Cologne: Emergency shelter for students – 80 places available from October 6th!

Cologne: Emergency shelter for students – 80 places available from October 6th!

The situation for students in Cologne is becoming increasingly precarious. Around 33,000 students in Germany are waiting to get a place in a dormitory. Those most affected are not only isolated in smaller cities, but also in large metropolises such as Berlin and Munich, where the housing situation does not look much better. Especially for students in Cologne who start the winter semester on October 1st, there is currently no availability of affordable housing.

Again Cologne City Gazette reports, the city of Cologne is now taking action and is planning to set up a temporary emergency shelter for students. This emergency shelter is being created in cooperation with the General Student Committee (AStA) of the University of Cologne to help those students who were unable to find accommodation at short notice. Up to 80 places are planned in a property on Dellbrücker Mauspfad, equipped with rooms including shower and toilet. The emergency shelter will be available from October 6th to November 16th, 2025.

Urgent measures needed

But despite this short-term solution, the situation remains serious. According to the AStA, there are currently just 850 new dormitory places available in Cologne, while around 2,500 interested parties are on the waiting list. This makes it clear how dramatic the housing situation is for students in the city. One reason for this could also be the recommendation to try for a place in a dorm early on - ideally one or two semesters in advance, as shown on kstw.de is recommended.

The tense housing situation is not just a problem in Cologne, but extends throughout Germany. The head of the German Student Union, Matthias Anbuhl, blames the high rental prices and the limited supply of dormitory spaces. A current analysis shows that over 30,000 students nationwide are waiting for a place in a dorm, while the 57 student unions can only accommodate 10% of the students looking. This urgency has also led to calls for a reform of the BaföG and an increase in the flat-rate housing allowance to 440 euros for the coming semesters.

Prospects for the future

The clocks are ticking and time is running out. With the emergency shelter for students, the city of Cologne is taking a first step in the right direction. But without fundamental changes in housing construction and the fight against high rent prices, the housing situation will remain unsustainable for many young people. Otherwise they could not only be excluded from studying, but also pushed into a new form of social selection, as Anbuhl aptly puts it.

Cologne is a place of learning and growing, but without the right framework conditions for students, the dream of studying quickly turns into a nightmare. Both politics and society are called upon to find solutions. Because it cannot be the case that access to education depends on your wallet.

Without hate, but with a clear call: It's time to take action and stand up for the needs of students!