Letting policy 2023-24
LETTINGS POLICY FOR UNIVERSITY ACCOMMODATION 2023-24
1. The University provides accommodation to satisfy the demands from:
• Undergraduates
• Postgraduates
• Home and Overseas students
• Disabled students and students with special requirements
• Erasmus and Study Abroad
• English Language and Teaching Centre (ELTC)
• University Sheffield International College (USIC)
2. Guarantee a room for students who have made the University of Sheffield their first choice through UCAS to their preferred choice of accommodation where possible or to a suitable alternative depending on availability. This is subject to the conditions of the accommodation guarantee.
3. To provide students the opportunity when applying to have a choice of room types and locations and guaranteeing accommodation as long as applications have been submitted prior to 31 August 2023.
4. Where a student states on their application they have a physical or mental disability or have special requirements and this is supported through medical evidence, we will make reasonable adjustments to the accommodation as needed and if possible as not all rooms or locations can be adapted.
5. As far as possible, ensure students are informed of their Sheffield address before they arrive in Sheffield.
6. Ensure minors are offered accommodation in accordance with Accommodation and Commercial Services under 18’s policy.
7. Aim where possible to integrate students of different race and culture to promote inter-racial, interpersonal and intercultural understanding within community.
8. Ensure suitable accommodation is reserved for students returning to University-owned accommodation, offering them a variety of locations and room types.
9. Give preference to international students requiring family accommodation.
10. Operate a fair allocation policy that does not discriminate on grounds of race, colour, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, gender or disability or any other protected characteristic. During the allocation process, we will work to ensure all allocations are appropriate based on the information available and type of accommodation. In line with this we reserve the right to mix students from different levels of study.
11. Offer all students mixed gender accommodation with those wishing to be in single sex flats having the option to select this at the time of application. There is no guarantee that mixed gender accommodation will be available and if not then the student will be allocated to single sex.
12. As a trial for the 2022-23 letting year, students have the option during the self-selection period to select a room in a quieter accommodation area. It is not intended or possible to guarantee that the quieter accommodation is entirely quiet due to internal and external noise. The quieter accommodation is to enable students to live with other students that may wish to keep noise to a minimum. Students that live in quieter accommodation will be required to work with other residents within the flat and the building to reduce noise and keep noise to a minimum. Any offer of accommodation in quieter accommodation is subject to availability.
13. Offer students the option of selecting LGBT+ accommodation allowing students that would prefer to be accommodated in accommodation specifically for LGBT+ students to feel secure.
14. Students living in single accommodation for the full 42 or 51-week residences contract will have the opportunity to transfer between different types of accommodation four weeks after the collection of keys and subject to availability and the payment of a transfer fee. Any opportunity to transfer is subject to approval and availability. Students allocated to family/couple and short-stay accommodation will not have the ability to transfer. Any opportunity to transfer is subject to availability and approval.
15. Local students are allocated accommodation if they have applied and met the guarantee, there is no distance restrictions.
16. To provide accommodation for non-standard course dates as long as the student is full time taking into account the requirement of the student and availability at the time of application. We reserve the right to allocate those students taking part on courses with non-standard course dates into accommodation with students on full 42 or 51-week residences contracts providing.