Nearly 70% of Sussex’s visiting exchange students are stuck in pricey shared hotel rooms

Exchange students at the University of Sussex were dismayed when they found out the university had decided shared hotel rooms in neighbouring towns Hove and Lewes were the best way to accommodate them for their first term.

Whilst some of the 351 exchange students were provided with organised housing, the majority have been dealt a lousy hand.

According to Sussex’s own information for visiting exchange students, 220 of the 351, or 68 per cent, of exchange students are living in three hotels – two in Hove and one in Lewes.

Would you come thousands of miles and expect to pay £125/week for this?

As if that wasn’t tragic enough, bedroom sizes vary considerably despite the same weekly rate, with some rooms having been converted from single to shared rooms through squeezing another bed inside.

Alexandra Fulton, Head of Communications at the University of Sussex, explained that the university had successfully found housing for all of its guaranteed students, such as firm-choice undergraduates.

Charles Dudley, the University of Sussex’s Director of Residential and Campus Services, said in a statement to The Tab Sussex: “We’ve been pleased that not only have we been able to house all students who are guaranteed accommodation, but we’ve provided housing to an additional 600 students who are not on the guaranteed list.”

However, in the same statement, Mr. Dudley explains that: “non-guaranteed students include those on a part-year ‘Study Abroad’ trip”. 

On-campus accommodation is notoriously limited to first year students with Sussex as their ‘firm’ choice in their UCAS offers, as well as residential advisors and second years with valid personal reasons.

Domestic students, be they first year or above, have an easy time finding accommodation in the UK. Many lettings agencies will require a UK guarantor (which foreign students don’t have) or at least six months’ rent paid upfront. Because many exchange students only stay for four months or less at a time, lettings agencies are less likely to rent out rooms.

If you are an exchange student and need support with your accommodation situation, the housing office may be able to help. You can contact them on 01273 678220 or [email protected]. Phones are closed for lunch from 13:00 – 14:00