Still Thousands of Students Without Rooms at the Start of the Semester - Over 8,500 Students in Hesse Await Dorm Spaces Amid Rising Demand
Over 8,500 students in Hesse are currently waiting for dormitory spaces, with the demand rising sharply. The trend is particularly evident in Frankfurt, where about 2,771 students are registered on the waiting list, reflecting a severe shortage of student housing.
In Frankfurt, the Studierendenwerk can only accommodate around 9.3% of students in dormitories. Due to the high demand, student services are mediating private rooms and shared apartments. To temporarily ease the situation, a bed exchange program has started in Frankfurt. The cheap monthly rents of around 300 euros in dormitories make them particularly sought after.
Across Hesse, there are almost a third more applications for dormitory spaces than available places. In Marburg, students wait about twelve months for a room, while in Darmstadt, the wait is over two years. All Hessian student services' dormitories are currently fully booked. Despite having 12,900 dormitory spaces, they struggle to meet the needs of the 240,000 students in the state. Gießen plans to expand its dormitories but faces challenges due to high construction costs.
The severe shortage of student loans in Hesse is evident, with over 8,500 students waiting for dormitory spaces. While student services are trying to mediate private accommodations and start bed exchange programs, the demand continues to outstrip supply. Expansion plans in Gießen face obstacles due to high construction costs, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions to address this critical issue.
