Unaffordable housing and a lack of housing options have been a growing problem in Ireland for years, and has greatly affected international students in Ireland.
A report by the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) , an independent non-profit network and support for international students in Ireland, found that cramped living conditions were common among international students in the country. Half of the students share a room with three or more people while one in 10 are forced to share a room with six or more people. Only 10% of students reportedly had their own room.
The report also noted that 14% of international students had fallen victim to a scam when looking for accommodation, and 66% of international students agreed that their mental health has suffered due to the accommodation crisis in Ireland.
Students feel the pinch
‘The housing crisis was very prevalent until recently," says Sahil Choudhary, a student at the University of Galway in Ireland.
“There was a moment during my first semester when I was living with four other people in a single room because there were no other possibilities. It took me nearly six months to find an appropriate place to stay in Ireland, but I'm now settled in," Choudhary adds.
Choudhary says, "Although, there are now various options for new upcoming students such as on-campus residence, off-site private rented accommodation, or house-share options with locals."
Upasana Barman, a student from Dublin Business School, claimed to have seen her other asian friends who are also enrolled there struggle to find housing in Ireland.
“I’ve watched my friends stay in social housing in Ireland for months due to high rents and in some cases poor standards of accommodation in Dublin.”
While expressing concern for her friends, Barman adds, "Even I'm sharing my room with three other girls because single room options are scarce near my university."
In contrast to the above comment, Swapnaj Patel, who will be attending the same university as Barman from September 2023, claims to have had no trouble seeking housing and has already reserved a room through agents.
Patel, who is from Jharkhand, said he will travel to Ireland in August because his classes begin in September. "The Irish government has taken initiatives to alleviate the housing crisis, which has helped students find affordable living options, such as to live with a host family in their home in Ireland and building more dorms at universities," he continues.
Mahika Kumari, an Indian student who is enrolled at the University of Limerick, claims that "accommodation is the single largest source of expenditure for us here, with average monthly rents reaching €469."
"I work an average of 17 hours per week in part-time jobs now, but I still can't afford to cover my living expenses, as a result, I still receive financial assistance from my parents,” says Kumari.
Irish authorities help students
To ease the housing crunch for overseas students, the Irish government is now undertaking measures to enable students to find various housing options at affordable rent. These include providing state assistance to stimulate the development of new and additional student accommodation for public higher education institutions.
According to media sources, the Irish government is set to invest up to €41 million in new accommodation in 2023, as well as provide 405 new student accommodation beds at Dublin City University (DCU).
These beds will be added to the 667 new beds that the government approved last November in an effort to provide more purpose-built student housing. The Irish government, which has already committed €32 million on student housing, earlier in 2022 unveiled a new policy under which taxpayer money would be used to partially subsidise the development of student housing.
Edu experts, academicians weigh in
According to Ranjit Kumar, CEO of GoIreland Educational Consultancy, "the accommodation crisis in Ireland has leveled down as the universities have started building apartments and hostels on campuses.”
Kumar claims that, "Ireland serves as a major destination for Indian students who want to pursue their career in tech businesses as over the past few years, Ireland has been home to some of India's finest software companies providing a lot more job opportunities.”
Provost Linda Doyle, an educator at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), called the housing shortage a "real crisis," noting that students are "hugely anxious" and claiming that even living in spare rooms at home deprives them of an education and "a proper college experience"
“There are endless people telling us heartbreaking stories about how difficult it is to secure housing. We expect to have another 250 rooms available in Trinity's Printing House Square in the coming months. That's great, but in the perspective of the catastrophe we're facing, it's a drop in the bucket,” adds Doyle.
