Throughout Europe, students move from their home address to accommodation, whether temporary or not, near their university or college. The majority of European countries have experienced a sharp increase in the number of students in higher education in recent years and, consequently, in the number of students staying in student housing. At the same time there is a severe housing shortage in several countries, including sharply rising housing prices and rents in urban areas, where also the higher education institutions are located. As a result, students and housing seekers come into competition with each other while searching for affordable accommodation.
Although there are major differences within Europe in the way student accommodation is provided, there are also many similarities. In this book, we provide an overview of student housing policies and regulations in 14 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Student Housing in Europe is the fourth volume in the series that seeks to examine the many facets of housing law from a variety of academic and professional perspectives.