The latter. I can't think of a single university where it is common in the first year. Nearly every fresher lives in university accommodation, do you seriously know freshers who rent flats privately? I don't.
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I haven't read the entire thread because cba, but university accommodation is to share with strangers whom you don't know.
It's by far the most popular form of living for a first year over here.
I'm sorry if i'm missing a point here because this does seem far too simple.
Starting my first year in a few weeks time, doing Business Management :D.
Exactly. If you're new to the city/country and don't know anyone are you at all likely to share a (privately rented) flat with someone you don't know? No.
The point I was making was that if a student came from Britain to study in Dublin they would prefer to stay in university accommodation because everyone is in the same boat and it is easy to meet people opposed to renting a flat privately with a complete stranger (who may not even be a student) as others in this thread suggested was the norm, which it plainly is not.