Student Housing Remains Scarce in NRW Despite Fewer Graduates

The search for student housing in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) remains a significant challenge, even with a sharp decrease in the number of high school graduates this year. Approximately 30,000 students completed their Abitur in 2026, a substantial drop from the 78,000 in the previous year. This decline is largely attributed to the return to the nine-year Gymnasium system (G9) from the eight-year system (G8), resulting in fewer graduating classes in many schools.

Despite the reduced number of graduates, student housing remains scarce in popular university cities such as Cologne, Münster, and Aachen. In Cologne, the student services organization reported an increase in applications this year, with 2,829 applications received compared to 2,700 last year. Klaus Wilsberg, the spokesperson for the Cologne Studierendenwerk, stated, "We still have high demand."

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We still have high demand.

In Aachen, around 11,000 students are on the waiting list for dormitory spaces, which number about 5,000. The demand has significantly outstripped supply for years. Similarly, Münster's student services organization reports that waiting lists are as long as in previous years, with only a small number of emergency shelter spots available to supplement the limited dormitory capacity.

Financial constraints continue to drive a high demand for affordable and social housing options. While smaller university locations like Lemgo and Minden offer slightly less competitive housing markets, the challenge persists. Some cities, including Bocholt and Gelsenkirchen, have seen a slight decrease in demand for dormitory places, but this has not alleviated the overall shortage. The situation in Paderborn and Siegen remains unchanged, with full occupancy expected in student housing facilities.

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2025 had 2,700 applications. This year, it's 2,829 so far.