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Students at University of Brighton, Checkland
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City or campus accommodation

I will be a 1st year student on Brighton & Sussex Medical School on September and I have a dilemma.

Should I apply on campus or city accommodation?

I think that for me it's better to be in the city but I would really appreciate a more experienced opinion.
It's really difficult to advise people on this sort of question because it all depends on what you want/need from accommodation. Only you can decide which things are important to you. I'll try to break down a few things you might want to think about.

Travel
BSMS is well-served by public transport, so if you don't mind a bus or train ride to get to classes, then living in the city might be good for you. If you want to be closer, or don't want to travel, then staying on campus might be better. Also consider how much time you might want to spend in the library on campus. There is a 24 hour bus service that serves the campuses and runs all the way through town and to Hove.

Sharing
If you live in the private sector it will usually be in a shared house. This can mean fewer people to socialise with, but also fewer people for possible clashes! On campus accommodation has staff support for any issues you have and it can be possible to move you to a different room in certain circumstances. This option wouldn't be available in a house-share.

Social
On campus accommodation means you are surrounded by other students. Living in the city means you are closer to bars, clubs, theatres.

Facilities
En-suite accommodation is available in halls, but very unusual in a shared house. You will be close to sports/fitness facilities on campus. Living in the city, you could find somewhere close to a gym for example, but it's not guaranteed. However, you will be closer to a range of other facilities like restaurants.

All-in-one Price
Some private accommodation does come 'bills-inclusive', but in most shared houses you will need to sort out the bills yourself. On campus accommodation has all of this included as standard.

Length of contract
On campus accommodation is largely unavailable over the summer. So if you want a year-round contract, off campus accommodation might be better. The other advantage to off campus accommodation is that if you find somewhere you like, you can re-sign your contract and stay for the next year. On campus accommodation is only available in your first year (unless you have a medical need).



There are probably lots of other things that you will want to consider. If you think of any specific questions I can help with, please let me know.

Also bear in mind, You can apply for university accommodation and then turn down the room offer later in the summer if you find an alternative. It's probably better to apply so that you keep that option open, you don't want to miss the deadline and then be forced to look in the private sector after deciding against it!

Shiv
Accommodation Office
Students at University of Brighton, Checkland
University of Brighton
Brighton
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