Finding a Dutch student room in Amsterdam is about to get much harder, with the shortage projected to skyrocket from 6,000 rooms this year to nearly 11,000 in 2034.
In their latest housing report, real estate advisor CBRE looked at housing across twelve Dutch student cities, examining “how supply and demand will develop through 2034”.
In a shock to absolutely no one who currently lives or rents in the Netherlands, the figures paint a rather depressing picture of shrinking supply and ever-increasing demand.
These Dutch cities are the hardest hit
Currently, Amsterdam accounts for roughly 60% of the total shortage across all the cities surveyed, reports AD. In the capital alone, the student housing shortage is forecast to rise from just over 6,000 rooms in 2026 to almost 11,000 in 2034.
Other student cities aren’t faring any better, with Rotterdam currently facing a shortage of over 3,000 rooms, and Leiden falling short of more than 1,400 rooms.
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However, things seem to be calming down further afield. Falling student numbers in Groningen, Maastricht, and Nijmegen have resulted in a much better balance between supply and demand.
Yet, before you start feeling too hopeful, CBRE does warn that the “balance remains fragile as long as the private supply continues to decrease”.
What about international students?
According to the report, international students and exchange students are typically “dependent on furnished rooms available for shorter periods”.
If the supply of these rooms continues to decrease, many prospective students may choose to skip the Netherlands altogether and study in another country.
The report singles out Maastricht and Eindhoven as two cities especially vulnerable to changing dynamics in the flow of international students.
More Dutch students choose to live with their parents
Giving your kids the boot once they turn 18? Nee, not in the Netherlands.
Today, only around 43% of Dutch students live in student accommodation, down from around 50% seven years ago. Among the students living at home, 63% point to high rental costs and the overall housing shortage as reasons to continue living at home.
“When more suitable rooms become available,” CBRE writes, “more students will actually be able to move into student accommodation.”
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