Hungary Prepares for Double the Foreign Students by 2030 with New ‘Dormitory City’ in Budapest
The Orbán cabinet in Hungary has set an ambitious goal of doubling the number of foreign students in the country by 2030. This initiative is part of a broader effort to increase the availability of dormitory beds for higher education students. To achieve this goal, the government has started building a “dormitory city” in Southern Budapest, which involves the expropriation of lands in the area.
Currently, there are 42,000 foreign nationals studying in Hungarian higher education institutions, and the government aims to increase this number to 100,000 in the next five years. This surge in foreign students will create a significant demand for accommodation in cities like Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, and Pécs.
At the same time, Hungarian university students are facing a shortage of dormitory places, particularly in Budapest. According to Culture and Innovation Minister Balázs Hankó, there are only 17,000 dormitory beds in Budapest, while the demand stands at 57,000.
To address this issue, the Hungarian government plans to create 12,000 new dormitory places in the new “dormitory city” in South Budapest. The government has expropriated 22 properties in Ferencváros for this purpose, with negotiations ongoing with local authorities.
Opposition Mayor Krisztina Baranyi has noted that the new plans for the dormitory city are minimalist compared to earlier proposals. The new district will feature only two types of buildings – dormitories and a market hall providing services and social functions for students and teachers.
Despite the increase in dormitory places, there will still be a high demand for accommodation, with more than 27,000 students unable to secure a bed. Hungarian students will also have to compete with their foreign counterparts for available dormitory spaces.
In response to these challenges, Hungary’s Students Union (HÖOK) has initiated a survey to understand the living conditions and main struggles of Hungarian university students. The number of foreign students in Hungary has been on the rise, but the percentage of international students living in dormitories has decreased from 27% to 18% between 2000 and 2024.
As the government works towards its goal of attracting more foreign students, it will be crucial to address the housing shortage and ensure that all students, both domestic and international, have access to suitable accommodation during their studies.
