If you ask your university nicely they may provide rack space for you.

Universities love when students take initiative and build/maintain servers. My university had a student apprentice program where students provided technical expertise to departments as a work study program. And my colleague in the program had a deal with the CS department where they hosted his game server for him. Since he was learning valuable server administration skills and working with other students they approved it.

It’s an easier sell if you ask to put it in the DMZ and if there’s some benefit for other students.