Germany is projected to lack more than 200,000 student dormitory places, according to calculations released on Monday by the Institute for German Economic Research (IW). The study projects that the population of young people aged 18 to 25 will grow from 8.5 million to 9 million by 2040, despite the overall demographic aging trend. At present, the 241,000 existing dormitory slots satisfy only about half of the anticipated demand.
To estimate the required capacity, IW extrapolated the number of students in Germany for the period up to 2040 using population forecasts from the Federal Statistical Office. The resulting figure was then multiplied by a housing ratio, assuming a modest improvement to 15 percent.
“Bridging this supply gap demands the creation of many more dormitory places. The investment required is enormous and cannot be achieved without state support” said IW economist Philipp Deschermeier. The IW estimates that about €2.8 billion would be needed solely for renovations. Many student residences across Germany, especially in North Rhine‑Westphalia where a quarter of all dorms are affected, require modernization.
