Aberdeen has two universities on opposite sides of the city, and where you live depends almost entirely on which one you attend. The University of Aberdeen sits in Old Aberdeen to the north; Robert Gordon University sits at Garthdee to the south-west. They are roughly five miles apart, and choosing accommodation without understanding that is the most common mistake students make here.
This guide covers both, plus the private market, the areas, and the booking timeline. If you're still comparing your options, explore our complete guide to student accommodation in Aberdeen for property recommendations, costs, popular student areas, and booking advice before making your final decision
A note on prices: rent figures in Aberdeen move with the local market, which is unusually cyclical. This guide covers structure, areas and trade-offs. Check current weekly rents directly with each university and provider before you budget, and see our UK-wide accommodation cost guide for national comparison.
The two universities, and why geography decides everything
University of Aberdeen is one of Scotland's ancient universities, founded in 1495, based at King's College in Old Aberdeen. Old Aberdeen is a distinct, historic, cobbled part of the city about a mile and a half north of the centre, built around the university itself. It is genuinely one of the more beautiful university settings in Britain.
Robert Gordon University is a modern institution based at Garthdee, on the south-western edge of the city beside the River Dee. The campus is purpose-built, consolidated on one site, and about three miles from the centre in the opposite direction.
The distance between them is the single most important planning fact in Aberdeen student accommodation. A flat that is convenient for one is inconvenient for the other. If you are choosing a private flat, decide which campus you are optimising for before you look at a single listing.
University halls
Both universities run their own accommodation and both prioritise first years.
University of Aberdeen houses students primarily in the Hillhead area, a large residential village to the north of the city between Old Aberdeen and the Bridge of Don, plus accommodation closer to King's College. Hillhead is the main first-year community.
Robert Gordon University provides accommodation at and around Garthdee, close to the campus.
The pattern is the standard UK one: apply as soon as you firm your offer, first years get priority, and halls are the sensible default for year one because they solve the social problem as much as the housing problem.
The private market and where to live
Aberdeen's private student market is well established, with purpose-built accommodation concentrated in and around the city centre, plus a substantial shared-house market.
The areas worth knowing:
| Area | Best for | Character |
| Old Aberdeen | University of Aberdeen | Historic, cobbled, quiet, university-centred |
| Hillhead | University of Aberdeen first years | Large student community, halls-heavy |
| City centre / Union Street | Either, with a commute | Shops, nightlife, transport hub |
| Rosemount | Either | Popular residential area, independent shops, walkable to centre |
| Garthdee | Robert Gordon University | Campus-adjacent, quieter, riverside |
| Bridge of Don | University of Aberdeen | Further north, cheaper, bus-dependent |
Rosemount deserves a mention as the compromise option. It is a well-liked residential neighbourhood within walking distance of the centre, with its own high street, and it is reachable from both campuses by bus. If you are in a household split between the two universities, which happens more often than you would think, Rosemount is usually the answer.
The city centre works if you want nightlife and transport, but it is a bus ride from both campuses rather than a walk from either. That is the trade-off Aberdeen forces that cities like Sheffield or Nottingham do not.
Aberdeen's granite, and the practical consequences
Aberdeen is built largely from local granite, which is why it is called the Granite City and why it looks unlike anywhere else in Britain.
Two practical consequences for renters.
Older granite tenement flats are common in the private market. They are handsome, often spacious, and can be cold. Heating and insulation quality varies enormously between properties that look identical from the street.
Ask about heating and EPC rating before you sign. In a city this far north, with genuinely long winters, the difference between a well-insulated flat and a poorly insulated one can be hundreds of pounds a year in heating. This matters more in Aberdeen than in most UK student cities, and almost nobody asks.
Our guide on what to look for when viewing a student property covers what to check.
The weather and the daylight
Worth being straightforward about, because it affects where you should live.
Aberdeen is one of the most northerly major cities in the UK. Winter days are short: in December it is properly dark by mid-afternoon. It is also coastal, which means wind.
The practical implication for accommodation choice: a twenty-minute walk that is pleasant in September is a different proposition in January when it is dark, wet and blowing off the North Sea. If you are choosing between a slightly more expensive flat close to campus and a cheaper one twenty minutes away, weight that more heavily in Aberdeen than you would in Bristol.
Bus links are good and you will use them.
When to book
The Aberdeen cycle follows the standard Scottish pattern:
- First years: apply for university halls as soon as you firm your offer. Scottish results come earlier than English ones, so the timeline runs slightly ahead.
- Second and third years: start looking in January and February for the following September. Groups form over the winter.
- Postgraduates and international students: purpose-built accommodation holds availability later than shared housing.
- Clearing arrivals: you are looking at remaining halls stock and PBSA in August. Move fast.
Aberdeen's market is less brutal than Edinburgh's or Bristol's, which means there is usually something available late. That is a genuine advantage of the city and worth knowing if your plans change.
What Aberdeen gets right
Two things students consistently rate.
The coast and the countryside. Aberdeen has a proper beach within walking distance of the centre, and the Cairngorms are around an hour and a half away. For an outdoors-inclined student, that combination is hard to beat anywhere in the UK.
Compactness. Despite the campus split, Aberdeen is a walkable, manageable city. You are not dealing with Manchester's scale or London's transport costs.
FAQs
Q: Where should I live as a student in Aberdeen?
A: It depends on your university. Old Aberdeen and Hillhead suit University of Aberdeen students; Garthdee suits Robert Gordon University students. Rosemount and the city centre work for either with a bus commute.
Q: How far apart are Aberdeen's two universities?
A: Roughly five miles. The University of Aberdeen is in Old Aberdeen to the north, and Robert Gordon University is at Garthdee to the south-west.
Q: Is Aberdeen expensive for students?
A: Aberdeen is generally more affordable than Edinburgh and well below London. Local rents have historically moved with the energy sector, so check current figures rather than relying on older guides.
Q: Do I have to live in halls in first year in Aberdeen?
A: No, but both universities prioritise first years for their own accommodation and it is the usual choice, largely because it solves the social side as well as the housing.
Q: What is Old Aberdeen like?
A: A historic, cobbled area about a mile and a half north of the city centre, built around the University of Aberdeen's King's College. Quiet, attractive and university-centred.
Q: When should I start looking for student accommodation in Aberdeen?
A: Apply for halls as soon as you firm your offer. For private housing in second and third year, start in January or February for the following September.
Q: Should I worry about heating in Aberdeen flats?
A: Yes, more than in most UK cities. Older granite tenements are common and insulation quality varies widely. Ask about the heating system and EPC rating before signing.
