Affordable Student Accommodation Near IIE MSA

Finding affordable student accommodation near IIE MSA can be a challenging yet important part of your academic journey. The term “affordable” is difficult to define because it all relative. Relative to what you earn, relative to what you are willing to sacrifice and relative to what you define as a necessity. Therefore, what is affordable for one person may not be affordable to the next. However, we are going to try and offer some advice that will hopefully point you in the right direction. 

Moving into student accommodation requires a lot of thought and one of the biggest considerations is cost. Your options are either on campus accommodation, off campus student accommodation or private accommodation. Each of these has its pros and cons and each of these options will affect your budget and lifestyle differently.  

On campus accommodation 

IIE MSA offers student accommodation on campus that is either 4- or 6-bedroom apartments with shared kitchens and bathrooms. They provide a range of amenities including internet access, communal lunges, on-site parking and laundry facilities.  

The biggest pro with this accommodation is that you are always on campus and so you are never in a rush in the morning or stuck in the morning traffic on your way to campus. Additionally, you can take full advantage of the facilities offered on campus because home is a stone’s throw away.  

The biggest con that comes to mind might be the shared spaces. This means less privacy but if you are the social butterfly type this might be the kind of environment you could thrive in. The second con is that like all tertiary institutions, the on-campus accommodation fills up quite quickly, so you need to apply early to book your space. 

Private student accommodation 

Within the vicinity of IIE MSA there are two student accommodation complexes. The first of which is, The Village which is located right next-door to IIE MSA and is also where you will find KCI. The second is Campus Res, which is located across the street from campus. Campus Res offers double room apartments with two bedrooms each hosting two students and shared bathrooms and kitchens. 

The Village offers both a bachelor unit with your own kitchenette and bathroom, and twin sharing apartments with individual bedroom and shared kitchenette and bathroom. The pros and cons of private student accommodation are little more difficult to quantify because there is variety in the offerings.  

The biggest pro that comes to mind is the option of being able to have your own space. If you opt to stay at The Village, you’ll be sharing a fence with IIE MSA so much like those who opt to stay on campus you can also take full advantage of the campus facilities and know that you are a two-minute walk from home. 

Read More: Maximising Your Space in Student Accommodation

Private property rentals NEAR IIE MSA

If student accommodation doesn’t suit your fancy, then there are several complexes within the area, where you can rent an apartment. This option comprises of shared housing, stand-alone apartments and private flats. The options are endless. If you have a car then you can extend your search into surrounding suburbs as well, in the clearwater and honeydew area. 

The pros and cons of this type of accommodation is even more difficult to quantify given the variety in type of accommodation and area. There are certain things that you should take into consideration before choosing a place and this applies to all the different accommodation types. 

Safety concerns 

The most important thing to consider is safety. If you can, you should prioritise accommodation with 24/7 security. Ruimsig is a generally safe suburb, and gated complexes generally have controlled access at the gates as well as cameras and security staff. 

Room sharing 

If you want to live off campus in an apartment or cottage then you should consider then benefit s of sharing. Although you might lose some privacy, it will work out to be cheaper when you split the cost of rent. 

Transport and amenities 

Living off campus means you need to take transport and amenities into consideration as well. It is worth looking at the IIE MSA shuttle schedule to see if any of the routes stop near the place you are planning to stay. If not, then you need to think about the distance to campus and whether you will be affected by traffic and the cost of petrol over time.  

In terms of amenities, you want to stay in a place where performing your daily tasks is convenient. Ideally, they place you stay will have laundry facilities or would have laundry facilities that are nearby. Additionally, you would want to be in a place where grocery stores and the like are also easy to come by. 

Beware the hidden costs

On campus and private student accommodation will have most if not all additional costs built into the rental amount. This, however, may not be the case in private rentals. While rent might work out to be a little cheaper you should ask if it includes, utilities, like water, electricity and Wi-Fi. Additionally, take into consideration if the private rental is fully furnished or not and then decide if the cost of transporting furniture from home or buying new furniture is worth the price difference in rent. 

To boil all this down into a TL/DR

• Apply early for accommodation. The places closest to campus will sell out quickest. 
• Ask about what is included in the rental amount.
•  Visit the place you want to stay before committing. You don’t want to find any nasty surprises on move in day so make sure to know what you are getting yourself into. 
• Consider who your roommates are.

Sharing is a good way to cut cost but requires mutual trust, respect and open communication. That is why at KCI we prefer that you choose your own roommate, but if you don’t mind being placed with someone you don’t know yet we will try and make it happen. Think about your safety. It’s all good and well for your rent to be cheap but not at the cost of your safety. Anything could happen and it is better to be safe than sorry.  

Final Thoughts

Choosing accommodation is a balancing act between the cost of the place, the convenience of its location and amenities and the lifestyle you want to live. You might have to make sacrifices here and there to ensure that the place you choose if comfortable for you and is able to cater to both your academic success and your overall wellbeing. However it is not an impossible task, it just takes a little time and patience!