All of Trinity’s major student residences were undersubscribed this year

Around 1,550 students were living in Trinity accommodation at the end of Hilary Term

All of Trinity’s major student residence locations were undersubscribed this academic year.

The demand among students for rooms in accommodation buildings operated by Trinity was lower than the number of places available.

Figures released to Trinity News under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 show that around 1,550 students were living in Trinity accommodation at the end of Hilary Term.

500 students were living in on-campus accommodation as of May 7. A further 500 students were living in Trinity Hall (Halls) and 550 were in Kavanagh Court and Binary Hub.

In each of the locations, all eligible applicants who sought accommodation were offered a room because the demand was lower than the number of rooms available.

Trinity received around 1,200 applications for on-campus accommodation during the application period last year.

In a statement accompanying the figures released to Trinity News, Head of Trinity’s Accommodation Office Neal Murphy said that “as campus accommodation did not fill, all eligible applicants who decided to proceed with their application were offered a room”.

In Halls, around 1,500 applications were submitted during the application period.

“As Trinity Hall accommodation did not fill all eligible applicants who decided to proceed with their application were offered a room,” Murphy said.

The Trinity Accommodation Office received around 1,800 applications for the rooms reserved at Kavanagh Court and Binary Hub.

Murphy said that “as neither location filled all eligible applicants who decided to proceed with their application were offered a room”.

The cost of rent in on-campus accommodation varies by location. 

Contracts ran from September 21 to January 23 for Michaelmas Term and January 23 to May 23 for Hilary Term. 

In Front Square, New Square, Botany Bay, the Graduates Memorial Building (GMB) and Trinity Business School – the most expensive locations – accommodation for the full year cost €4232 for the first semester and €4096 for the second semester, a total of €8328.

Accommodation in Goldsmith Hall cost €7649, or €3887 and €3762.

In Pearse Street, rent was €3078 for the first semester and €2978 for the second, or €6056 for the entire year.

A 38-week occupancy at Kavanagh Court from August 27 to May 20 cost €10,070.

In Halls, a single bedroom with an en-suite in an apartment cost €3,653 for September 21 to January 23 and a further €3,535 for January 23 to May 23, including utilities.

Under Trinity’s accommodation allocation plan for the upcoming academic year, Halls has capacity for an intake of 924 residents, including 513 Junior Freshers.

More than half of the remaining spaces for 2021/22 are allocated to international students (250).

The rest of the capacity is designated for Scholars (50), “special considerations” (50), the Junior Common Room (25), An Scéim Cónaithe (18), Trinity Access Programme (TAP) Junior Freshers (12) and Sports Scholars (six).

There are 909 on-campus spaces under the allocation plan for 2021/22, which are to be given mostly to Senior Sophisters (366), Scholars (203), and international students (160).

The remaining on-campus spaces are allocated to postgraduate students (70); students with disabilities or other extenuating circumstances (59); specific schemes such as through An Scéim Cónaithe, the Central Societies Committee (CSC) and Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) (38); sabbatical officers in Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) (eight); and the children of Fellows (five).

A further 489 spaces are available at Kavanagh Court.

In October, Trinity decided that students who chose to leave college accommodation early would be offered a partial refund of their license fee after the introduction of Level 5 restrictions.

In an email, students were asked not to leave if their departure would mean they would not be able to attend their in-person classes.

In January, students due to live on-campus for Hilary Term were advised that if they left before the end of February, they would only be charged for the time they spent in their accomodation.

College asked students to consider whether it was necessary for them to physically return to Trinity after the Christmas break as part of efforts to avoid unnecessary travel alongside contingency measures under the extended Level 5 restrictions.

TCDSU said it hoped that the measures would “allow students to prioritise their safety without incurring any penalty or fees”. 

The union asked residents to “consider their options carefully and make a decision based on their personal circumstances”.

Lauren Boland

Lauren Boland was the Editor of the 67th volume of Trinity News. She is an English Literature and Sociology graduate and previously served as Deputy Editor, News Editor and Assistant News Editor.