The new policy regarding the allocation of accommodation aims to allocate accommodation units in a transparent and socially well-balanced way. It was developed and decided on by the “Arbeitsgruppe Wohnen”, which consists of representatives of the universities, the Studierendenwerk, the AK Wohnen and the Wohnheimforum.
In the meantime, it has been passed with a large majority by the universities we’re in charge of and came into force on 1st April 2024. The new policy can be found here.
Major changes include the prolongation of tenancies from six to seven semesters for Bachelor, Lehramt, Diplom, Magister and Staatsexamen students as well as a share of free accommodation units of approx. 25% for first-semester and second-semester students of the above-mentioned study programmes. This is to ensure that first-year students, who are a particular concern of ours, receive a fair chance to find accommodation when their studies begin. International students will continue to be adequately taken into account; for instance, 10% of all accommodation units are reserved for the universities’ exchange programmes. What’s new is a committee for assessing hardship cases as well as a commission for assessing extraordinary student commitment, both of which include the universities and students.
Serious accusations have been made against the Studierendenwerk in this context, stating it was “endangering democracy”, “killing student culture” and “abolishing democratic self-administration in the halls”. These accusations need to be clarified. You’re very welcome to have a look at our statement (in German).
If you’re interested in more detailed information on the topic, you’re also very welcome to read through our FAQs on the new Resident Tutor Programme (also in German).
We hope that this transparent description of facts will help you to get the full picture.