Accommodation
Page Navigation
On this page you will find information to help you find accommodation for during your studies at RCS. We have information about Base Glasgow, our recommended halls for RCS students, as well as other private accommodation options available to you. There is also some useful information about recommended location and council tax.
You can also use our RCS Freshers Facebook groups (search RCS Freshers [YEAR]) to make arrangements with other students in your year. If you’ve accepted an offer of a place at the Royal Conservatoire (conditional or unconditional), then you’ll be sent the link to the group in your pre-arrival pack.
If you have any questions please get in contact with welfare@rcs.ac.uk
Accommodation Options
Base Glasgow
Purpose-built for Conservatoire students, we recommend Base Glasgow as our preferred choice of accommodation. Located just three minutes’ walk from the Renfrew Street campus, Base Glasgow is the student accommodation designed and built with performing and production arts students in mind.
Private Accommodation
Base Glasgow is where we suggest all new students live but if you would prefer to live elsewhere there are many other high-quality student residences in Glasgow. You can find out more about private accommodation options and what to consider when searching on our dedicated private accommodation page.
Location
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has two main buildings on the one campus: 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G2 3DB, and the Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks, 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G4 9RR.
We advise that you try searching for property within a 10-mile radius of the city centre and RCS campus, as there will be more choice available to you. The town of Paisley, for example, is only 10 minutes by train from Glasgow and has a large student population.
There are excellent links across the city by public transport including by bus, train and subway. To check transport routes from your accommodation to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, you could use SPT’s Journey Planner, ScotRail or FirstBus Network Maps (one of the largest bus operators in the region). If you’re aged 21 or under, you can get a free bus pass.
What is Council Tax?
Council Tax is a tax levied on households by local authorities in the UK, based on the estimated value of a property and the number of people living in it.
Students are not required to pay council tax if they are enrolled on a full-time course of 21 hours or more per week for a minimum of 24 weeks per year but they must apply for a student exemption. Students living within the Glasgow City Council area need to complete an online Council Tax Student Exemption form. This can only be done after matriculation and after the start of Term 1.
After matriculation, the Conservatoire will confirm student status electronically to Glasgow City Council, unless a student has opted out of the data-sharing agreement at matriculation. In such a case the student will need to make their own arrangements. Students living in PBSAs in Glasgow (also referred to as independent student halls of residences) do not need to complete the online form as they will automatically receive Council Tax Exemption.
Key Information
- Full-time students are only exempt from council tax from the date their course starts until the date their course ends; not their graduation date
- Students living outside of Glasgow should find the relevant council tax student exemption form on their local council website. After completing Section 1, students should take the form to the Student Records team located in the Academic Administration and Support office (ground floor of the Renfrew St building)
- If you are a student from elsewhere in Europe, you may still be regarded as a student for Council Tax purposes. Remember, you must fulfill the same criteria as UK students for Council Tax. This means that you must be registered and attending a designated educational establishment and undertaking a course that leads to the award of a relevant qualification by that establishment
- Any non-student spouses or adult dependants who live with you may remain liable to pay Council Tax
- Students on short-term international exchange study should follow the instructions as listed above. If you are not living in a Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) you will also need to submit a letter from your home institution confirming the details of your home programme (e.g. programme title, duration etc.) and that you are currently on an exchange at the Conservatoire
- If a student is living with someone who is not a student then the student will still be exempt from Council Tax but the non-student will have to pay. A discount may be awarded but this is based on the full household circumstances and is subject to review from the council concerned. Please speak to a member of the Council Tax team at your local council if you have any questions about this.
Further information about Council Tax for students in the Glasgow City Council area can be found on the Glasgow Council website.