Universities are citing significant increases in demand for campus accommodation and the Department of Education is looking at ways to help with accommodation costs through the Student Universal Support Ireland (Susi) system, according to a new paper published by the department.
Current figures received by higher education institutes show that publicly owned purpose-built student accommodation was oversubscribed by approximately 29,773 applications for the 2023/2024 academic year, the paper said.
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“On average there are three applications for every one student bed on campus. This does not take into account the Technological University sector. Those students who are unsuccessful in obtaining a place are forced into the private market.”
The paper, “Funding the Future: An Annual Options Paper on the Cost of Higher Education 2024″ sets out the estimated cost of various policy options available, including in the area of fees.
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Construction cost increases, fuelled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Brexit and Covid, are having a significant impact on the supply and affordability of new rental accommodation for higher-level students, “with the estimated construction price for student accommodation in the greater Dublin area currently estimated at in excess of €200,000 for a single room en-suite”.
The impact on supply has been significant, with more than 10,900 units with planning permission within the university public and private student accommodation sector not having been activated.
“In addition, there is concern that private operators will leave the market due to the restricted rents in Rent Pressure Zones which are impacting on their ability to cover increasing operating costs.”
Earlier this year, the Government announced funding of €100 million for more than 1,000 student beds in University College Dublin, Dublin City University and Maynooth University.
Eurostudent Survey data from 2022 showed 45 per cent of Irish higher education students living with their parents, 19 per cent in purpose-built student accommodation and 36 per cent living predominantly in the private rented sector.
New financial supports by way of one-off payments or increased maintenance grants for non-adjacent maintenance grant recipients are among the measures surveyed in the paper, as well as an emergency student accommodation fund for student unions, to allow for immediate assistance to students who need to access emergency accommodation.
The paper also says a scheme to provide accommodation supports for students from the Traveller and Roma communities would have a full-year cost of €1.2 million.
A push for another €500 cut in university fees, which would build on the €1,000 reduction already in place, and would halve the fee to €1,500 from its former level of €3,000, is reported to be among the budget measures being sought by Minister for Higher Education Patrick O’Donovan.
According to the paper, a reduction in the student “contribution” of €500 would have a total net cost for the exchequer of €49.5 million.
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