CHE Study on Housing Situation: Students More Often Move into Shared Flats and Rental Apartments than Back Home

Changing Forms of Housing

A look at the form of housing reveals a slight change compared to the previous survey period. Around a quarter (24.8 percent) share the apartment with others in a shared flat. The proportion of students living in their parents' home has fallen by 0.5 percentage points to 27.9 percent compared with the 2023 evaluation – after years of continuous increase. At the same time, the proportion of students in private rental apartments has risen slightly by 1.3 percentage points since 2023 to 27.8 percent. Students live somewhat less often in a student residence hall (15.2 percent).

There is a striking gender difference when it comes to living with parents: while just under a third of male students still live in their parents' home, it is less than a quarter of female students. Men therefore move out less often in order to live close to the place of study, while female students more frequently seek immediate proximity to the university.

Differences Between Genders

According to the CHE, housing and living situations vary considerably in a comparison between the states. While the proportion of students living directly at the university location in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the highest nationwide at 88.3 percent, the figure in Saarland, at 43.3 percent, is just under half that. In Saarland – the leader among the federal states – 42.8 percent continue to live with their parents during their studies.

Regional Differences Between the Federal States

There are also regional particularities in the form of housing. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has the highest proportion of students in a rental apartment, at 46.7 percent. Thuringia has the most shared flat residents in the state comparison, with a rate of 33.2 percent. In Saxony, students most often move into private rental apartments; living with parents is rather unpopular in the Free State.

Compared with the previous evaluation, students have thus overall moved somewhat closer to the university location, according to the CHE. The proportion of shared flat residents, however, has fallen by 1.4 percentage points since the last publication, which points to a shift toward own rental apartments.

How Students Get to the University

For the way to the university, most students use environmentally friendly alternatives. Students travel the distances mainly by public transport, by bicycle, or on foot. A good quarter use a car to get to the university.

According to the CHE, housing and living situations differ enormously depending on the university location – which makes the nationwide average values appear only as a rough guide. The study combines data from three winter semesters and thus provides a broad snapshot of the housing reality of students in Germany.