• •Safety. Egham is a small commuter town in Surrey with low crime by national standards. Egham Hill is a main road and well lit, and residents generally describe walking back from campus at night as unremarkable.
• •Green space. This is the standout. Windsor Great Park, Virginia Water Lake, Runnymede Meadows and the Thames path are all within walking or cycling distance, which very few UK student locations can claim.
• •Who is around. A mix of Royal Holloway students and a settled commuter population working in Staines, Heathrow and central London. It is a family town that happens to host a university.
• •What is around. Tesco, Sainsbury's and a Co-op cover the weekly shop in the town centre, with a handful of independent cafés, takeaways and pubs along the High Street.
• •Pace of life. Genuinely quiet, particularly outside term. Anyone used to a city centre will notice the difference immediately, for better or worse depending on temperament.
• •Transport texture. Egham station runs to London Waterloo in around 40 minutes and Reading in about 35. Heathrow is roughly 20 minutes by car or bus, which international students appreciate.

Supermarkets

• •Tesco Express, Egham High Street, roughly 10 minutes' walk
• •Sainsbury's, Egham, roughly 12 minutes
• •Co-op, Egham, roughly 11 minutes
• •Waitrose, Englefield Green, roughly 15 minutes

Cafés and student food

• •Café Nero and independent coffee shops along Egham High Street
• •Beehive and Happy Man pubs in Englefield Green, the traditional Royal Holloway locals
• •Egham High Street takeaways for late night food, though closing times are early
• •Royal Holloway Students' Union bars and cafés, eight minutes up the hill

Study and library

• •Royal Holloway Emily Wilding Davison Building library, open extended hours in term
• •Egham Library on High Street for free public study space
• •On site study areas and communal lounges

Gym and fitness

• •On site gym included in the rent
• •Royal Holloway Sports Centre with pool and courts
• •Windsor Great Park and the Thames path for running and cycling

Practical

• •Egham Post Office on High Street
• •Boots Pharmacy, Egham
• •St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, for urgent care

What the property provides

• •Bed, desk, chair, wardrobe and storage in every room
• •Private bathroom in en-suites and studios
• •Fitted kitchen with oven, hob, microwave and fridge
• •Heating, Wi-Fi and all utility bills within the rent
• •Access to gym, games room, courtyard, laundry room and package room

Bring or buy on arrival

• •Bedding, duvet, pillows and towels, none of which are provided
• •Kitchen essentials if you are in a studio, since you will be cooking solo
• •A UK plug adaptor and extension lead
• •Cleaning supplies, washing up liquid and bin bags
• •A clothes airer and a decent umbrella, since Surrey weather is changeable

Day one

• •Book your arrival slot in advance and collect keys from the site team
• •Complete the inventory form and photograph any pre-existing marks or damage
• •Connect to Wi-Fi and save the maintenance and security contact numbers
• •Do a first shop at Tesco Express or Co-op on Egham High Street
• •Meet flatmates and agree basic kitchen ground rules early

Day two

• •Walk up to campus so the route and timing are familiar before lectures start
• •Register with a local GP surgery in Egham or Englefield Green
• •Set up a railcard if you plan regular trips into London from Egham station
• •Open a UK bank account using your tenancy letter as proof of address
• •Take a walk into Windsor Great Park, which is the reason many people love living here

• •Total cost. En-suites start around £256 per week and studios around £295 per week. Over a typical 44 to 51 week contract that is roughly £11,300 to £15,000 depending on room grade and length.
• •What is included. Electricity, water, heating, gas, internet and contents insurance sit inside the rent. Full time students are exempt from council tax with a university certificate.
• •Instalments. Payment plans usually run across two, three or four instalments aligned to term dates, with a full payment option that sometimes carries a discount.
• •Deposit and booking fee. The booking fee secures your chosen room and is credited towards your first rent instalment rather than held as a damage deposit.
• •Cooling off. For 2026/27 bookings there is no general cooling off period. Cancellation on or before 31 July is possible, with the booking fee retained outside the protected circumstances.
• •No Visa No Pay. A refused UK student visa cancels the tenancy with rent refunded, provided written confirmation and official evidence are sent within 72 hours of the decision.
• •No Place No Pay. Missing or exceeding your grades and switching university allows cancellation, with UCAS or university evidence supplied within 72 hours of results day.
• •Guarantor. Instalment plans generally require a UK based guarantor. Without one, expect to pay in full or use an international guarantor service.

1. •Royal Holloway, University of London
2. •Brunel University London
3. •St Mary's University, Twickenham
4. •University of Surrey
5. •University of West London

What you should know before your child signs

• •The tenancy is fixed term. Rent is due for the full contract period even if your child leaves early, unless an approved replacement tenant is found.
• •All bills are inside the rent. Heating, electricity, water, gas, internet and contents insurance are covered, so no separate utility bills arrive during winter.
• •Council tax does not apply. Full time students are exempt, but a certificate must be requested from Royal Holloway to evidence it.
• •A UK guarantor is usually needed for instalments. Overseas families are typically asked to pay in full instead, or to use a paid international guarantor service.
• •The location genuinely removes travel costs. At eight minutes on foot from campus, there is no bus pass or train fare to budget for across the academic year.
• •Egham is a quiet town. That suits students who want calm, but it is worth checking your child is comfortable with limited local nightlife before signing.
• •The booking fee is prepaid rent. It goes towards the first instalment rather than being returned at the end of the tenancy.

• •Arrival. Heathrow is roughly 20 minutes away by car or bus, which makes Egham one of the easiest UK student towns to reach on arrival day. Book your move in slot before flying so the site team expects you, and consider a pre-booked airport transfer if you land with heavy luggage.
• •No UK guarantor. Most international students do not have a UK based guarantor and this is entirely normal. You can pay the year in full, which many families prefer for simplicity, or arrange a paid international guarantor service. Sort this before choosing a payment plan.
• •Visa safety net. Under No Visa No Pay, a refused UK student visa cancels the tenancy and rent paid is refunded. You must supply written confirmation and the official refusal letter within 72 hours of receiving the decision, so keep everything organised.
• •Setup. Open a UK bank account in your first fortnight using your tenancy letter as proof of address, register with a GP surgery in Egham or Englefield Green, and buy a UK SIM in town. Collect your BRP from the designated post office within ten days of arrival.
• •Home food. Egham itself has limited international grocery options, so most students travel to Staines or Hounslow, both under thirty minutes away, where South Asian, Middle Eastern, Polish and East Asian supermarkets are plentiful and considerably cheaper than the local chains.

• •Safety. Egham is a small commuter town in Surrey with low crime by national standards. Egham Hill is a main road and well lit, and residents generally describe walking back from campus at night as unremarkable.
• •Green space. This is the standout. Windsor Great Park, Virginia Water Lake, Runnymede Meadows and the Thames path are all within walking or cycling distance, which very few UK student locations can claim.
• •Who is around. A mix of Royal Holloway students and a settled commuter population working in Staines, Heathrow and central London. It is a family town that happens to host a university.
• •What is around. Tesco, Sainsbury's and a Co-op cover the weekly shop in the town centre, with a handful of independent cafés, takeaways and pubs along the High Street.
• •Pace of life. Genuinely quiet, particularly outside term. Anyone used to a city centre will notice the difference immediately, for better or worse depending on temperament.
• •Transport texture. Egham station runs to London Waterloo in around 40 minutes and Reading in about 35. Heathrow is roughly 20 minutes by car or bus, which international students appreciate.

Supermarkets

• •Tesco Express, Egham High Street, roughly 10 minutes' walk
• •Sainsbury's, Egham, roughly 12 minutes
• •Co-op, Egham, roughly 11 minutes
• •Waitrose, Englefield Green, roughly 15 minutes

Cafés and student food

• •Café Nero and independent coffee shops along Egham High Street
• •Beehive and Happy Man pubs in Englefield Green, the traditional Royal Holloway locals
• •Egham High Street takeaways for late night food, though closing times are early
• •Royal Holloway Students' Union bars and cafés, eight minutes up the hill

Study and library

• •Royal Holloway Emily Wilding Davison Building library, open extended hours in term
• •Egham Library on High Street for free public study space
• •On site study areas and communal lounges

Gym and fitness

• •On site gym included in the rent
• •Royal Holloway Sports Centre with pool and courts
• •Windsor Great Park and the Thames path for running and cycling

Practical

• •Egham Post Office on High Street
• •Boots Pharmacy, Egham
• •St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, for urgent care

What the property provides

• •Bed, desk, chair, wardrobe and storage in every room
• •Private bathroom in en-suites and studios
• •Fitted kitchen with oven, hob, microwave and fridge
• •Heating, Wi-Fi and all utility bills within the rent
• •Access to gym, games room, courtyard, laundry room and package room

Bring or buy on arrival

• •Bedding, duvet, pillows and towels, none of which are provided
• •Kitchen essentials if you are in a studio, since you will be cooking solo
• •A UK plug adaptor and extension lead
• •Cleaning supplies, washing up liquid and bin bags
• •A clothes airer and a decent umbrella, since Surrey weather is changeable

Day one

• •Book your arrival slot in advance and collect keys from the site team
• •Complete the inventory form and photograph any pre-existing marks or damage
• •Connect to Wi-Fi and save the maintenance and security contact numbers
• •Do a first shop at Tesco Express or Co-op on Egham High Street
• •Meet flatmates and agree basic kitchen ground rules early

Day two

• •Walk up to campus so the route and timing are familiar before lectures start
• •Register with a local GP surgery in Egham or Englefield Green
• •Set up a railcard if you plan regular trips into London from Egham station
• •Open a UK bank account using your tenancy letter as proof of address
• •Take a walk into Windsor Great Park, which is the reason many people love living here

• •Total cost. En-suites start around £256 per week and studios around £295 per week. Over a typical 44 to 51 week contract that is roughly £11,300 to £15,000 depending on room grade and length.
• •What is included. Electricity, water, heating, gas, internet and contents insurance sit inside the rent. Full time students are exempt from council tax with a university certificate.
• •Instalments. Payment plans usually run across two, three or four instalments aligned to term dates, with a full payment option that sometimes carries a discount.
• •Deposit and booking fee. The booking fee secures your chosen room and is credited towards your first rent instalment rather than held as a damage deposit.
• •Cooling off. For 2026/27 bookings there is no general cooling off period. Cancellation on or before 31 July is possible, with the booking fee retained outside the protected circumstances.
• •No Visa No Pay. A refused UK student visa cancels the tenancy with rent refunded, provided written confirmation and official evidence are sent within 72 hours of the decision.
• •No Place No Pay. Missing or exceeding your grades and switching university allows cancellation, with UCAS or university evidence supplied within 72 hours of results day.
• •Guarantor. Instalment plans generally require a UK based guarantor. Without one, expect to pay in full or use an international guarantor service.

1. •Royal Holloway, University of London
2. •Brunel University London
3. •St Mary's University, Twickenham
4. •University of Surrey
5. •University of West London

What you should know before your child signs

• •The tenancy is fixed term. Rent is due for the full contract period even if your child leaves early, unless an approved replacement tenant is found.
• •All bills are inside the rent. Heating, electricity, water, gas, internet and contents insurance are covered, so no separate utility bills arrive during winter.
• •Council tax does not apply. Full time students are exempt, but a certificate must be requested from Royal Holloway to evidence it.
• •A UK guarantor is usually needed for instalments. Overseas families are typically asked to pay in full instead, or to use a paid international guarantor service.
• •The location genuinely removes travel costs. At eight minutes on foot from campus, there is no bus pass or train fare to budget for across the academic year.
• •Egham is a quiet town. That suits students who want calm, but it is worth checking your child is comfortable with limited local nightlife before signing.
• •The booking fee is prepaid rent. It goes towards the first instalment rather than being returned at the end of the tenancy.

• •Arrival. Heathrow is roughly 20 minutes away by car or bus, which makes Egham one of the easiest UK student towns to reach on arrival day. Book your move in slot before flying so the site team expects you, and consider a pre-booked airport transfer if you land with heavy luggage.
• •No UK guarantor. Most international students do not have a UK based guarantor and this is entirely normal. You can pay the year in full, which many families prefer for simplicity, or arrange a paid international guarantor service. Sort this before choosing a payment plan.
• •Visa safety net. Under No Visa No Pay, a refused UK student visa cancels the tenancy and rent paid is refunded. You must supply written confirmation and the official refusal letter within 72 hours of receiving the decision, so keep everything organised.
• •Setup. Open a UK bank account in your first fortnight using your tenancy letter as proof of address, register with a GP surgery in Egham or Englefield Green, and buy a UK SIM in town. Collect your BRP from the designated post office within ten days of arrival.
• •Home food. Egham itself has limited international grocery options, so most students travel to Staines or Hounslow, both under thirty minutes away, where South Asian, Middle Eastern, Polish and East Asian supermarkets are plentiful and considerably cheaper than the local chains.