Room allocation
Queens' College provides three years of accommodation for undergraduate students either on Silver Street, or at Owlstone Croft.
Prospective first year undergraduates will be asked to indicate their preference for the different types of accommodation likely to be available to them via a web link. As far as possible, rooms will then be allocated in August according to these choices, with a random mix of gender and subjects in all buildings. It is impossible to guarantee that the College will be able to satisfy everyone's preferences though and students may find they have been allocated a room which is not one of their top choices. The majority of first year undergraduates are housed in bedsits in Cripps or Friars Buildings.
Second year students will be asked to indicate their preference for the different types of accommodation via a web link. Rooms are allocated according to the position they draw in a random room ballot.
Third year students will be asked to indicate their preference for the different types of accommodation via a web link.
Students who require four years of College-provided undergraduate residence will be offered the opportunity to apply for College accommodation away from the central site through the Postgraduate room ballot process. Details of this ballot are circulated in April/May each year.
Students should note that room availability may change each year. Up to date lists will be posted on line prior to the ballot.
Charges shown are for the current year and are subject to change. They will be updated once they have been agreed for the forthcoming academic year.
General information
The character of the rooms on the central site varies greatly depending on the building although all have central heating, washing facilities and close access to showers, toilets and basic kitchens (gyp rooms). An increasing number of rooms also have en-suite facilities but the level of demand for these is such that it is not possible to provide en-suite accommodation to all students who request it.
Bedrooms are typically furnished with a single bed, wardrobe, drawers, shelves, desk, office chair, study lamp, bedside table, bedside lamp, easy chair/s and waste paper bin. An exact room inventory will be available to students on arrival.
Each room has a duvet, pillow, pillow protector and mattress protector provided. Bed linen is not provided although a pack can be ordered to be in your room on arrival. You will be asked if you want to order a bedding pack as part of the accommodation allocation process.
Internet connection is available in all central site rooms.
All bedrooms are, as decided by the JCR, centrally heated during the 70-day periods of residence in the Michaelmas and Lent terms and students must pay appropriate central heating charges. Details of these and other charges are available in the document "Schedule of Fees and Charges to Members".
Gyp rooms (kitchens) are available in all buildings on site. Gyp rooms are equipped with a refrigerator and electric rings and are only intended to provide for light cooking. No ovens are provided and self catering is not encouraged on the central site.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served cafeteria-style in the Buttery in the Cripps Dining Hall every weekday during term. The Buttery is open to all College members (not just those living on the central site). On Saturdays and Sundays a brunch is served instead of a separate breakfast and lunch. In addition to the Buttery, a Formal Hall dinner is served most evenings with waitress service. Food is also available in the College bar and conservatory.
View a typical cafeteria menu.
Ballot Information
Queens' College Accommodation Allocation 2023-24
Queens' College Anomalous Households 2023-24
Queens' College Welfare Exemptions Policy 2023-24
4th Year undergraduate accommodation
4th year undergraduate students, are eligible to apply for College accommodation.
Those requiring accommodation are invited to apply via the Graduate ballot and details on how to do this are sent out during Easter Term. The ballot order is generated based on previous time spent in Queens’ accommodation ie, the less time you have spent in accommodation, the more favourable your ballot position.
It should be noted that incoming students are given priority when allocating rooms, and offers can only be made to those on the ballot once all newly registered students have been housed.
Often this process is not complete until early July, and it may not be possible to notify current students of their success in the graduate ballot until later in the summer. However, the Accommodation Officer will try and give an indication of the likelihood of success as early as possible, and once numbers of new students are confirmed.
Therefore accommodation for continuing students is not guaranteed .
The ballot is weighted by placing students into one of the following categories:
- commencing graduates from overseas universities;
- commencing graduates from other UK universities;
- continuing students, eligible next year, who have had no time in a College room previously as a graduate student;
- continuing students, eligible next year, who have had one previous year in a College room;
- continuing students, eligible next year, who have had two previous years in College rooms;
- continuing students, eligible next year, who have had three or more previous years in College rooms;
- students who will not be paying fees for the entire academic year or do not meet all the eligibility criteria.
With this in mind, students may wish to investigate alternative options elsewhere. The following links may be useful:
https://www.unilodgers.com/uk/cambridge/the-cam-foundry
https://www.unilodgers.com/uk/cambridge/the-railyard-cambridge
https://www.universityliving.com/united-kingdom/cambridge/nido-castle-hill-accommodation