The situation has reached a breaking point, leaving many students without viable housing options as they begin the winter semester.
The situation has reached a breaking point, leaving many students without viable housing options as they begin the winter semester.
Germany’s housing crisis is hitting university students hard as they struggle to find affordable accommodation, with no immediate relief in sight.
The situation has reached a breaking point, leaving many students without viable housing options as they begin the winter semester, Deutsche Welle reported.
In the central German city of Göttingen, the Student Association has taken the extraordinary step of renting a hotel to provide reduced-rate lodging for students during the initial weeks of the semester. Meanwhile, in Munich, where students face monthly rent costs averaging €720 ($760), one camping site has offered reduced rates for homeless students looking for a place to stay.
Alarming shortage and soaring rents
In a report by Erudera, citing data from the German Academic Exchange Service, Germany has secured its position as the third most sought-after destination for international students.
Enrollments have surged to an all-time high of 367,578 for the academic year 2022-2023. Nevertheless, the pressing issue of student housing scarcity has become increasingly apparent.
A study by the Eduard Pestel Research Institute earlier this year, however, revealed a shortage of more than 700,000 apartments in Germany, with a particularly acute deficit in affordable housing. Rents have seen a sharp increase, primarily in major university cities, exacerbating the problem.
Growing pressures on university students
Matthias Anbuhl, head of Germany’s Student Association, described the lack of affordable student housing in major cities as a “deplorable state of affairs” that has persisted for decades.
The DSW manages approximately 1,700 dormitories across Germany with around 196,000 places, and they currently have more than 32,000 students on their waiting list.
University students are feeling the pressure, with many struggling to secure suitable housing within their budgets. The cost of renting a room in a shared apartment in Berlin has doubled over the past decade to €650, surpassing the current student allowance for accommodation of €360 under the federal student loans and grants scheme.
Consequently, a growing number of students are seeking places in student dormitories, leading to substantial waitlists. In Berlin alone, the Student Association has 9,000 beds and nearly 5,000 students waiting for accommodation, with a wait time of three semesters.
Jana Judisch, a spokesperson for the Berlin Student Association, said that many students are relocating to the outskirts of the city, and even beyond into areas like Brandenburg, in search of affordable housing.
Investment gap
International students face additional challenges, as they often cannot provide the financial guarantees that some landlords require. Thomas Schmidt, representative for Social Affairs on the General Student Committee, emphasized that housing issues are among the most common problems for students seeking assistance.
The lack of investment in social infrastructure to accommodate the growing student population is a pressing concern. Over the past 12-15 years, the number of students in Germany has increased by approximately one million, reaching around 2.9 million. However, this surge in students has not been matched by investments in essential infrastructure.
Stefan Grob, vice secretary general of the DSW, warned that the current situation could lead to a two-class society, where only those with financial means can afford to study and secure housing. This, he argued, would be detrimental to higher education.
In response to the crisis, Germany’s coalition government has pledged to invest €500 million in 2023 as part of the “Junges Wohnen” youth housing scheme. The subsidy aims to provide more affordable accommodation for students, apprentices, and trainee police officers.
According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur news agency via China Daily, the housing crisis in Germany has worsened as the number of building permits issued continues to decline year after year, even as the population steadily grows.
Recent government data revealed a 31.6 percent drop in new apartment construction permits issued in August 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. Over the first eight months of 2023, the total number of permits has plummeted by 28.3 percent compared to the previous year. Developers attribute this decline to rising construction costs, high interest rates, and diminished profit margins, which have deterred them from investing in apartment construction.
Housing challenges faced by European students
In response to student concerns about housing conditions, the European Students’ Union and the Erasmus Student Network conducted a survey in November 2022 to assess housing issues.
The survey revealed that 25 percent of respondents experienced scams, 41 percent lacked information about housing conditions, and 49 percent faced excessive deposit payments, underscoring the need for improved support and awareness in the housing market.
It also showed variations among countries. For example, over 38 percent of students heading to Italy experienced scams, while only 10 percent of those going to Finland did.
