STUDENT rents in Bournemouth are among the highest in the UK at an average £139.80 per week.

The town ranks 20th in the Student Rent Index, compiled by mystudenthalls.com

Those studying in Bath have to fork out the most at an average £223.17 while at the other end of the table students in Wrexham pay just £79.

The top ten includes Bath, London, Dublin, Cambridge, Bristol and Oxford while the bottom 10 includes Bradford, Wolverhampton, Paisley and Derby.

The research comes as students consider their university options ahead of the application deadline for UCAS in January, with many factoring in the cost of living to their choice.

It covers halls of residence as well as private accommodation.

Mystudenthalls.com MD and founder, Dan Roberts, said: "What students may not realise when choosing their student accommodation is that there are now a host of options when it comes to student halls.

"Even in more traditionally expensive cities and towns, including London and Bath, there is a wide range of student accommodation to suit different budgets."

At Bournemouth University, accommodation in halls of residence ranges from £3,997 per year to £9,358 per year.

Arts University Bournemouth offers halls between £145 per week and £175 per week.

Development is currently under way at sites across the town centre to meet the ever-increasing demand for student accommodation.

Bournemouth councillors were recently told there is a "pressing need" for more purpose-built accommodation and that the number of beds has not increased to meet growing demand.

Work is also due to start on an accommodation complex for up to 300 students at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB).

Plans for the halls are part of an expansion which was first approved in outline in 2016.

Most of the student homes will have en suite facilities and the development will emphasise sustainability, with upgraded pedestrian and cycle routes to connect the site with the nearby bus hub and other areas.

Nick Welch, chief operating officer at Arts University Bournemouth, said: "AUB’s new campus development will help meet increasing demand for high quality student accommodation that is located in close proximity to the campus."