Student accommodation near Goldsmiths, University of London
Written by Carlos M. Silva, Studio Manager at The Greenwich Student Collective·Last updated 26 September 2026
Key takeaways
- ·Goldsmiths has just under 1,100 rooms in halls, so most students rent privately at some point
- ·61 private studios in Greenwich, from £315 per week, all bills included
- ·18 minutes by train from Westcombe Park to New Cross, about £3, every 15 minutes or so
- ·About 28 minutes door to door, or 18 minutes by bike
- ·Book directly: a £95 reservation fee deducted from your rent, and no deposit held
- ·42 or 49 week contracts, and a no visa, no pay guarantee
Goldsmiths does run its own halls, and they are the closest option to campus. This guide is for the students who do not get one, or who would rather have their own kitchen and bathroom than be a few minutes from a lecture theatre.
We run The Greenwich Student Collective, 61 private studios on Tunnel Avenue in Greenwich, a train ride from New Cross. We are not in walking distance of the campus and we do not pretend otherwise, so the travel times below are measured rather than rounded down.
Goldsmiths accommodation: what are the options?
For 2026-27 Goldsmiths has just under 1,100 rooms across its halls of residence, all within walking distance of the New Cross campus, and applications go through the university rather than a private provider. You can see what is available on the Goldsmiths accommodation pages.
Those rooms are only part of what Goldsmiths students use, so many also look at private accommodation around New Cross, Deptford, Lewisham and Greenwich, either in a shared house or in a private studio building. Goldsmiths students can also use University of London Housing Services for advice on the private sector.
How far is Goldsmiths from us?
The campus is at 8 Lewisham Way in New Cross. From our front door on Tunnel Avenue in Greenwich:
| Getting to campus | Time from Tunnel Avenue |
|---|---|
| By train | 18 minutes, Westcombe Park to New Cross, about £3 |
| Door to door | About 28 minutes, including the walk at each end |
| By bike | About 18 minutes |
| On foot | About 1 hour (2.7 miles) |
Measured on Google Maps from our entrance in September 2026. Check the route yourself from any address you are comparing, because advertised times are often generous.
The train is the part that makes this work. Westcombe Park to New Cross is a single journey of about 18 minutes for about £3, running every 15 minutes or so, with a short walk at each end. If you want to walk to your lectures, look in New Cross instead.
Halls or a private studio
The two are different products rather than better and worse. This is the honest trade:
| University halls | Private studio with us | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Apply through the university | Pick a studio and book it |
| Kitchen | Usually shared | Your own |
| Bathroom | Shared or en-suite, depending on the hall | Your own |
| Distance to campus | Walking distance in New Cross | 28 minutes door to door |
| Weekly price | Usually lower | From £315 with us |
Goldsmiths halls prices, and how ours compare
The university publishes its rents, so you can compare properly rather than guess. These are the 2026-27 figures from the Goldsmiths accommodation pages, alongside ours.
| Where | What you get | Getting to campus | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loring Hall, New Cross | En-suite room, kitchen shared with up to 8 | Short walk from campus | £230.00 to £249.00 |
| Raymont Hall, Brockley | En-suite rooms and studios with a private kitchen | 20 minute walk from campus | £237.00 to £404.50 |
| The Greenwich Student Collective | Private studio, your own kitchen and bathroom | 28 minutes door to door | From £315 |
Two things stand out. A studio in the university's Brockley hall runs to £404.50 a week, so on a like for like basis a private studio is not the expensive option it first appears. And that hall is a 20 minute walk from campus by the university's own description, against 28 minutes door to door from us. The gap is smaller than the postcode suggests.
Prices taken from gold.ac.uk in September 2026. Check the current figures before you decide, because halls pricing changes each year.
What £315 a week includes
One figure, paid weekly, with nothing to set up and nothing to split with anyone:
- ·Wi-Fi, water, electricity and heating
- ·Your own kitchen, nothing shared
- ·Your own bathroom
- ·Library, study lounge and a bookable meeting room
- ·Gym, cinema room and gaming room
- ·On-site management and 24/7 CCTV
- ·No deposit held, and no agency fees
Why some Goldsmiths students live in Greenwich
Your own front door
A studio means your kitchen, your bathroom and your hours, with nobody else's washing up in the sink.
One weekly figure
Wi-Fi, water, electricity and heating are in the rent, so there is nothing to split with flatmates and nothing to set up.
Somewhere to work that is not your bed
A library and study lounge for quiet work, and a bookable meeting room for group projects.
A different side of south east London
Greenwich gives you the park, the river and the market on your doorstep, and the train does the rest.
What it costs and how to book
Studios start from £315 per week, all bills included, on 42 or 49 week contracts. You pick a specific studio from our floorplan, with no allocation process and no waiting list.
To reserve, you pay a £95 reservation fee, which is deducted in full from your rent. No deposit is held. If your student visa is refused, our no visa, no pay guarantee lets you cancel without penalty.
Guarantors and international students
Most private accommodation asks for a UK based guarantor. If you do not have one, Housing Hand can act as your guarantor, and we accept it.
We host international students every year and are used to walking applicants through booking from abroad. With a 49 week contract you can arrive before term and stay through the summer without moving your belongings twice.
Read what residents actually say
Reviews written by verified current residents are the most useful signal available when you cannot visit in person. Ours are public on both platforms, including the critical ones.
As of 28 September 2026, StudentCrowd lists us number 3 of the 29 rated properties near the University of Greenwich, at 4.6 out of 5, from 13 reviews. Read the reviews themselves rather than the number.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Goldsmiths have its own halls of residence?
Yes. For 2026-27 Goldsmiths has just under 1,100 rooms across its halls, all within walking distance of the New Cross campus, and you apply for them through the university rather than through a private provider. Halls cover a fraction of the student body, so most Goldsmiths students rent privately at some point in their degree.
How far is The Greenwich Student Collective from Goldsmiths?
About 28 minutes door to door by public transport. The train from Westcombe Park to New Cross takes 18 minutes, costs about £3 and runs every 15 minutes or so, with a short walk at each end. By bike it is about 18 minutes. On foot it is roughly 1 hour (2.7 miles), which is not a walk most people would do daily.
What if I do not get a room in halls?
You look at the private sector, which is what most Goldsmiths students do. The university points students to University of London Housing Services for advice, and you can also book directly with a private provider like us. There is no allocation process with us and no waiting list: you pick a studio from the floorplan and reserve it.
How much does student accommodation near Goldsmiths cost?
Our studios start from £315 per week with all bills included. Rooms in halls and in shared houses are usually cheaper per week, in exchange for sharing a kitchen, and sometimes a bathroom, with other people. When comparing, check whether Wi-Fi, water, heating and electricity are in the price.
Why would a Goldsmiths student live in Greenwich rather than New Cross?
Mostly for the trade between space and travel. You get a private studio with your own kitchen and bathroom, in a quieter part of south east London, and you accept a short train ride to campus instead of a walk. If walking to your lectures matters more than having your own front door, New Cross is where you should be looking.
Is there a train from Greenwich to Goldsmiths?
Yes. Westcombe Park to New Cross takes about 18 minutes and costs around £3, with trains every 15 minutes or so and a short walk at each end. That is the connection that makes living in Greenwich workable if you study in New Cross.
Can I rent near Goldsmiths without a UK guarantor?
Yes. If you do not have a UK based guarantor, a guarantor service such as Housing Hand can act for you, and we accept it. This is one of the most common questions we get from international students, so ask us before assuming a building is out of reach.
Is there student accommodation near Goldsmiths with a private kitchen?
Yes, in two forms. The university's Raymont Hall has studios with a private kitchen, and private studio buildings like ours give every resident their own kitchen and bathroom. Most en-suite rooms in halls share a kitchen with several other students.
Do I need a UK guarantor?
Most private accommodation asks for a UK based guarantor. If you do not have one, a guarantor service such as Housing Hand can act for you, and we accept it. Requirements often differ between UK and international applicants, so ask any provider what applies to you before ruling a building out.
What contract lengths are available?
We offer 42 and 49 week contracts. The 42 week option covers the academic year. The 49 week option also covers the summer, which suits placements, summer work in London, or international students who would rather not move their belongings home and back.
What happens if my visa is refused?
Our no visa, no pay guarantee lets you cancel without penalty if your student visa is refused, on presentation of the refusal letter.
Carlos M. Silva is Studio Manager at The Greenwich Student Collective, where he looks after the 61 studios on Tunnel Avenue and answers resident and applicant enquiries directly. LinkedIn
Studying at Goldsmiths?
We have 61 private studios in Greenwich, all bills included, from £315 per week, 18 minutes by train from New Cross. Tell us your dates and we will send current availability and prices, with no obligation.
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