Maastricht Student Housing
As an exchange student currently completing a semester abroad at Maastricht University, located in the Netherlands, I have gained a new perspective on the global housing crisis. My journey with the Maastricht rental market started in the early spring of this past year when I was accepted to the university through Gustavson’s exchange program. I was extremely excited about the upcoming adventure and the idea of living abroad.
When reading through reports of past students who attended this university, I was not overly concerned about finding housing as they claimed it was a fairly easy task. However, this could not have been further from the truth. I soon came to realize that the housing crisis in Maastricht mirrored that of Victoria, and the cost of housing, along with the limited availability, made it nearly impossible to secure a place to live for the semester. One of the most pressing issues faced by exchange students in Maastricht is the steep increase in rental prices, especially when compared to those pre-COVID. The soaring demand for accommodation, coupled with limited availability, has created a landlord's market where prices have nearly doubled over the past four years. This has impacted both the private housing market, as well as student dorms.
When reading about the experiences of students only a few years ago, I learned that my rent in the student housing facility is over double what they paid for the same room. In 2019, a single dorm cost around 400€, and I am now paying 820€. Seeing landlords raise the prices of their properties to keep up with market tendencies is unsurprising. However, seeing a university enforce such a steep increase in costs over such a short period of time, making dorms significantly more expensive than the private market, is shocking. Additionally, a large portion of the dorms available to students are within a converted hospital, and the rooms are as unwelcoming and barren as you can imagine. To make matters worse, these dorms are falling apart at the seams, with pest control issues, mould problems, and an overall sub-par living environment for the exorbitant price students are paying to live here.
I spent about four months scouring the private rental market in hopes of finding a room for cheaper than what the dorms cost. I utilized all the tools recommended by the university to find housing and spent hours each week browsing through listings on different platforms. Of the nearly 50 inquiries I sent out, I only received a handful of responses. Many rooms or apartments available had strict requirements and were not welcoming to students who needed the room for a short period of time. Along with this, many landlords specified they only wanted Dutch female students as tenants, cutting down the housing supply options significantly. Additionally, securing a place to live as an international student poses a multitude of other challenges. Signing a lease for a place to live sight unseen is extremely risky, and the rate of scams present in the Maastricht housing market is very high due to the large international student population. One of the few ways to mitigate these risks is to sign with a housing agency, however, their fees are extremely high, adding another unnecessary cost to strain one’s tight student budget.
While living in Maastricht, I have come across a few interesting policies the government has implemented to mitigate the housing crisis. The most prevalent action the Dutch government has taken is introducing a rental subsidy program, known as huurtoeslag, for low-income individuals. Those living in private accommodation are able to file a claim with the government and receive financial aid that covers a portion of their rent each month. This is an extremely beneficial program for students to fight against the increasing rental prices. The amount you can receive relies on your age, rental cost, and yearly income. If you are not from the Netherlands, you can still apply for this housing subsidy with just a residence permit.
My semester abroad at Maastricht University has exposed me to the harsh realities of the global housing crisis outside of Canada, particularly in student-centric cities like Maastricht. The challenges I faced in securing accommodation shed light on the pressing issues of soaring rental prices, limited availability, and the struggle that international students encounter in navigating the housing market.
Written by Grace Murphy