Accommodation is the second-biggest line in your budget after tuition — and the area where new international students are most often scammed. Get it right and your first weeks are smooth; get it wrong and you can lose a deposit before you’ve even boarded the plane. Here’s how to do it safely.

Your three main options

• check_circle University halls / student residences: easiest and safest for your first year. Booked through the university, all-inclusive bills, built-in community. Usually the priciest per week but the lowest-stress.
• check_circle Private shared flats / student housing (PBSA): cheaper, more independent, but you handle contracts, bills, and flatmates. Better once you know the city.
• check_circle Homestay: living with a local family, often with meals included. Gentle landing for younger students; less independence.

For most Sri Lankan students arriving for the first time, university halls for year one is the sensible default — even if slightly pricier — because it removes the contract-and-scam risk while you find your feet.

The golden rule: never pay before you verify

Almost every accommodation scam works the same way: a too-good listing, pressure to pay a deposit immediately to “hold” it, and a request to send money by an irreversible method to someone you’ve never met. Protect yourself:

• check_circle Never pay a deposit for a private flat you (or a trusted person) haven't seen or verified
• check_circle Be suspicious of below-market rent and urgency — both are bait
• check_circle Don't send money by wire transfer, gift cards, or to a personal account on trust
• check_circle Book through the university or a recognised accommodation provider for year one
• check_circle Verify the landlord and that the property and listing are real

Understand deposits before you sign

A deposit is normal; losing it shouldn’t be. In some countries (e.g. the UK) deposits must legally be held in a government-approved deposit-protection scheme — if a private landlord won’t use one, that’s a red flag. Before you pay anything for a private let:

• check_circle Read the tenancy contract fully — length, rent, what's included, notice period
• check_circle Confirm how and where the deposit is protected
• check_circle Get a receipt and keep every message in writing
• check_circle Know the rules for getting your deposit back at the end

Budget realistically

Accommodation is often your biggest cost after tuition, and it swings hugely by city — central capital cities can cost double a smaller town. Build the weekly rent times your full lease length into your plan, plus an upfront deposit (often several weeks’ rent) and first month in advance. This is exactly the money scammers try to grab early, so it must be both budgeted and protected.

A safe first-term plan

The lowest-risk approach: book university halls (or a verified provider) for your first term or year before you fly, arrive, settle in, learn the city and meet people, and then — if you want to save money — move to a private shared flat for year two, when you can view places in person and know which areas are good. Don’t try to optimise for the cheapest option before you’ve even arrived.

Next steps

Tell us your university and city and we’ll point you to the safe, recognised accommodation routes — and help you sanity-check anything a landlord or agent sends you, so your housing is one less thing to worry about. Still deciding on a city or country? Compare destinations on our study abroad hub.