EU safety requirements. Look at our suggestions below. 

• Laptop 
• Phone and charger  
• Headphones  
• Extension lead – the surge protected ones are best 
• Desk lamp 
• Fairy lights – these are popular with uni students to add a little ambiance as candles and tealights are not allowed, go for battery-operated ones as they are more likely to comply with accommodation rules 
• Bluetooth or UBS speakers  

Clothes  

Try not to bring too many! Remember wardrobe space will be limited and you don’t need to weigh yourself down or not leave enough space for any new finds. If you’ll be travelling home for the Christmas holidays you can swap out some items to refresh your look. Check online for some hints and tips for preparing a capsule wardrobe. We also recommend clothes you can layer as the weather in the UK for the first term of uni can be unpredictable.  Here are a few suggestions:  

• Underwear 
• Trainers 
• Boots for cold or wet weather 
• Smart shoes for going out or job interviews 
• Casual clothes 
• Going out clothes 
• A smart outfit for interviews 
• Jumpers 
• Waterproof coat 
• Gym wear 
• Spare hangers – there are never enough! 

Bathroom

You don’t need to bring everything with you if you have the budget to shop when you arrive, just enough for you to have a wash and brush your teeth on the first night will do it. We also suggest purchasing a shower caddy or wash bag if you have been assigned a shared bathroom, this makes it easier when travelling from your room to the bathroom.   

• Toothbrush and toothpaste 
• Shampoo 
• Conditioner 
• Body wash/soap 
• Razors  
• Sanitary products 
• Skincare 
• Towels – one to use and one to wash should be enough 
• Hand towels and soap/handwash 
• First aid kit and any medication you take regularly (e.g. plasters, painkillers, prescription medications, contraception.) 

Kitchen 

Food and household goods

When it comes to food and household goods for your student accommodation you have a number of choices. You can either bring some essentials to start you off, plan to do your first grocery shop with your new housemates, or get a shop delivered to your new home for your arrival. However, you should check with your accommodation provider before making any orders as sometimes big orders are restricted during the busy moving in week. However, if you are travelling from outside the UK you may want to bring some things that you may not be able to get here like your favourite cereal or sweets for some home comforts. If you decide to bring it all with you though, here’s a helpful shopping list:  

• Tea/coffee/sugar 
• Milk 
• Bread 
• Breakfast cereal 
• Tinned beans 
• Packet noodles 
• Washing up liquid 
• Laundry detergent/conditioner 
• Toilet paper 
• Bin bags 
• Cling film/foil 
• Cleaning spray 
• Cleaning cloth 

Helpful extras 

There are a few extra bits that you can either bring with you or pick up locally when you arrive to make your new home feel a bit more functional. 

• Laundry basket – you don’t want to leave your dirty underwear all over the floor!  
• Clothes horse – this will save you money on using the dryer in the laundry room and keep your clothes in better condition.  
• Command strips or blu-tack to hang posters – nails, screws, and anything that will strip paint from walls are prohibited in student accommodation.  

Need to travel light?  

If you are travelling from abroad or via public transport to your new accommodation, bringing all the things listed above may not be an option for you. Luckily, there are services like UniKitOut to help. They offer a range of bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom packs so everything you need can be ordered and ready and waiting for you in your halls before you arrive. UniKitOut has partnerships with around 250 unis and student housing providers in the UK so check out your provider website to see if there are any discount codes or prior arrangements for delivery. Just googling UniKitOut and your uni name should bring up the results you need.