Be enrolled in a study. Not to hit the books, but to keep your affordable student housing. Peter* from Leiden and Phoenix from Rotterdam use different tricks to keep their student accommodation. “I don’t earn enough for the normal rental market.”
Peter completed his master’s degree at Leiden University last year. But he is still registered. “I don’t take any lessons,” says Peter (real name known to editors). “Just before I completed my master’s degree, I registered for a second master’s degree.” By being registered he can stay in his student home. He lives by himself in an apartment in the center of Leiden.
“Officially, you have to leave this home as soon as you graduate. But finding a home is virtually impossible for me,” he explains. “I am registered for social housing, but the waiting period for this in Leiden is nine years. Because I currently work part-time, I do not earn enough for the normal rental market.” He is looking for a full-time job.
Postpone thesis
Phoenix, who prefers not to give her surname, lives in a student house in Rotterdam. She shares a house with 14 fellow students. “I postponed my master’s thesis for a year to do an internship and gain work experience.” An internship is not part of her studies.
“Many jobs require work experience and I wouldn’t gamble on completing my studies without gaining experience,” she explains. But an internship after her studies is not an option for her. “With an internship allowance you earn about 400 to 500 euros per month. I cannot afford a normal rental property with that.”
That is why she chooses to first do an internship and then write her thesis in order to remain registered and keep her student home. She doesn’t want to go back to her mother’s house.
However, students are not supposed to come up with these kinds of detours. “We find it annoying that it is happening,” says Stadswonen, the student housing association from Rotterdam. “This situation pits students looking for housing against the group that continues to live. Both social housing and student housing need to be built. But this takes a lot of time,” says a spokesperson for the housing association.
However, many housing associations show understanding for the situation. “The room shortage for students is high,” says a spokesperson for student housing association DUWO. “But follow-up housing is at least as difficult. From the perspective of the problem, I can imagine that there is sometimes despair and that people do not know where to go.”
Student housing associations regularly check whether students living in a student house are registered with an educational institution. “On paper, that person is a student,” says a spokesperson for the national student housing association SSH. It is not known exactly how many people do this, because these people are registered as students with the housing associations.
As a student you are entitled to student housing. Income is not taken into account. “We test based on registration at the educational institution. Not on income,” says the spokesperson.
However, tuition fees must be paid. “I pay around 2,300 euros per year. This amount on top of my monthly rent is still cheaper than finding a rental property in the current market,” says Peter.
He is aware that he is taking a place from other students. “But for me the option is: either stand on the street or live here.” Other people do it that way too, he says. “Sometimes people stay here until they buy a house.”
Peter doesn’t know yet how long he will stay in this house. “I am really looking for a full-time job. The question is whether I will find another home quickly. Maybe I will continue to live here until I find a home to buy.”
Tags: Young home seekers stay student housing graduation leave RTL News
