Abertay University Accommodation

Abertay University has built a strong name in computer games education. It introduced the world’s first degree in the subject and remains well known for Games Development and Computer Games Technology. The university gained its current status in 1994, although its history goes back to the Dundee Institute of Technology, founded in 1888. All teaching takes place on the Bell Street Campus in central Dundee, so students can move between lecture rooms, the library and university services without a long journey.

Around 4,000 students study at Abertay, which gives the campus a smaller feel than many large UK universities. The university ranks as a top Scottish modern university in the Guardian University Guide 2026. The Complete University Guide 2026 also names it a leading modern university in Scotland for student satisfaction, while The Times and Sunday Times 2026 recognises it for student experience. Alongside games courses, Abertay has a strong academic profile in Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking and Forensic Sciences. Dundee railway station is about ten minutes from campus on foot.

Abertay University Rankings and Student Results

Abertay’s recent results give applicants a clearer picture of the university beyond its course list.

The Guardian University Guide 2026 places Abertay 11th in the UK and names it Scotland’s top modern university. The university climbs 24 places from the previous guide and ranks second in Scotland for value added, a measure that compares entry grades with degree results. Its Marketing courses rank first in the UK on the same measure.

The Complete University Guide 2027 places Abertay 18th out of more than 130 UK universities for student satisfaction. It also names Abertay the top modern university in Scotland for this measure for the third year in a row. Food Science, Sport and Exercise Science, Mental Health Nursing and Biomedical Science rank first in Scotland for student satisfaction.

Final-year students give Abertay an overall satisfaction score of 84.1% in the National Student Survey 2026, up 1.5 percentage points from 2025. The result places the university sixth in Scotland and second among Scottish modern universities. Abertay also reaches Scotland’s top five in six of the survey’s seven main themes.

Games courses remain one of Abertay’s strongest areas. The Princeton Review 2026 ranks its undergraduate games programmes fifth in the world and its postgraduate programmes seventh. Abertay also takes first place in Europe and the top position among universities outside the United States.

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 names Abertay the top Scottish modern university for student experience. The university rises 12 places overall and ranks 27th in the UK for teaching quality.

Dundee in Numbers

Dundee had a population of 149,880 in the official mid-2024 estimate. The city contains 76,780 dwellings and ranks as Scotland’s fourth-largest city by population.

Students account for around 14% of Dundee’s population during term time. This helps explain the number of student residences, low-cost food options and university-focused services around the city centre and West End.

UNESCO added Dundee to its Creative Cities Network as a City of Design in 2014. The designation recognises the city’s work in design, digital media, games, life sciences and creative industries.

These figures matter for accommodation because Abertay does not stand in an isolated campus district. The university forms part of a city with two universities, a large student population and a concentration of services within the centre.

Abertay’s location keeps university activities and city plans in the same part of Dundee. Students can leave a lecture, use the library, collect groceries and attend a society meeting without travelling across the city.

Clubs and Societies

Abertay has more than 20 student-led societies, with groups covering interests such as dance, football, tabletop games and Formula 1. New members can join after Welcome Week, so missing the first sign-up event does not close the door for the rest of the year. Societies can be particularly useful when you live in a studio or commute from outside the centre. They create regular contact beyond your course and accommodation.

Sport and the University Gym

Abertay Sport runs competitive clubs, recreational activities, exercise classes and an on-campus gym. Many teams take part in British Universities and Colleges Sport competitions, while the annual varsity event against the University of Dundee brings clubs from both institutions together. Gym and Sports Union charges may sit outside your accommodation and course budget.

Food and Shopping

The Overgate and Wellgate shopping centres cover most everyday city-centre shopping. Supermarkets around central Dundee serve different budgets, and the streets near Bell Street have cafés, takeaways and smaller convenience stores.

Perth Road has more independent cafés, pubs, bakeries and restaurants. It becomes a common meeting point for students from both Dundee universities, especially when friendship groups live in different parts of the city.

Culture and the Waterfront

Dundee Contemporary Arts hosts films, exhibitions and events, while V&A Dundee stands on the waterfront near the railway station. These locations are easy to reach from central Abertay University student accommodation.

The riverside also gives you somewhere to walk outside the main shopping streets. It can be useful during busy assessment periods when you need time away from your room without spending money.

Health Services

Register with a local GP and dentist soon after arriving in Dundee. NHS Inform advises students who have moved away for university to arrange local healthcare without waiting until they become ill. A practice may only accept addresses inside its own boundary, so search using your accommodation postcode. is Dundee’s main hospital. Local buses connect the city centre with Ninewells and other residential parts of the city.

Dundee doesn't ask you to choose between a long commute and expensive rent. The city is compact enough that several neighbourhoods keep Abertay within walking distance, while others add only a short bus journey. Your decision is more likely to come down to rent, the type of accommodation available and the kind of surroundings you want after lectures finish.

City Centre

The city centre remains the first choice for plenty of Abertay students, mainly because everyday life becomes simple. Campus, supermarkets, cafés, takeaways, gyms, banks and the railway station all sit within the same part of Dundee, so there's very little travelling to think about.

Purpose-built student residences are concentrated here, giving you plenty of options if you're looking for student accommodation near Abertay University. Meadowside Court and Marketgait Apartments both keep lectures, grocery shopping and weekend plans within a few minutes' walk.

You'll usually pay more than you would in neighbourhoods further out, but many students decide the extra rent is worth it because they rarely need buses or taxis during term.

Stobswell

Stobswell has become a practical choice for students who want to keep accommodation costs lower without ending up on the opposite side of the city.

The area has a more residential feel than the city centre, with traditional tenement buildings, local convenience stores and regular bus services. Walking to Abertay is still realistic for many students, while buses provide another option when the weather turns.

Lyon Street Terrace is one of the better-known student properties here and regularly attracts students who want affordable Abertay University accommodation without moving too far from campus.

West End and Perth Road

Perth Road feels different from the rest of Dundee. Independent cafés, bakeries, pubs and small restaurants give the area plenty of activity throughout the day, making it popular with students from both Abertay University and the University of Dundee.

Shared houses and private flats are more common here than large student developments. Because demand stays strong, rents often climb higher than in other parts of the city. Even so, many students continue to choose the West End because they enjoy spending their free time there.

Lochee

Lochee usually appears on the shortlist of students who start with a budget in mind.

Weekly rent often sits below city-centre prices, and regular bus routes make travelling into Dundee straightforward. Keiller Court is a familiar option for students looking for Abertay University student accommodation, particularly if lowering rent takes priority over living in the middle of the city.

Blackness

Blackness offers a quieter setting without putting campus too far away. Local cafés, small shops and bus stops are easy to reach, while Perth Road is only a short walk away.

Students who enjoy a calmer neighbourhood often include Blackness in their property search, especially when city-centre accommodation begins to stretch their budget.

Rent will take the largest part of most student budgets. Do not judge a room by its weekly figure alone. The contract length changes the final amount considerably.

For example:

• £150 per week for 51 weeks costs £7,650
• £165 per week for 44 weeks costs £7,260

The second room costs £15 more each week but £390 less across the full tenancy.

Before you compare two properties, calculate:

Weekly rent × number of contract weeks = total rent

Then add any booking fee, deposit, laundry costs, TV licence, parking fee or utility allowance that sits outside the advertised rent.

Working Weekly Budget

The figures below can help with early planning. Your spending will depend on food choices, social plans, course costs and how often you travel.

Expense	Working weekly amount
Groceries	£30 to £40
Local transport	£0 to £15
Social plans	£15 to £30
Mobile phone	£3 to £6
Laundry and household items	£8 to £12
Estimated total before rent	£56 to £103

Cooking regularly and walking around central Dundee will keep costs near the lower end. Takeaways, frequent nights out, paid laundry and regular travel can move the total upwards quickly.

People aged 5 to 21 who live in Scotland can use most registered bus services free of charge with a valid National Entitlement Card. International and UK students can qualify once they meet the residency requirements and complete the application. Do not include free travel in your budget until your card has arrived and works on the bus.

Every room looks good on a booking website. The photographs show tidy desks, neatly folded bedding and kitchens that nobody has cooked in yet. Real life starts after move-in day, and that's when the differences between room types become obvious.

Some people realise they don't mind sharing a kitchen. Others wish they'd paid extra for their own bathroom after spending a week waiting for it to become free before a 9 a.m. lecture.

Before booking student accommodation in Dundee, it's worth knowing what you're actually paying for.

Private Room

A private room gives you your own bedroom. Everything else is shared. You'll cook in the same kitchen as your flatmates, use the same bathroom, and quickly learn everyone's routine without trying. One person makes dinner at six, another starts cooking at ten, someone always leaves mugs beside the sink.

That doesn't bother everyone. In fact, plenty of friendships begin in shared kitchens because everyone ends up there sooner or later.

Private rooms also tend to cost less than other options, which leaves more room in your budget for everything else that comes with university.

Before booking, check how many bedrooms share the kitchen. Four people sharing one kitchen feels completely different from eight.

En-suite Room

An en-suite changes one thing. The bathroom belongs only to you. It sounds like a small upgrade until the first week of term arrives. Nobody knocks on the door because they're running late. Nobody leaves wet towels behind. Nobody is waiting outside while you're getting ready.

The kitchen stays shared, so you still have flatmates around if that's something you enjoy. Most conversations still happen there, especially during the first few weeks when everyone is learning each other's names.

Studio

A studio keeps everything inside one room. Your kitchen is yours. Your bathroom is yours. If you leave a cup on the table, it'll still be there when you come back.

Some students know from the beginning that this suits them better. Others decide after spending a year in shared accommodation.

The extra privacy usually means paying more each week, so it's worth asking yourself one question before booking.

Will you actually use your own kitchen every day?

If the answer is yes, a studio often makes sense.

Shared House

Private houses usually become more common after the first year. By then, friendship groups have formed, and many students decide to rent together instead of staying in purpose-built accommodation.

The rent can work out cheaper. Everything else becomes your responsibility.

Bills need paying. Internet needs arranging. Somebody has to report repairs. Somebody has to remember bin collection day.

For some groups that's no problem. For others, it's the first lesson that sharing a house with friends isn't always the same as going out with them.

A short walk can make university mornings easier, but distance should not decide the booking on its own. Check the full rent, tenancy length, room size, kitchen capacity and cancellation policy before choosing a property.

Most student residences near Abertay belong to private accommodation companies. You sign the tenancy with the provider, not the university. Parker House is an exception in one respect: Abertay has negotiated a limited allocation of rooms at a lower rate for its students.

Prices and availability can change during the booking period. The figures below reflect listings available for the 2026/27 academic year and should be checked again before payment.

Property	Approximate walk to Abertay	Room types	Important detail
Telephone House	1 minute	En-suite rooms and studios	Opens in September 2026
Meadowside Court	Around 3 minutes	En-suite rooms	Flats contain six or nine bedrooms
Marketgait Apartments	Around 5 to 7 minutes	En-suite rooms and studios	Check the exact room and contract length
Parker House	Around 5 minutes	En-suite rooms, studios and apartments	Limited Abertay rate available
Stanley Studios	Around 10 minutes	Studios	Mainly suited to students seeking private facilities
Greenmarket Studios	Around 13 minutes	Studios and two-bedroom apartments	Near the railway station and Overgate

Telephone House

Address: 15 West Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1AD
Walk to Abertay: About 1 minute
2026/27 rent: £170 to £290 per week

Telephone House opens in September 2026 directly opposite the university. Mezzino lists en-suite rooms and studios, with utility bills, contents insurance and internet included. The property advertises 200 Mbps Wi-Fi, a gym, yoga studio, study rooms, social areas, a gaming room, private dining rooms and a courtyard.

The location removes almost all travel time. Lidl is about two minutes away, while Mezzino places Dundee railway station six minutes away on foot.

The building has no resident history before September 2026. Ask for:

• The exact room floor and position

• Photographs of the booked room category

• The scheduled completion date

• The policy for delayed facilities

• The policy for a delayed building opening

• The exact contract length

• Any conditions attached to cashback

A new property can have modern facilities, but the first residents cannot check a full year of student reviews.

Meadowside Court

Address: 19 Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HP
Location: Edge of the Abertay campus
2026/27 rent: £156 to £162 per week

Meadowside Court opened in 1996 and has 69 bedrooms. Each self-catered flat contains six or nine rooms with a shared kitchen and lounge. The provider includes utility bills, internet and contents insurance. Security includes key entry, CCTV and on-site support.

Its price and position make it one of the strongest options for a student who wants an en-suite room near lectures.

The building does not have the large leisure areas found at newer residences. The flat size matters more here. A six-room kitchen gives each resident more storage and fridge space than a nine-room kitchen.

Ask to see the exact kitchen and room category before booking.

Parker House

Address: 15 Parker Street, Dundee, DD1 5RW
Walk to Abertay: Around 5 minutes
Abertay preferential rate: From £159.47 per week

Abertay has a limited allocation of Parker House rooms at lower rates. All preferential contracts run for 43 weeks and include electricity, gas, water, Wi-Fi and contents insurance.

The current preferential list starts with a Bronze En Suite at £159.47 per week, or £6,857.21 for the tenancy. The list also includes studios and one-bedroom apartments, with the highest stated rate at £323.95 per week.

Every bedroom has a private bathroom. Shared flats use communal kitchens, and Parker House does not have single-sex flats. This point deserves an early check when gender arrangements affect personal, religious or cultural requirements.

Rooms within Abertay’s allocation go on a first-come, first-served basis. The standard iQ price can differ once those rooms have gone.

Parklands

Address: 63 Brown Street, Dundee, DD1 5AQ
Walk to Abertay: Around 5 minutes
Room types: En-suite rooms and studios

Parklands opened in 2025 and contains 163 beds. The building includes a gym, games area, sky lounge, roof terrace, study pods, laundry room and bike storage. Only five paid parking spaces serve the property.

A Standard Studio costs £230 per week on a 51-week contract or £235 on a 44-week contract. The shorter agreement costs £10,340 in total, while the lower weekly rate on the 51-week option reaches £11,730.

This example shows why contract length belongs beside weekly rent in every property comparison.

Parklands has a completed year of operation, unlike Telephone House. Recent residents can therefore provide useful comments on noise, maintenance, laundry and shared facilities.

Marketgait Apartments

Address: Johnston Street, Dundee, DD1 1PJ
Room types: En-suite rooms and studios
Studio example: £199 per week

Marketgait Apartments has cluster rooms and private studios. A current studio listing gives the same £199 weekly rate for 44 and 51-week contracts. The totals differ by £1,393.

The central position works for both Dundee universities and keeps Overgate Shopping Centre nearby.

Check the exact room type before payment. A studio creates a very different year from an en-suite bedroom in a shared flat, even when both listings appear under the same property name.

Greenmarket Studios

Address: 6 South Marketgait, Dundee, DD1 4AH
Walk to Abertay: Around 13 minutes
2026/27 Classic Studio: £195 per week over 51 weeks

Greenmarket Studios has 55 beds, with private studios and a small number of two-bedroom apartments. The current Classic Studio contract runs for 51 weeks and costs £9,945 in total.

The property is near Dundee railway station and Overgate Shopping Centre. Shared facilities include a lounge, study area and laundry room. Some rooms have sea views.

Greenmarket suits students who want a private kitchenette and expect regular rail trips. Its route to campus takes longer than Telephone House, Meadowside Court, Parker House or Parklands, but thirteen minutes remains practical for most class days.

Other Residences Worth Checking

Lyon Street Terrace

Lyon Street Terrace has 126 bedrooms across one, two and three-bedroom flats. Abertay places it about ten minutes from campus. The smaller flat sizes can suit students who do not want a six or nine-person kitchen.

Keiller Court

Keiller Court is in central Dundee at Horsewater Wynd. It has single and double study bedrooms in flats of three to five people. Each flat has a washer-dryer and dishwasher, and the rent includes utilities, internet, contents insurance and a TV licence.

Stanley Studios

Abertay recommends Stanley Studios to postgraduate and visiting students who need more flexibility over the tenancy length. Contact the provider for current room and contract details.

Abertay’s own planning guide puts total monthly costs at approximately:

Budget level	Accommodation	Food	Transport	Other costs	Estimated monthly total
Lower budget	£475	£160	£0	£60	£695
Mid-range budget	£650	£200	£20	£105	£975
Higher budget	£1,000+	£250	£50	£160	£1,460+

The “other costs” column combines the university’s figures for internet, social plans and course materials. Actual spending changes with the room contract, laundry price, food choices and travel routine.

Students from Scotland can apply through SAAS for loans or bursaries worth up to £7,625 per year towards living costs, subject to personal circumstances and eligibility.

Abertay also offers tuition-fee awards for international students. The Dean’s Scholarship provides up to £5,000 per year for a maximum of four years. The IB30+ Scholarship offers up to £7,000 per year, with a maximum award of £28,000 across a four-year undergraduate degree. These awards reduce tuition fees, not rent or everyday expenses.

Dundee works well on foot, especially from accommodation in the city centre. Abertay sits about two minutes from the main shopping streets, while the railway station, Seagate bus station, waterfront and most central services fall within a 10 to 15-minute walk of campus.

Typical walks to the Bell Street campus include:

Accommodation	Approximate distance	Usual walking time
Telephone House	Under 0.1 km	1 minute
Meadowside Court	Around 0.2 km	3 minutes
Parker House	Around 0.4 km	5 minutes
Parklands	Around 0.4 km	5 minutes
Marketgait Apartments	Around 0.5 km	5 to 7 minutes
Keiller Court	Around 0.8 km	10 minutes
Greenmarket Studios	Around 1 km	13 minutes

The distances above use the advertised walking times and a normal walking pace as a rough guide. The actual route changes with the building entrance, roadworks, and the part of campus you need.

A short route on a property page does not show what the walk feels like at 9 pm or during winter. Check:

• Street lighting
• Steep sections
• Quiet or isolated roads
• Busy crossings
• Current roadworks
• The route after dark
• Step-free access, where required

Walk from the property to Bell Street at the time you expect to return home. A busy ten-minute route can feel more comfortable than a quiet shortcut that saves two minutes.

Local Buses

Most students in central accommodation do not need a bus for lectures. The main local stops lie around the city centre, and Seagate bus station sits about 0.5 miles from Abertay, or roughly 10 minutes on foot.

Students based farther out need to allow for the walk to the stop, the wait, and the bus journey itself.

• Perth Road to the city centre: usually around 10 to 15 minutes by bus, depending on the stop and traffic.
• City centre to Ninewells Hospital: approximately 25 minutes on Service 6.
• Lochee to the city centre: allow roughly 15 to 25 minutes, with Routes 17 and 28 serving the area.
• City centre to Abertay: add another 2 to 5 minutes on foot from most central stops.

Xplore Dundee’s Service 6 runs from the city centre to Ninewells through Perth Road, Logie, Elmwood and Gowrie Park. One current daytime timetable shows a journey of about 26 minutes from Whitehall Street to Ninewells Hospital. Routes 17 and 28 connect Lochee with the centre, although roadworks and diversions can alter the usual stops.

Check the return journey as well as the morning route. A regular afternoon service does not guarantee an equally convenient bus after an evening shift, society event or late library session.

Rail Travel

Dundee railway station sits roughly half a mile from Abertay and takes about 10 minutes to reach on foot. Most of the accommodation in the city centre also falls within a 5 to 15-minute walk of the station.

Typical direct train times from Dundee are:

Destination	Approximate journey
Perth	25 minutes
Aberdeen	1 hour 15 to 20 minutes
Edinburgh Waverley	1 hour 20 to 25 minutes
Glasgow	Around 1 hour 20 minutes
Inverness	Around 2 hours

ScotRail runs up to 35 trains per day between Dundee and Edinburgh and up to 37 between Dundee and Aberdeen, although the number and duration can differ at weekends and on public holidays.

The station route matters for students who travel home often. Greenmarket Studios sits closest to the railway station, while Telephone House, Marketgait Apartments, Meadowside Court and other central properties remain within walking distance.

Airport Journeys

Dundee Airport

Dundee Airport lies about 2.8 miles or 4.5 km from Abertay.

Allow approximately:

• 10 minutes by taxi
• 15 minutes by bicycle
• 45 minutes on foot

Abertay states that Dundee Airport operates weekday flights to and from London Heathrow, with a reduced weekend service. Flight routes and schedules can change, so confirm the service before you plan travel around it.

Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport lies approximately 60 miles from Dundee and offers far more international routes.

The direct FLY coach leaves from Union Street near Dundee railway station. The coach journey takes about 80 minutes, and the walk from Abertay to the departure point adds roughly 10 minutes. Allow at least 1 hour 30 minutes from campus to the airport, before any waiting time.

The train route normally takes under two hours in total. Students take a train from Dundee to Edinburgh Gateway, Haymarket or Waverley, then continue by tram or bus. Trams from Edinburgh Airport run every 7 minutes during much of the day, and the airport-to-city-centre journey takes around 30 minutes.

Check the full route before you book an early departure. The first train or coach may not reach the terminal before check-in closes. A hotel or taxi can remove the saving from a cheaper flight, so include that cost before you choose the airport.