Norwegian Government Allocates Funds for 1,650 New Student Dorms
Norway Europe Higher Education News by Erudera News Mar 24, 2023
The Norwegian government has announced it has allocated funds to build 1,650 new student dormitories in an effort to reduce pressure on the private rental market.
According to a press release by the Ministry of Education, 17 building projects distributed among eight student associations and a housing foundation have received a total of NOK 646 million (€57.2 million) to build new student housing units.
The government has given priority to new and promising construction projects that can kick off in a short period of time, Erudera.com reports.
Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe said that for most students, the biggest expense is rent; therefore, the government wants to make sure that students have access to safe and affordable housing.
“It can also help to reduce the pressure on the private rental market. This year we are increasing our efforts, especially in Oslo, but also student housing projects in the south, west and north will receive large subsidies,” Minister Ola Borten Moe said.
A considerable amount of money has been allocated to the biggest projects in two cities, Oslo and Agder. The Student Union in Oslo has received NOK 175.6 million (€15,5 million) to build 446 new student housing units in Nydalen, Oslo, while the student association in Agder in Kristiansand has been allocated NOK 154.3 million for 392 new student dormitories in Lund Torv, or €13,6 million.
Borten Moe said that the reason why the government has set aside money for more student housing in Oslo where 546 new dormitories are expected to be build, is that rent prices are historically higher in the capital.
Minister Borten Moe said that the goal is to accelerate the construction of student dormitories, stressing that the long-term goal is to build all 3,000 new dormitories in a year.
“I think the student associations have been good at planning new projects that they can start quickly. This means that it is not long until the first shovels can be stuck in the ground,” he said, adding that over the past year, the ministry increased the framework for how much can cost every loft unit, which showed results.
Other cities where funding for projects has been allocated and the number of dormitories to be constructed include:
- Tromsø – 80 housing units
- Bergen – 78 units
- Grimstad – 3 units
- Trondheim – 84 units
- Gjøvik – 20 units
- Stavanger – 277 units
- Bodø – 130 units
According to data by Statista, there were 318,105 students at Norwegian higher education institutions in 2021, up from 306,453 in 2020.
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