HOW TO COUNTER THE STUDENT HOUSING CRISIS IN EUROPE

By Rita Dias, Lisa Schivalocchi, Arno Schrooyen

The Erasmus Student Network and the European Students’ Union have identified major problems for international students in finding affordable accommodation. These organisations are pioneering innovative methods to support exchange students, but true change will require a coordinated effort from higher education institutions, governments and European authorities.

For students embarking on international mobility experiences, going abroad is often described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s a chance for them to build new relationships with peers worldwide, immerse themselves in new cultures and explore a new learning environment. But for these experiences to truly live up to their potential, it’s crucial that students’ basic needs – like proper and affordable housing – are met. Unfortunately, housing scarcity and unaffordability are among the biggest hurdles for international students. Rising inflation, surging demand in student cities and increasing participation in mobility programmes have made finding accommodation a significant challenge. According to the 15th Erasmus Student Network survey, published in 2024, two key issues stand out: “insufficient money to cover my cost of living” (experienced by 35.63% of respondents) and problems in “finding affordable accommodation” (35.5%). These struggles are closely linked. The survey revealed that housing-related expenses, including rent and utility bills, combined with essential costs such as food, made up a staggering 72.71% of students’ total budgets.^[1]

On average, exchange students received a monthly grant of €468 but their expenses exceeded this amount by €322, leaving many of them struggling.

This mismatch highlights the urgent need for more affordable student housing solutions. LACK OF SUPPORT AND COORDINATION
In 2023, the Erasmus Student Network and the European Students’ Union released a report on international student housing, based on a snap survey. It highlighted that 16% of exchange student respondents said they had struggled to find accommodation before their arrival, with this figure rising to as high as 28% in individual countries.^[2] This is a stress-inducing hurdle. The report also brought attention to a shortage of accommodation provided by higher education institutions, with shared flats emerging as the most common option, especially in Mediterranean countries, where housing shortages are most acute. Furthermore, a quarter of respondents reported being scammed, while nearly a third received no housing support from their institutions and many expressed dissatisfaction with the assistance they did receive. These findings highlight an urgent need for all actors to step up their efforts and better coordinate to improve the situation. STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION
While the monitoring framework of the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education explicitly identifies housing support as a responsibility of higher education institutions, student-led movements have taken proactive steps to address these challenges. The Erasmus Student Network and the European Students’ Union have pioneered innovative practices including housing swaps between current and future mobility students, local guides to help students navigate accommodation, and partnerships with providers to ensure housing is safe and reliable. These grassroots efforts demonstrate the critical role student organisations play in tackling the housing crisis. But it’s also important that other actors support this effort. Long-term solutions require stronger collaboration between key stakeholders: higher education institutions, local governments and national and European authorities. So far, little appears to have been done by national authorities. HOW TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION
The European Students’ Union and the Erasmus Student Network have made several recommendations to improve the situation.

First, at the local level, one persistent challenge is uncertainty over who is responsible for housing support.

Sending and hosting institutions must reach clear agreements on their respective responsibilities for housing information and provision throughout the mobility journey. Additionally, they should collaborate with local governments to ensure rent conditions for students are fair, especially by making sure grants are paid completely upfront before the mobility starts. They should also promote the sharing of accommodation between local and international students as part of their internationalisation strategies. To ensure that institutions fulfil their housing responsibilities, national Erasmus+ agencies should facilitate regular discussions among Erasmus Charter for Higher Education holders about their housing support mechanisms. These agencies should also be empowered by national authorities to launch initiatives addressing international student housing. Improved monitoring measures, along with detailed plans to enhance housing support, are essential to guarantee that students have proper accommodation before embarking on their mobility experiences.Addressing scams should be another top priority. Higher education institutions and local governments must adopt measures to protect students from fraud, while hosting institutions should implement evaluation mechanisms so students can share feedback about their housing experiences in the city. These steps will not only prevent scams but also provide valuable insights for continuous improvement. Finally, one key proposal is the use of EU structural funds to support the creation of student housing facilities in the regions where there is more scarcity, such as the southern European countries. A good example of this is Portugal’s National Plan for Accommodation in Higher Education, supported by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, which has set a precedent for how national agencies can address the housing crisis. This is a goal that the EU could effectively pursue through the European Affordable Housing Initiative and the Strategy for Housing Construction, which are key priorities of the European Commission for this mandate. As student organisations, the European Students’ Union and the Erasmus Student Network strongly believe that student housing should be a central focus of the work of the European commissioner for housing, alongside the committee on housing of the European Parliament, in addressing affordable accommodation. Considering the commissioner’s responsibilities for the energy sector as well, this focus should also entail making student housing more energy-efficient. The aim isn’t just to provide a roof over students’ heads; it’s to ensure every student feels supported and safe during their time abroad. – Rita Dias, Lisa Schivalocchi, Arno Schrooyen

^FOOTNOTES

[1] Dias, R., Buseyne, S., Haadad, Y., Topi, K., Dear, C., Mistretta, L., Rayón Gonzalez, J., & Gabriels, W. (2024). ESNsurvey XV edition: Making quality mobility a reality for all. Erasmus Student Network. https://www.esn.org/news/launch-xv-edition-esnsurvey-report

[2] Rayón Gonzalez, J., Papaioannou, G.A., Gabriels, W., Vespa, M., MacPherson, E., Sproge, K., & Guibert, T. (2023). International student housing: How are exchange students in Europe navigating the housing crisis? Erasmus Student Network, European Students’ Union. https://www.esn.org/news/launch-international-student-housing-report