Half a Million Students Expected

Nearly Half a Million First-Year Students Expected in Germany for Winter Semester 2022 / 2023 – Student Housing Situation Remaining Strained

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• First-year student enrol­ment at least back up to prior-year level
• With travel restric­tions revoked, especi­ally Asian students return to Germany
• Strong demand and highly strained student housing markets in metro regions and campus towns

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In Germany, the Winter Semester 2022 / 2023 will start in early October. As a rule, more than three out of four first-year students will have begun their degree programs at one of Germany’s 423 higher educa­tion insti­tu­tions, inclu­ding univer­si­ties. For this first time, students parti­ci­pa­ting in Europe’s Erasmus exchange program will be entitled to higher funding rates when studying in another EU country. Depen­ding on the desti­na­tion country, they are paid 600 euros or more each month. On top of that, it is safe to assume that the return to face-to-face teaching and the restored possi­bi­lity to study abroad will ensure the arrival of a large number of domestic and inter­na­tional first-year students in German campus towns. In total, roughly three million students will probably be enrolled for the Winter Semester in Germany.

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“We expect nearly 500,000 first-year students in Germany for the Winter Semester 2022 / 2023. So, the number of first-year students should match last year’s level at the least,” said Michael Stump, the COO of Inter­na­tional Campus Group. “On the one hand, we are seeing—including in our own houses—the return of inter­con­ti­nental students to German univer­si­ties and other higher educa­tion insti­tu­tions. On the other hand, we expect to see the final catch-up effects of the corona­virus pandemic. Despite the rapid increase in the cost of living, young people want to get their degrees, and they need their own place to stay at their study location.”

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“The situa­tion on the housing markets of many German metro regions and univer­sity cities is very strained, meaning more so than it used to be. There is not nearly enough residen­tial accom­mo­da­tion, and the volume of student housing that is being developed lags far behind demand – creating serious issues for young people. Unless supply is expanded, housing and rental costs will just keep going up,” Stump went on to say. “The lull in German housing construc­tion hits students parti­cu­larly hard, as they are not among the most well-heeled demand groups. The linge­ring uncer­tainty concer­ning the future of govern­ment funding via the KfW develo­p­ment bank is not helpful either as far as the provi­sion of adequate housing for all segments of society goes. Urgent action at all political levels is called for.”

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“We hope that the ‘young living’ action plan on the German federal and state level will move forward quickly, so that it can start simpli­fying and expediting the creation of additional accom­mo­da­tion for students and other young people by early 2023,” Stump added. Stream­lined planning and permit proce­dures, and faster proces­sing of planning and zoning appli­ca­tions as well as sound and reliable KfW funding programs would be well suited to address the issue of housing shortages and rising housing costs for students in a purpose-driven way.

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