‘I may be forced to defer’: Students left with no rooms amid Exeter’s accommodation shortage

Incoming students at the University of Exeter have been forced to consider deferment or Clearing, after a shortage of accommodation meant they were left without a suitable room. 

In a statement to The Exeter Tab, a spokesperson for the university said it had received “very high demand for accommodation across the city,” leading it to offer students the option to defer their offer. 

While the spokesperson said the university was “supporting students to explore private accommodation in Exeter,” some offer-holders have been left with no accommodation, or halls that didn’t meet any of their preferred criteria. 

Exeter students were ‘encouraged’ to seek private accommodation

Alisa-Isobel applied for on-campus, en-suite accommodation but was allocated halls that fit neither preference

Kai, a student who secured Exeter as his insurance choice, said he was “strongly encouraged” to apply for private accommodation in the city, only to discover most of the options were “sold out,” with only “premium studios, quoting upwards of £13,000 on 51-week contracts” still available. 

Since the rent of these studios is more than can be covered with a student loan, Kai told The Exeter Tab he is “assessing potential alternatives,” such as going through Clearing to look for courses in other cities. 

As well as the financial burden of seeking private accommodation, Kai also expressed feeling daunted “at the prospect of not being among fellow first years in halls.”

Although the University of Exeter has confirmed it will uphold its commitment to students covered by the university’s accommodation guarantee, even students who had Exeter as their firm university have been affected by the accommodation shortage.

Alisa-Isobel, who is due to study English at Exeter this September, has been allocated to St David’s, Brunel Close. Though she listed preferences for on-campus and en-suite accommodation, the halls she was allocated ticked neither of these boxes. 

“There was almost no point in notifying the university of the accommodation I was interested in if my preferences weren’t even really taken into account,” she argued.

In her case, considering private accommodation instead was simply “not an option”.

Students have considered deferring their offer due to the shortage

Jemima has an offer to study neuroscience at Exeter, but has not yet secured accommodation

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In a statement to The Exeter Tab, a spokesperson for the University of Exeter explained that students have been given “the option to defer their studies to the next academic year,” but that this is not compulsory. 

Jemima, due to study neuroscience, had listed Exeter as both her firm and insurance option. After failing to secure accommodation initially, she told The Exeter Tab she may have to defer her offer if she is not able to find anything.

She explained that multiple other students in her position are attempting to organise shared housing through Facebook, a solution she hopes will help her find somewhere to live. 

“I hate the uncertainty, and it makes me so upset that after finally being able to get excited about uni I may not be able to go this year, and may be forced to defer. It has been very stressful, I’ve applied for many private accommodations but been told they’re all sold out,” she said. 

Despite the accommodation shortage, some students have still been lucky. Mimi, an offer-holder who applied before the deadline due the earlier Results Day of the International Baccalaureate (IB), was able to secure the accommodation she wanted.

However, Mimi argued: “Accommodation should be guaranteed for all first year students,” regardless of whether they secured a place at Exeter through insurance or Clearing.

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “We have seen exceptionally strong demand from students wishing to study at Exeter this year, alongside very high demand for accommodation across the city.

“We are meeting our accommodation commitments to eligible students covered by the university’s accommodation guarantee. However, demand this year means that we are unfortunately unable to offer university accommodation to some students who are not covered by the guarantee.

“We recognise how disappointing this will be, and we are contacting affected students directly so they understand the position as early as possible and have time to consider the options available to them.

“We are supporting students to explore private accommodation in Exeter through our accommodation services. Students who live in private accommodation are fully part of the Exeter community, with the same access to teaching, student support, welcome week and Students’ Guild activities. Students also have the option to defer their studies to next academic year.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our new students in September and will continue to provide practical support to those affected as they prepare to join us.”

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