Student Accommodation in Exeter

Student Housing in Exeter

Exeter is a compact city with a big campus footprint, so where you live quickly becomes a practical choice: how fast you can get to lectures, how easy it is to do a food shop, and whether you can walk home after a night out without relying on pricey taxis.

Housr is here to make the search less chaotic. If you’re comparing student accommodation in Exeter, you can use Housr to browse student houses, narrowing it down by property size, cost, and location.

How to shortlist the right student home in Exeter

Commute to campus

Think about how far you’d want to be to the university - if you’re willing to travel that little bit further for in-person lectures, it opens up more options for you to find the right house for you. Find University of Exeter student housing here.

Property type

Depending on how many people you want to live with, search for either 1-3-bedroom student homes, 4-6 bedroom properties, or 7+ bedroom houses in Exeter.

Non-negotiables

The properties listed on Housr include bills as standard through a Housr Bills package, so you don’t have to worry about any additional costs beyond the advertised price. It lets you figure out exactly what’s left in your budget to spend on other important things, like car parking permits, gym subscriptions, or your eating-out budget.

Tenancy fit

While we recommend asking as many questions as possible when viewing a flat, there are a few specific questions that need to be addressed as soon as you’ve decided on a house for next year. Things like the tenancy start and end dates, contract length, deposit cost, and any guarantor requirements are essential knowledge to understand what’s required before you proceed with the tenancy.

What is Exeter’s student market like?

Exeter punches above its weight for student renters because a large university population is located in a city that is easy to navigate. Exeter’s local authority population was around 130,700 in 2021, while the University of Exeter alone has over 25,000 students; there’s a sizeable demand for rentals.

As a student, you get a good spread of housing options, but the good-value, good-location properties can go quickly once the main student letting season kicks off.

Parts of Exeter have stricter planning controls regarding the conversion of homes into HMOs, which can limit the rate at which the supply of new shared houses grows in certain areas. For students, this tends to manifest as increased competition in the most popular zones, as there’s a lack of new properties available each year, especially given the 17% increase in University of Exeter admission numbers over the last five years.

Good rail connections

Exeter works well for students who travel because the city has two stations:

• Exeter St Davids (EXD) on Bonhay Road is the main intercity station and the one most people use for longer journeys.

• Exeter Central (EXC) on Queen Street is handy if you live closer to the middle of town and aren’t venturing far.

Student discounts on intercity travel

Stagecoach offers discounted student passes in the Exeter area, valid for unlimited travel within the chosen zone with a valid student ID. If you’re travelling outside Exeter regularly, a Railcard can quickly pay for itself, especially on longer routes.

Student areas to consider in Exeter

Pennsylvania Road

Pennsylvania sits close to the Streatham side of Exeter, so it’s a common pick if you want to keep the morning commute simple. It’s also the kind of area where a “normal” terrace can feel very student-friendly because you’re surrounded by other renters.

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant is known for student houses that work well for groups, often with slightly better space for the money than closer-in pockets. It’s a good option if you want a shared living room and a kitchen you can actually cook in.

Heavitree

Heavitree is a strong shout for students whose timetable is centred on St Luke’s, or anyone who prefers a more residential area where you can properly switch off after lectures.

Browse student accommodation in Heavitree on Housr

Choosing between student houses, rooms, and studios

Student houses (whole-property groups)

This is the classic Exeter set-up for the second year onwards. It works best when you have a stable group, and you care about communal space. Look closely at kitchen size, fridge space, and whether the living room is actually usable. These details contribute more than you realise to whether your house feels fun or stressful by mid-term.

Rooms in shared houses

If you’re moving to Exeter solo, or your plans might change, renting a room can be the simplest route. You usually get a lower upfront commitment compared with taking a whole house, and it can be easier to find somewhere that is already furnished and ready to go. You can use Housr’s roomie feature on our app to find or fill spare rooms with other students. Download Housr on iOS here and on Android here.

Studios and private halls

If you want your own bathroom, your own kitchen setup, and fewer distractions, studios and smaller apartments are the obvious choice. You will end up paying more for the convenience, but it can be worth it!