Students at the University of East Anglia have been told they can end their rented accommodation contracts early whilst those that remain on campus face strict coronavirus restrictions.

With face-to-face and laboratory teaching having been suspended before the current lockdown and all exams and assessments now taking place online, many students had already left Norwich to go home.

However they still faced paying rent for their university accommodation.

MORE: More schools close because of lack of key worker pupilsBut in an email to students, the UEA said: “We understand that many have decided to return home given the current situation, and therefore UEA has agreed to offer students the opportunity to be released from their accommodation licence if they wish.

“For students who would like to remain living in UEA accommodation, you are, of course, welcome to do so - we will continue to provide cleaning, maintenance, security and support services as far as possible.”

Students who remain on campus face strict restrictions including swipe-card access only, restrictions on post and deliveries, and closure of the library, which had been one of the last facilities to remain open.

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