If your secured placement isn't within current commuting distance, you may need to find suitable alternative accommodation during your placement year. 

Before you start searching for accommodation:

• Ask the employing company/organisation whether they can recommend areas to search for accommodation

• Ask whether the company/organisation are welcoming other students on placement and, if so, whether you could by put in contact to potentially share accommodation

• Ask your university peers, friends and family whether they have any acquaintances in the local area to offer advice

Consider the commute:

It is important to consider commuting costs for any new accommodation.

Rent may be cheaper in one area but involve more travelling time and costs to the workplace. You may pay higher rent to live closer to the workplace, but you'd have a shorter and cheaper commute!

If your workplace has another University nearby, you could explore local private halls. You don't have to be a student at the local university to secure a tenancy. 

Student Housing at UoP will happily offer advice on how to safely find private rental accommodation in another city:

Student Housing

Telephone: 023 9284 3214

Email: student.housing@port.ac.uk 

During your sandwich placement year, your student course fees will be reduced.  However, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the ongoing cost of your reduced fees and a reduced rate Maintenance Loan. The amount you receive will depend on your circumstances.  Please refer to Placement Funding Fact Sheet

Information regarding current placement fees is available at www.port.ac.uk/tuitionfees, or by contacting the Student Finance Centre.   

How do I apply?

• On the application form, ensure you enter the correct version of your course, i.e. 4 years including placement or SW (Sandwich Year), as opposed to the 3 year version of your course

• State that you will be ‘on placement’ for terms 1, 2 and 3 of your course

• Confirm that you have opted for a Tuition Fee Loan during your placement 

• Confirm that you want the maximum maintenance loan available to you

The video below shows you how to update your application: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs3vH6gHXFE&t=2s

If you have any questions, please contact the Student Finance Centre for advice.

Student Finance Centre

Telephone: O23 9284 3014

Email: studentfinance@port.ac.uk

You will be exempt from paying Council Tax whilst on placement, as you are still classed as a full-time student.

If you live within the PO1 – PO6 postcode area of Portsmouth, the University will automatically inform Portsmouth City Council that you are exempt from paying council tax. 

If you live in a different council area during placement, you will need to obtain a Council Tax Certificate to confirm your status and send this to the council local to your placement accommodation.

For details on how to do this please click here.

You may need to pay (and then claim back) council tax whilst your new council processes your application for exemption. 

Although you're an undergraduate, you still need to pay tax and national insurance whilst on placement.

These legally required contribution payments will be deducted from your monthly payroll by the employer and paid directly to HMRC on your behalf.

We therefore recommend checking the financial viability of your offered placement, by using a Salary Calculator. This will allow you to work out your 'take home' monthly salary.

• Apply for a Totum Discount Card! You are eligible to use it during your placement year, as you are still classed as a full time student.   

• If you plan to travel by train, use an online Season Ticket Calculator to check costs, prior to accepting your placement. You can buy season tickets for a week, a month or year. Some companies provide Season Ticket Loans. 

• Students living and working in London during their placement year, are eligible apply for a reduced rate Oyster card.  For information on how to apply, CLICK HERE ‘reduced rate oyster card student placements’.