Trinity plans to allocate campus rooms for next year in May as normal, despite the closure of the College, but accommodation offers will not be finalised until next year’s academic calendar is confirmed.
Thomas Deane, a Trinity media relations officer, confirmed to The University Times that “room allocations are usually made in May and there is currently no reason why this will not happen at the same time this year”.
In an email statement, Deane wrote that offers “of accommodation for next year will not be finalised until term dates for 2020-21 are confirmed”, adding that the “room allocation process will be exactly the same as in previous years based on the annual Indicative Room Allocations approved by the Provost”.
The announcement applies to students who have applied for residency on campus in Botany Bay, the Graduates Memorial Building, New Square and Goldsmith Hall.
For Trinity Hall, which mainly houses first-year students, residencies will be allocated in June.
“As in previous years provisional applications for CAO applicants are open from 30th March – 11th May 2020 (these dates apply to CAO students applying under Special Considerations too)”, Deane said.
“We anticipate that applications will be reviewed from the mid to end of May and that provisional offers will be issued at the start of June onwards. CAO applications received after 11th May will be reviewed after the formal allocations are completed following the First Round of CAO Offers on 13th August to fill any remaining places.”
The government today announced that this summer’s leaving certificate exams have been postponed until late July or early August, meaning students are likely to start college later than planned.
It’s unclear yet what the news will mean for universities’ academic calendars.
In a video address last month, Provost Patrick Prendergast promised incoming students that “come the autumn, we will be welcoming many of you to our campus”.
“It might be slightly later than in previous years, it might be under slightly adjusted criteria”, he said, “but we will be welcoming you”.
“Every autumn, the university renews itself through the influx of new students.”
