Manchester students offered halls in Liverpool and Huddersfield

A student who has been offered housing over 30 miles away from university has said it is "very stressful" and he is worried about commuting to lectures.

Joe Carman, 18, is among about 250 new students at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) who have been offered digs in Liverpool and Huddersfield.

He said he would miss out on the "halls experience" if he lived elsewhere.

MMU said 2% of freshers were affected after "more offer-holders than anticipated" accepted places.

Mr Carman, who is from Leeds, said: "I chose to go to Manchester Metropolitan University to live in Manchester.

"I don't know where I am going right now so it's very stressful.

"I'm on the waiting lists for all the students halls but I've been told there is over 100 people on them and it's just not realistic - I'm not going to move into a hall."

He is instead desperately searching for a private house in Manchester where he can move in with other students as he starts his degree in Animal Behaviour and Conservation.

"Nothing for me is confirmed right now and I'm meant to be moving in two weeks. I can't prepare for anything mentally or get anything because I don't know what I need," he said.

"Halls are like one big experience of university. Personally I'm not bad with anxiety but someone who was had bad social anxiety, then moving in with second and third years who could already be in an established friendship group, it's not ideal is it?"

The 18-year-old said he was concerned about relying on public transport, for a round trip which could take up to two hours, if he lived in Liverpool or Huddersfield.

MMU said it would cover travel costs, adding: "We know that this will be disappointing for [students], and we are doing everything we can to find them rooms in Manchester as soon as we can."

Zoe Cooke, who helps run What I Wish I Knew About University web forum for students' parents, said: "If you're commuting from home or from an hour away, how are you going to get back after parties or any events or socials?

"This year has been particularly bad because you had a lot of kids who deferred last year because of the Covid situation so I do think a lot of places have been offered that potentially shouldn't have been."

MMU said: "Manchester is an incredibly popular student city and there is significant demand for accommodation.

"We have offered places to our target student numbers this year and planned our accommodation based on long-term experience of how many of those offers are likely to be accepted, while also building in a considerable cushion."

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