The housing market in Münster has been very tight in recent years. How has the situation for students developed here?

To put it clearly: bad. The effects of corona are still a problem. There are departments where the standard periods of study have been increased by one or two semesters. Of course, this means that students who already have a place to live have to stay there longer. Our guidelines say that you can stay there for eight semesters plus two exam semesters – that’s not feasible at the moment. Other issues include the energy crisis, which is causing many students to stay in Accomodation. In most residential complexes, they pay a warm rent and don’t have a rude awakening because the landlord suddenly raises the rent. And of course also because of the wars around the world. We’ve had a lot of refugee students who are also looking for affordable housing, which means the supply is getting smaller again. Then there are the students who have joined the University of Münster for the winter semester 2023/24 due to an error in the allocation of study places. The housing market in Münster is tighter than ever before and students are noticing this particularly keenly due to their limited budget.

You are one of the first points of contact for students. How do you react to this situation?

You can tell that students are under more pressure to find accommodation quickly. At the same time, we have a waiting time of one year for almost all residences. We never had that before corona and the energy crisis. I still have students on the waiting list for the residences in Horstmarer Landweg and Stadtlohnweg from the end of 2022. Of course, it’s not nice when you have desperate students on the phone and I have to tell them that I can’t help them at the moment. This is particularly difficult for international students who are here without family and friends and don’t know where they can find accommodation. We only give priority to students with severe disabilities, top athletes or, of course, families with children. But here, too, the following applies: there must first be suitable accommodation available.

If nothing is available, there is often the option of emergency accommodation. How relevant is this?

The emergency accommodation is well frequented and is often used by international students in particular. We used to only open the emergency accommodation at the start of the winter semester, but it is now used all year round. The demand is simply there. Sometimes students stay for several months because we can’t move them. Unfortunately, many students often don’t find out enough about the housing market or don’t realize that applying for one of our places is non-binding and not a guarantee of a place to live.

In addition to the emergency accommodation: How does the Studierendenwerk Münster try to support students?

The Studierendenwerk is currently planning further accommodation in the parking lot of the residential complex at Gescherweg 72-84, but this will of course take some time before the property is ready for occupancy. Otherwise, we are always on the lookout for new suitable properties in Münster in cooperation with the city. It is very difficult to find a suitable property in terms of location and conditions. Students can’t afford an apartment that ends up costing over 500 euros per month.

What is your tip for finding an affordable place to stay in Münster?

Apply to us early! At the University Day, I always tell the students: “Even if you won’t be graduating in a year or two, apply now without obligation.” I also warn against false advertisements on the Internet. Some scammers even use pictures of our housing estates. So, always be careful with advertisements on the Internet!