Find out how to apply for housing that meets your needs if you have a declared disability or long-term health condition.
If you have additional needs
If a healthcare professional has recommended you live in a specific type of accommodation, you can make a request for reasonable adjustments to receive a place in University-managed housing that meets your needs.
We have rooms and facilities that are:
- wheelchair-accessible
- equipped for care support
- accessible if you have a hearing or visual impairment.
We try to fulfil reasonable adjustment requests, subject to availability, but cannot guarantee accommodation needs are met.
If you qualify for an en-suite bedroom based on your needs, you may receive a partial credit on your rent costs. This must be endorsed by Disability Advice and based on medical evidence.
New students
To make a request for the start of the academic year, you must complete our online housing application.
We will then email you a link to a form where you can provide more details of your housing needs.
On the form you:
- submit supporting medical evidence
- highlight additional requirements (such as details of your required room type and how this supports your needs).
Make sure you do this by the application deadline of 30 June.
Continuing students
We have limited accommodation for returning students.
If you have disabilities which substantially impair your daily activities, you may be entitled to stay in University-managed accommodation beyond your first year of study. We cannot guarantee this and assess all applications received in time to consider if appropriate accommodation is available. We have to balance your individual needs with our duty of care to look after the health and wellbeing of all students in our community.
Eligibility
If you are a continuing, full-time student at the University of Sussex who is registered with Disability Advice, you can apply to live for another year in accommodation. The deadline to apply is 30 April.
See the full list of what our Continuation of Housing Panel considers when deciding applications [PDF 133KB].
Care-leavers
If you are a registered care-leaver, we will contact you in March to see if you wish to remain in University-managed accommodation and to discuss your requirements for the next academic year.
How to apply
The process is:
- fill in a form to apply for continuation of housing on health grounds before 30 April, which is the deadline
- your application will be considered by a Continuation of Housing Panel [PDF 133KB] (“the Panel”) in May
- you will be notified of the outcome within one week of the Panel’s decision
- if we are able to provide accommodation, you will receive your accommodation offer in July.
Application form closure
The application closes on 30 April and you will no longer be able to submit the form after that date. Contact disabilitysupport@sussex.ac.uk for further guidance and support.
Unsuccessful applications
If you apply for University housing on health grounds, and the application is unsuccessful, you can get advice finding accommodation in the private sector or book an appointment with a private sector housing officer by emailing housing@sussex.ac.uk.
You can also ask for a review of a decision by the Continuation of Housing Panel [PDF 133KB].
Applying halfway through a term
If you are part-way through the academic year, and you need to apply for alternative accommodation because of a change in your circumstances, you should contact:
- Disability Advice to see if they can recommend reasonable adjustment for housing
- our Housing Services team to find out if suitable accommodation is available
We cannot guarantee accommodation if you submitted your application part-way through the year.