Warsaw. Students vs. high prices. How much for a room and dorm?

“A room for students and young working people” – this is the headline of the first advert on a Facebook group, which already has over 266 thousand members. It is large, 18 meters, and can accommodate one or two people. It is more like a living room: a leather sofa, an armchair, oak furniture, but for example, there is no desk for studying. In addition, there is a balcony. The second room is to be occupied by a quiet couple. Cost: PLN 1,550. But the rental price does not end there. Plus bills: PLN 250 (assuming that one person will rent it). Price for a couple: PLN 1,600 plus PLN 300 for bills. Location: Ursynów. Apartment decor: early 90s.

Cheaper can be found, above all, in a room called by students “granny standard”. They are usually small – they only fit a bed, a desk and a small wardrobe. The furniture resembles that which we often see in our grandparents' houses or in photos from 40 years ago. For such a room, the tenant wants 1150 PLN. Location: Stary Mokotów. There are also those who like such decor. Others mock and ask if grandma lives in the room next door.

One of the most desirable locations for people working and studying is Bliska Wola. Good communication, proximity to the Western Railway Station and easy access to the city center. At the same time, it is one of the most expensive areas when it comes to rental prices. The cost of a room in one of the apartments, including all fees, is about PLN 1,500. But there is one catch. You can see that it is large, has two windows, which makes it very bright. However, in the following photos you can see that it is a living room connected to the kitchen. This means that meeting the other tenant living in the bedroom is inevitable every day, every time he wants to use the kitchenette. Privacy level: zero.

A regular, separate and locked room in this area costs up to 1850 PLN (although this is still one of the lowest prices). You have to pay similarly in the city center, where in an apartment with other tenants in the apartment, at least two, the cost of renting a room is from 1500 to even 2300 PLN (including all fees). With every advert, where the price is jaw-dropping, the commentators do not spare its author. However, the more attractive the location, which is determined by: proximity to the university, metro, or good transport connections – the faster the ads disappear.

It is no wonder that those who want to save money often choose student housing. While the advantage is the lower price, the availability is a bit worse. The difficult situation on the housing market in Warsaw for several years, caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and galloping inflation, forced students to protest last year. With the beginning of the new academic year in October, they demanded an increase in the availability of places in student housing and social support during studies. Students protested on the main campus of the University of Warsaw. They also raised in their slogans that studying has become “a privilege only for the wealthy”.

The price of a room in a dormitory also depends on the location and standard, but also on whether it is, for example, a multi- or single-person room. On a national level, prices have increased by several to a dozen or so percent. As it turns out, Warsaw is not the most expensive yet. In the capital, the price “for a bed” in a dormitory ranges from PLN 330 to PLN 950. It is even more expensive in Krakow (PLN 415 to PLN 1,400), or even in Poznań (PLN 480 to PLN 1,460) or Wrocław (PLN 450 to PLN 1,530).

Over 10.5 thousand places in student dormitories have been prepared by five large public universities in Warsaw: UW, PW, SGGW, WUM and SGH. In some student dormitories, fees will not change compared to last year, in two cases they will increase by 14-15 percent.

– In the academic year 2024/2025, the University of Warsaw will have 2710 seatsand in dormitories. From the new academic year we will have 380 more places – thanks to the opening of a new dormitory in Służewo – said UW spokeswoman Anna Modzelewska. She added: – When applying for places in dormitories, a separate round is planned for people starting their education, in which first-year students (first-cycle studies and uniform master's studies) will compete only with each other for a place in the dormitory.

The amount of accommodation fees depends on the room standard and the costs of maintaining a place in the student dormitory. Currently, the cheapest room costs PLN 480, and the most expensive PLN 950. The fees for the upcoming year have not yet been set. – There are no plans for the fees related to living in the dormitory to increase in the upcoming academic year compared to the past year – assured Modzelewska.

READ MORE: It will accommodate 380 students. The UW dormitory in Służewo is almost ready

The new dormitory will be able to accommodate over 380 students. They will have at their disposal over 130 rooms (including single and double rooms with bathrooms), as well as segments consisting of several rooms. – We try to ensure that the conditions offered to the residents of the dormitories are as good as possible. That is why three years ago we decided to eliminate the triple rooms. In addition, we are conducting more and more renovation works in the dormitories, as well as gradually replacing the equipment – noted the UW spokeswoman.

Last year, more than 100,000 students studied at the University of Warsaw. 34.6 thousand peopleThe limit of places for studies starting on October 1, 2024 is 19,750. The university authorities assume that the total number of students in all years of study will be similar to last academic year.

Students of the Warsaw University of Technology are welcome in the dormitories approx. 4300 seats. – This number may increase with the ongoing renovation work – assessed the university spokesman Krzysztof Szymański. The university is not building new dormitories.

The spokesman emphasized that the allocation of places in dormitories is divided into several “accommodation campaigns” created with different groups in mind – first for current students and doctoral students, then for newly admitted people. – We assume that the so-called main accommodation campaign (for current students and doctoral students) will cover approx. 2,400 places. (…) After its completion, we will know how many places we can make available for the accommodation campaign for new students – the spokesman said.

Until now, you had to pay for a month in university dorms from 320 to 920 PLN – depending on the room standard. As Krzysztof Szymański informed, the rates will remain at a similar level, they may differ by approximately PLN 10. – In each of the 11 PW dormitories we deal with different equipment and standards, which is related, among other things, to their technical condition. We are improving the situation through renovations – informed the spokesman.

He studies at the Warsaw University of Technology about 22 thousand studentsthe university wants to accept students for the first year about 9 thousand people.

The Warsaw University of Life Sciences has prepared for the upcoming academic year approx. 2500 seats in student dormitories. – This is slightly less than last year due to the greater demand for single rooms (we create singles from double rooms) – informed the university spokesman Krzysztof Szwejk.

He added that prices for accommodation in student dormitories have not been set yet, but will increase by about 15 percent In the academic year 2023/2024 students had to pay from 510 to 950 PLN per month. The rate depends on the room standard and “costs generated by residents”. The SGGW spokesman noted that prices are also influenced by “state policy regarding significant cost-generating components”.

It is known that dorm rooms have all the necessary furniture, shared kitchens are fully equipped, and students also have access to industrial laundry rooms, Wi-Fi, quiet study rooms and exercise rooms. SGGW does not build new dorms, and renovations of existing ones are carried out on an ongoing basis every year.

Currently, almost 1000 students are studying at SGGW. 15.3 thousand students. For the new academic year, the university plans to accept a total of over 7.5 thousand peopleand in the nearest recruitment for the first and second cycle of studies – over 6.3 thousand

The Medical University of Warsaw is also preparing for the next academic year. It has designated a 574 places in dormitories – there will be the same number of them in the coming year as last year.

The price per month, depending on the room standard, has so far ranged from 580 to 910 PLN, now it will increase by 14 percent.

The WUM Communication Director Marta Ewa Wojtach said that in two dormitories, students were provided with single, double and triple rooms (bathrooms and shared kitchens are located on each floor). In the third student house, there are double rooms with bathrooms and shared kitchens on each floor.

At the Medical University of Warsaw he studies 9725 people. The admission limit for the academic year 2024/2025 is in total 2592 (not including medical and dental studies).

The Warsaw School of Economics has predicted 454 places in dormitories, including 134 for students who are just starting their studies at the university. This more about 86 places than in the previous academic year, because the “Grosik” dormitory will be opened after renovation.

The price list for the upcoming year is currently being prepared, the amount of fees will vary depending on the dormitory standard and the number of people in the room. In the academic year 2023/2024 the cost of monthly accommodation was 730-900 PLN. – We are not changing prices for the coming year. We did inflationary indexation a year ago, but we promised students that there would be no change this year – said SGH Chancellor Dr. Marcin Dąbrowski.

SGH students can live in single and double rooms. In Student House No. 1, where the rooms are freshly renovated, they will use a shared kitchen, toilet and showers. In Student House No. 3, there are two- or three-room segments with single and double rooms with a shared kitchen and bathroom and modern furniture. The building has also been renovated.

According to spokesman Mariusz Sielski, the number of students studying at SGH last academic year was 9.4 thousand people. According to the admission limits for 2024/2025, the first year of bachelor's studies will include: 2070 peopleand in the first year of master's studies – 3235 people