Accommodation
Our residences are situated in a variety of locations and not on one single campus. Some accommodation is located in areas of uneven terrain and students will need to travel into urban centres for some recreational activities. The halls of residence are not warden controlled but they do have 24 hour security staff and residential advisers on site. They also provide independent living which can create a lively environment not suited to students who need a very quiet living space.
With just over 2,000 bed spaces and 22,000 students, demand for campus accommodation outstrips supply and students with a disability, medical condition or special need cannot be guaranteed a room. However the university will consider and carefully assess each case and make every effort to meet the needs of students. If you would like your accommodation application to be considered on these grounds you must make us aware in the general notes section of your application or contact the disability and dyslexia team on 01273 643799 (or disability@brighton.ac.uk) to discuss what support can be provided.
Assessment Criteria
We look at the following criteria when we prioritise requests for our accommodation:
- Whether the student has severe mobility difficulties or is registered disabled;
- Whether the student is blind , visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing to the extent that this causes them severe difficulties;
- Whether the student is experiencing chronic health conditions which require close proximity to university buildings;
- Whether the student has a mental health or autistic spectrum condition.
We will send you a form to complete with more information on the policy and the criteria we use to determine whether you qualify for accommodation on the grounds of disability or additional need. You will need to provide evidence to support your application and the information you give us will be shared with the disability and dyslexia team unless you stipulate otherwise.
Please note that those medical conditions that are not considered substantial are not considered a priority for accommodation. However, we will try to place such applicants in suitable accommodation wherever possible, so long as they are eligible for halls accommodation as outlined in this guide.
Information required
We require students with a medical/special need to submit:
- a letter from your doctor or medical practitioner which clearly sets out in some detail the reasons why you need a university residence place;
- a supporting letter from you explaining how your disability, medical condition or special need affects your day to day activities.
Your evidence will be considered by the accommodation and dyslexia and disability teams before a decision is made. Please note if the required documentation is not provided in good time, it will be difficult for us to meet your request for halls at a later stage.
There are rooms in halls suitable for wheelchair users and those with hearing impairments. Some rooms have flashing fire alarms, vibrating pillows and loop systems. Further adaptations to hall units can usually be made to suit individual requirements. However, this may not be possible where major structural adaptations are required. If you believe you will need structural alterations to your accommodation, we strongly advise you to contact us as early as possible.
If you need specialist equipment like beds, hoists, fridges and heaters, the university may, in some cases, be able to arrange to provide you with some equipment, as long as it is reasonable to do so. We strongly advise students to visit university accommodation if they have very specific requirements, and this can be arranged via the teams. If as a student with disabilities or additional needs, you would prefer accommodation in the private sector, the accommodation offices will try to identify properties which may be suitable wherever possible.
Find out more
if you would like to visit our halls of residence prior to application or attending the university, then please get in touch.
See the general accommodation section for more information on the location and type of halls available.
Click here for further general information about accommodation.
