Where you live while you study affects almost everything else: your budget, your commute, your social life, and how well you cope when things get stressful. This page brings together every article we've written to help you think it through properly, instead of leaving it as an afterthought.

You'll find breakdowns comparing residences, private student housing and shared digs, guidance on what actually drives the cost beyond rent, and practical advice on timelines, safety and how much independence you actually want in your first year. Each article is written with South African students in mind, covering the real options and trade-offs you'll actually be weighing up, not a generic checklist.

New articles get added to this page as we publish them, so it's worth checking back as your own plans take shape. There's no required order here, start with whatever question is most relevant to your situation right now.

Accommodation decisions tend to move fast once applications open, so the earlier you start researching, the more options you'll still have. Use these articles to go in informed, not rushed.