Housing Shortage at the Start of the Semester
Tübingen / Hohenheim / Sigmaringen. With the winter semester approaching, a new chapter in life is beginning for thousands of young people. But before lectures and seminars start, many first-year students are faced with another key question: Where will I live?
The Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim, the University of Tübingen, the University of Hohenheim and Albstadt-Sigmaringen University are therefore jointly calling on private individuals to make available accommodation available to students. Whether it is a room, a self-contained flat or accommodation that is temporarily unused – every space offered gives a young person the opportunity to make a successful start to their studies.
Affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce for students. Rising rents are putting many students under considerable financial pressure: according to current figures from the Federal Statistical Office, students spend an average of 54 percent of their income on rent. Almost two-thirds of student households are considered overburdened by housing costs. Demand for accommodation in the Studierendenwerk’s halls of residence is correspondingly high. There are currently a total of 901 pending applications for the winter semester, compared with 419 remaining available places in student accommodation. This makes additional private accommodation for first-year students all the more important.
A Joint Appeal
“Whether a young person can study should not depend on their parents’ bank balance or on rental prices in their university town. Yet for an increasing number of prospective students, this is becoming a reality. This is a matter of great concern to us,” says Edith Hein, Managing Director of the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. “Our halls of residence have been fully occupied for years. At the same time, we are continuously investing in expanding student accommodation. In Hohenheim, 126 new places in student accommodation are currently being created, and we are also moving forward with further housing projects in Tübingen. But new accommodation cannot be created overnight. Until these projects are completed, students are all the more dependent on the support of private landlords.”
Prof. Dr Karla Pollmann, Rector of the University of Tübingen, emphasises the importance of affordable housing for a successful start to university life: “Starting university is a time of new beginnings, curiosity and great expectations for young people. The University of Tübingen offers excellent teaching to students from a wide range of regions and backgrounds. Landlords who provide accommodation make it easier for these young people to settle into this new phase of their lives. In doing so, they make a valuable contribution to an open and vibrant society.”
Prof. Dr Christoph Schneider, Rector of the University of Hohenheim, also supports the joint appeal and highlights the importance of attractive conditions for studying and academic life: “Helping young people find a roof over their heads can also be an enriching experience for landlords. This is particularly true when you provide accommodation for our international students, who in turn bring the big, wide world to us here in Baden-Württemberg. As a landlord, you also make a direct contribution to educating and training the skilled professionals who will be urgently needed in the future.”
Dr Ingeborg Mühldorfer, Rector of Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, points out that the difficult housing situation has long since ceased to affect only major university cities: “More than 80 percent of our university’s graduates work in Baden-Württemberg after completing their studies, making an important contribution to the state’s innovative strength and prosperity. If we want to attract students to our region and thus to our companies, good-quality housing is essential.”
To turn this appeal into concrete assistance, the Studierendenwerk offers a simple solution:
Through its free private accommodation service, private landlords can list their rooms or apartments online in just a few clicks. The Studierendenwerk passes these offers directly on to students looking for accommodation. This means that available housing can quickly reach those who urgently need it.
