DCU offers flexible accommodation to meet new Covid-19 arrangements

Students at Dublin City University have been offered flexible accommodation for the upcoming academic year as it is “highly unlikely” they will be on campus for full weeks.
DCU offers flexible accommodation to meet new Covid-19 arrangements

File photo
File photo

Students at Dublin City University have been offered flexible accommodation for the upcoming academic year as it is “highly unlikely” they will be on campus for full weeks.

With the university planning a mix of face-to-face lab classes, practical sessions and online lectures in the coming academic year,  not all students will be on campus at the same time.

As a result, DCU is offering students the option of booking on-campus accommodation for specific days, weeks and months as needed. This is a radically different model for on-campus university accommodation, says Prof. Brian MacCraith, DCU president.

"But it reflects the new circumstances for students and, from our discussions with them, we are confident that it addresses their needs in an adaptable fashion.”

The allocation of on-campus residences will take place in early June and will operate through the normal lottery process operated for all students at DCU. Students who receive an offer of a room will be asked to secure that room through a fully refundable deposit.

Once degree timetables have been issued, students will have two weeks to update their details to confirm whether or not they need accommodation for the full semester or for specific dates and their deposit will be applied accordingly.

Meanwhile, the University of Limerick (UL) is to issue refunds totaling €3.45 million to students who left their residences on foot of the Government’s decision to close campuses in March.

This follows objections from students and politicians who criticised UL for not refunding students forced to leave due to the pandemic their rent as other universities had. Education Minister Joe McHugh also waded into the row, contacting UL Chancellor Mary Harney to discuss the matter.

The decision to issue the refunds was made by the board of Plassey Campus Centre Ltd, a UL subsidiary that manages on-campus student residences at UL.

"Each student will be refunded rent from the date they vacated their student residence to the end of their semester license term," a UL spokeswoman said.

Semester one will begin on September 28 for all students. Courses will be blended, with some on-campus face-to-face teaching as well as online learning.

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