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Living locally

We offer a wide range of both on and off campus accommodation options in both Bognor Regis and Chichester. First year students are normally guaranteed a place in our halls of residence (see below). If you decide to live in privately rented accommodation, we recommend that you live within a 20-mile radius from your main campus base. We consider this a reasonable/commutable distance. Attending lectures and seminars and accessing support and wellbeing services will be easier if you live locally. It has been proven that living any further away from the University than this, can be detrimental to your studies and can lead to attendance and wellbeing issues.

Application process 

If you are a fee-paying undergraduate or a postgraduate student and have accepted the study offer at the Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ you will receive an email to tell you how to apply for university accommodation via the accommodation portal. Check the accommodation page for more information on the application process.

Guaranteed accommodation 

You are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence accommodation for your first year of study, as long as you submit your accommodation application by deadline set on the application portal and you firmly accept your place at the University.

Starting your studies outside the standard semester pattern 

If you are due to start your studies in January/February, you should email our accommodation team directly to enquire about the application process (allocations@chi.ac.uk).

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Make sure you check the contract dates. Your contract length might be different to the semester length. Halls of residence contracts are normally 37 weeks long. You should also carefully read the terms and conditions and if you have any questions speak to the accommodation office.

Accommodation contracts

Make sure you read the accommodation contract and the student residential licence agreement carefully, so that you understand your rights and responsibilities. It is not possible to be released from the contract if you change your mind about living in the Halls of Residence accommodation. However, it is normally possible to change your room or campus location, if we have availability.

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We recommend that you arrive at the University during the official arrivals weekend or on a working day (Monday – Friday) during normal office hours (8.30 am -5pm). If this is not possible, make sure you contact the accommodation team to let them know what time you are due to arrive, so that they can advise you on how to get your key from the security team on campus. If you arrive late at night, it might be good to be prepared with some food and snacks as the shops in Chichester are not open 24/7 and often close at 4pm on Sundays.

Free bedding packs 

Students from outside the UK get a free bedding pack, which includes pillows, a duvet, sheets, pillowcases, a duvet cover and towels. Contact the accommodation team to request a pack for your room.

Finding accommodation after your first year in the halls of residence

The Studentpad website allows you to look for university-accredited private accommodation off-campus. If you decide to rent a property that has not been advertised on the studentpad website, the university won’t be able to help you if you have any issues with your landlord or the property.

Contract length 

It is good to be aware that if you decide to live in a privately rented accommodation, you may have to sign a contract for 12 month e.g. from September to September and once you have signed the contract it is not easy to make changes or leave earlier.

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We recommend that you try to live locally - near Bognor Regis or Chichester campus to make it easier for you to access the University services and for us to be able to support you. If you have to rely on trains or buses to travel to the University from other cities, it can lead to issues with punctuality and attendance. Trains are often delayed and traffic can be an issue if travelling by bus.

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You will need to pay some money in advance in form of a deposit (often 1 month’s rent), which the landlord must keep in a secure place until your contract ends. Check your contract to see in what circumstances your landlord might be allowed to use your deposit to pay for any damages or extra costs incurred during your tenancy.

UK-based Guarantor 

Private landlords often require you to have a UK-based guarantor. This is to make sure that if you experience financial difficulties and fail to pay your rent, there is someone who can pay the rent instead. It is most likely that you do not have a UK-based guarantor if you are coming to study from abroad. For this reason, it might be preferable to stay in University accommodation. If you are in your second or third year of studies, you can contact the accommodation team to find out about the university’s guarantor scheme.

Bills & Council Tax 

You will also be liable for water, gas, electricity and internet bills in addition to your monthly rent. If you are a full-time student living with other students, you won’t have to pay council tax. However, you must make sure you contact the council to inform them that you are a student. This can be done online for Bognor & Chichester based students. If you live outside these areas, you can request a council tax exemption letter via Chiview.

Right to rent checks 

Landlords are by law required to check that you have the right to be in the UK, so you should be prepared to show your passport, ID card and/or your visa. The landlord may also ask for a letter from the university to prove your student status. You can print a letter via Chiview once you have registered onto your course.

If you are coming to the university on a pre-sessional course in June or August you should see our pre-sessional accommodation information for full details on your options.

You may not be able to choose your own accommodation. Your course organiser will decide what type of accommodation you will get.  Sometimes this can be halls of residence accommodation and sometimes homestay accommodation.