Why is there a student room shortage?
- Core
- More students than rooms, especially in student cities
- Drivers
- Internationalisation, late construction, waiting lists
- Official source
- National Student Housing Monitor (Kences)
- What helps
- Register early + private market + alerts
How big is the room shortage?
The shortage of student rooms is structural and concentrated in the big student cities. Its scale is mapped each year in the National Student Housing Monitor (Landelijke Monitor Studentenhuisvesting) by Kences, the umbrella body of social student housing providers.
Exact numbers change every year, so we don't quote a fixed figure here that quickly goes stale. For the current figures per city and the national picture we refer to that monitor; the through-line has been the same for years: there are more students seeking housing than rooms becoming available.
Why is there a shortage of student rooms?
The shortage comes from a stack of causes. The number of students has grown, including many international students who often come to the Netherlands without built-up registration time. At the same time, too little student housing has been built for years to keep up with that growth.
On top of that, the supply of rooms in ordinary houses is under pressure, partly due to local rules on room rental (verkamering). The result is that many students respond to few rooms at the same time, especially around the start of the academic year.
- •More students, including many international students without registration time.
- •Lagging construction of student housing.
- •Pressure on room rental in ordinary homes due to local rules.
- •Peak demand around the start of the academic year (summer/autumn).
What do you notice as a student?
In practice the shortage means a lot of competition: dozens of students respond to a new listing within an hour. Rooms with shared spaces are often let via hospiteren (a viewing evening), where the current residents choose. And the tightness unfortunately also attracts scammers who exploit house-hunters' haste.
That makes it extra important to be prepared and alert, but also to stay critical: never pay in advance without a viewing and contract, however great the pressure.
What can you do about the room shortage?
You won't solve the shortage on your own, but you can greatly improve your chances by smartly combining several channels and starting on time.
- •Register as early as possible with your city's student housing provider to build up registration time.
- •Also follow the private market and turn on alerts to be first to respond.
- •Broaden your search area to nearby neighbourhoods or cities with good train links.
- •Have your documents and a short introduction ready so you can respond immediately.
- •Stay alert to scams: never pay in advance without a viewing and contract.
Jump to
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a student room shortage?
Because the number of (international) students has grown faster than the number of student rooms. Lagging construction and long waiting lists reinforce the shortage, especially in the big student cities.
In which cities is the room shortage worst?
The shortage is greatest in the big student cities with high inflows, such as Amsterdam, Utrecht and Groningen. The National Student Housing Monitor gives the current picture per city.
When is the best time to look for a room?
Start well before the academic year begins, because demand peaks in summer and autumn. Register with an association preferably years in advance so you build up registration time.
Does registering with a student housing provider really help?
Yes, because with many providers registration time counts. Just don't rely on it entirely: combine it with the private market and alerts, because waiting times can be long.
Is the room shortage temporary?
It's a structural problem that depends on construction, student numbers and policy. Work is being done on it, but building takes years, so don't expect major relief in the short term.
Official sources
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Start free with alertsPuck van Dalen is editor-in-chief at KamerSnipe and writes about the Dutch rental market, tenants' rights and searching smartly for a room or apartment.