More and more students search for housing outside of major student cities

Students are increasingly looking for accommodations outside of the city where they study, due to the housing shortage. They are finding smaller cities and suburbs often have more housing options and lower prices per square meter, the NOS reports.

A spokesperson for Kamernet, a room rental website, told the NOS that there is a greater demand for housing in towns surrounding major student cities. Students are also more willing to accept housing that is further away from their university campus.

For example, four students who study in Utrecht live nearly 20 kilometers away in Hilversum. One of the students, Valerie Jaski, told the NOS that housing was too expensive and "limited" in Utrecht. "I like it here. I always say: this house would be perfect if it were in Utrecht," she said.

Jolan de Bie, director of Kences knowledge center for student housing, said housing students far away from campuses is "not the ideal solution." However, he added, "Students really like to have a house. A house in the region is better than no house."

Student housing provider DUWO has to construct new student apartments further away from universities, as well. It is currently building a new housing site in Almere, that will partially house people studying in Amsterdam. In addition, many students studying in Maastricht have accepted accommodations in Sittard, more than 20 kilometers away.

"Initially I tried to find a room in Maastricht. But it soon turned out to be more difficult than expected," explained Ayaka Minamii, who is one of the students living in Sittard. She said she still hopes to live in Maastricht one day since it's "really a student city –– you have everything you need there."

A spokesperson for DUWO said that students may be able to enliven the suburbs that they are increasingly moving to. Student housing provider SSH said cities should "cherish" their students and find more ways for them to live there, since they give the cities character, according to the NOS.