This year saw South African universities enrol more than 1 million students. While the growing demand for higher education is positive, the sad reality is that many of those students will struggle to find accommodation. Currently, there are 500,000 fewer student accommodation slots than needed and that shortfall will push many thousands of students into making desperate choices.
Bronwyn Boavida, Managing Director of Respublica Student Living says, “Unfortunately, the combination of prospective tertiary students not always being familiar with the cities they are moving to, and the high demand for places means that future first years can find themselves in accommodation that is expensive and completely inappropriate for their needs,”
With exams in full swing and the prospect of a long holiday looming on the horizon, considering all the different amenities one may need in your first year may seem like unnecessary admin but getting it done now, can ease your future stress levels.
With its custom-designed, all-inclusive, and state-of-the-art residences in Johannesburg, Midrand, Pretoria, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and Bloemfontein, Respublica offers the perfect blend of options for would-be students to reach their maximum potential. To that end they have compiled a list of things to consider when looking for the perfect student accommodation:
Safety:
Sadly, South Africa is a country that has always struggled with crime. Being a young student in a new city can make you particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous characters. With 24-hour security, round-the-clock CCTV monitoring and cutting-edge biometric access, Respublica is committed to keeping young South Africans as safe as possible during their studies.
Amenities:
Part of what it takes to be able to fulfil your potential is having the right tools at your disposal. Moving into a new res is difficult enough without worry about Wi-Fi, laundry or where the nearest gym is. Fortunately, Respublica’s list of amenities is unmatched. They include:
- Limitless Wi-Fi throughout the res
- Parking
- Weekly bedroom cleaning
- Computer labs
- Laundry services
- Study rooms with individual desks
- Onsite gym
- Apartments have their own kitchens and bathrooms
- DStv and much more.
Lifestyle:
It is often said that at university, you learn as much outside the lecture hall as you do within it. It is a time when people grow and find themselves. Much of that is down to the joys of campus life. Enjoying a holistic university experience means being able to take part in a full suite of res activities, academic support, socials and more.
Through the Res Life Education Programme students can integrate their learning and living environments to create an on-campus experience even though they live off campus. The objective of the programme is to foster openness, civility, maturity, and respect, while encouraging students to engage with their community in pursuits that make university such an enriching experience.
Boavida concludes, “Our ResLife programme is our pride and joy. Through it, students can participate in a wide range of activities, get academic support, access to onsite mental wellness support and essentially immerse themselves in the university experience. Varsity is one of the best times of many people’s lives and can be incredibly formative, we just want to help nurture that.”
