University Student Bedding Guide

If you’re off to university soon you may be asking, what bedding do I need for uni? Our essential university student bedding guide tells you all you need to know.

Heading off to university is an exciting time, but it also comes with a lot of preparation, including getting the right bedding for your new home away from home. Our guide will help you navigate the essentials and make sure you have everything you need.

The right bedding is really important for students. For many it's their first time away from home and with plenty going on, a good nights sleep is essential.

Our guide covers:

Do I need to get my own bedding for university
Checklist: bedding essentials for university students
Duvets for university
Pillows for university
Uni bed linen
Mattress protectors for uni
What size bedding do I need for uni
Towels for students
University bedding packs and sets
Allergies - what you need to know
Washing your uni bedding
When should I buy my university bedding

Do I need to get my own bedding for university?

In most cases, the answer is yes you will need to provide your own bedding. If it's your first year and you are staying in halls, after A level results your university will confirm your accommodation. You can check the university accommodation website to confirm if you need to provide your own bedding. If you are renting your accommodation, check with the landlord but again in most cases you will need to provide your own.

Checklist: bedding essentials for university students

Here's a quick look at what you will need:

1 x duvet. Generally a single in either a 9 tog, a 4.5 tog or an all seasons.

1 x pillow.

1 or 2 sets of bed linen. Consisting of a pillowcase, a duvet cover and a fitted sheet.

1 x mattress protector (optional).

2 x bath towels or 2 x bath sheets.

1 or 2 x hand towels.

Laundry bag.

Quality over quantity: investing in higher quality bedding can improve your sleep quality and it will last longer, making it a worthwhile investment. Ultimately, your bedding should be comfortable and suit your personal preferences, choose what makes you feel at home.

Duvets for university

Do you take your own duvet to uni? Yes, you will need your own duvet for uni.

What tog duvet for university? Halls of residence are generally warm so we suggest either a 9 tog or a 4.5 tog duvet. You could opt for an all seasons duvet which consists of a 9 tog and a 4.5 tog duvet that can be fitted together or used individually giving you an option for all seasons.

What size duvet for university? Most universities have single beds, but again do check with the accommodation website to confirm.

The next question is what duvet filling you want to go with. Natural down and feather duvet fillings are best. We recommend our Hungarian goose down duvets, which are anti-allergy, cosy and amazingly comfortable. Man made fillings such as microfibre duvets are cheaper but contain plastics and chemicals, and are likely to make you sweat more.

To learn more about duvets, read our guides: duvet guide, duvet tog guide and duvet size guide.

Pillows for university

You will need your own pillow for uni. Most university beds are single so you will only need one pillow. Again, we suggest down and feather pillows. To learn more about which pillow to choose, read our pillow guide.

Uni bed linen

One set of bed linen should be enough for university. The advantage of two sets is that you have a spare when washing and drying one. A set of bed linen for uni will consist of a pillowcase, a duvet cover and a fitted sheet. The main choices you need to make are the fabric and colour. We always suggest natural fabrics as they are anti-allergy, breathable and lovely to sleep under. At scooms we sell Egyptian cotton, which is a little more sophisticated, and linen bedding for a more relaxed look. We find that our student customers love both of these bedding ranges.

To learn more about bed linen, read our bed linen guide.

Mattress protectors for uni

The chances are that the mattress on your bed in your halls will not be new! While a protector is not a requirement, a slightly padded mattress protector between you and your mattress will make your bed that much more comfortable and feel more hygienic. To learn more about mattress protectors, read our protector guide.

What size bedding do I need for uni?

Most of the beds in university halls are singles measuring 90cm x 190cm, so we suggest single duvets, bed linen and mattress protectors. Though do check with your uni accommodation website to confirm the bed sizes. See our bedding size guide.

Towels for students

So let's talk about towels. Ideally you will need 2 bath towels or 2 bath sheets. Bath sheets are a little larger, so more to wrap around you but because of their size they take a little longer to dry. This is worth bearing in mind if you are using uni tumble dryers. We suggest 2 towels so that you can have a dry one to hand. We also suggest a hand towel or two. To learn more about towels read our towel guide.

University bedding packs and sets

You can order our bedding in a range of bundles and towel bundles. Or just select your duvets, pillows, bed linen, towels and mattress protectors individually to mix and match.

Allergies - what you need to know

Bedding that is made from man made materials can contain harmful chemicals and microplastics. Bedding that does not breathe can harbour dust mites. All scooms bedding is made from natural materials and is highly breathable. Our bedding is also certified to the highest standards: No Mite, Oeko Tex, Downafresh and The Responsible Down Standard.

Washing your uni bedding

It's worth thinking about how you will wash your bedding while you are away. University life can be busy, so choose bedding that is machine washable and easy to look after. Ideally, you should wash your bed linen and towels once a week. Many first year students will use a laundrette or the laundry room in halls. Double check that you use the right temperature to wash and dry. Laundry dryers can often run hot so we suggest tumble drying using a low/delicate setting. It also pays to bring your own non bio laundry liquid. It will be better for your washing and is cheaper than buying it at the laundrette.

Wool Dryer Balls

Doing your laundry when away often means that you have to wait with it until it's finished. To speed things up, grab a bag of 4 wool dryer balls. 100% natural, they reduce drying time and make your laundry softer, fluffier and less wrinkled. They also save you money in the long run as you won't need to use any fabric softener or dryer sheets.

When should I buy my university bedding?

This year, the majority of UK universities open for new students to move into their accommodation on the weekend of the 21st September 2024. With freshers activities and the actual term starting the following week.

Don't leave buying your bedding to the last minute. Every year we send bedding directly to students in their halls of residence. We suggest buying in July, August or early September so that you have it in plenty of time.

If you are an international student we can deliver your bedding directly to your halls of residence to save you bringing it with you when you travel. We can also ensure that you have the correct UK size bedding. If you have any questions contact us at sleep@scooms.com or call us on 020 7164 6045.