Accommodation for students in dormitories in Prague will become more expensive on average by about 15 percent
photo: Rudolf Komár, PrahaIN.cz/University auditorium, illustration photo
In the new academic year, university students will pay more for living in dormitories in Prague. Accommodation fees will be higher by about 15 percent on average compared to next year. The reason for the price increase is usually inflation and rising energy prices.
While some universities will raise the price of so-called dormitory fees from September, others have already adjusted the price earlier this year. At the same time, they do not rule out further price increases at some schools. Student demand for accommodation in dormitories is growing, despite price increases. When asked by ČTK, this was stated by representatives of Prague universities.
From September, the University of Economics (VŠE) will increase the fees for accommodation in its dormitories, as Martina Mlynářová said on behalf of the university, and according to spokeswoman Kateřina Veselá, the Czech University of Technology (ČVUT) will also increase the fees. Compared to last year, CTU will increase the price of living in its eight dormitories by about 15 percent, VŠE will increase the price by ten percent on average, and in the newly renovated rooms by 18 percent.
The price of accommodation varies in individual dormitories, it mainly depends on the number of roommates, the comfort of the accommodation and the location where the dormitory is located. From September, students in CTU dormitories will pay about 3,500 to 6,000 CZK per month for a bed, while in VŠE dormitories, monthly accommodation fees will range from 3,420 CZK to 7,560 CZK. “The reason is mainly full electricity, water, gas, heat and supply services such as waste collection, laundry, repairs and the like. The further increase in the price of dormitory fees is probably due to the still unknown price for gas,” announced Mlynářová on behalf of VŠE.
Charles University (UK) raised the price of dormitory fees by an average of nine percent in June. Now, those interested in accommodation will pay from 3,500 crowns per month for a place in a multi-bed room to 6,665 crowns, said the spokesman of the oldest and largest Czech university, Václav Hájek. The University of Chemistry and Technology (VŠCHT), which houses students in two buildings with a capacity of 1,500 beds in the campus of university dormitories in Prague’s Kunratice, has increased its accommodation fees in the spring.
According to Stanislav Starý, director of the Special Purpose Facilities Administration of VŠCHT, since April, accommodation in dormitories has cost 11.5 percent more than before, and according to him, no further price increases are planned this year. In the winter semester of this academic year, so according to the valid price list students pay for accommodation from 106 to 184 crowns per night. About the rate of annual inflation, accommodation is offered at the dormitories of the Czech University of Life Sciences (ČZU) in Prague, informed Jiří Macoun, director of the ČZU Dormitory and Menz.
Some schools are now registering a higher number of applicants for accommodation in university dormitories than in 2019, which was the last regular academic year so far due to the subsequent coronavirus pandemic. This applies, for example, to the UK, said Hájek. UK has according to information on your website in various places in Prague, 11 dormitories with a total of about 10,000 beds. Currently, according to the spokesperson, all positions are occupied.
VŠCHT observes a five percent higher interest in dormitory beds compared to 2019. According to Staré, the reasons include a higher number of applicants for university studies and an increase in rental prices for private apartments. According to Macoun, applicants must also reject ČZU, which provides accommodation for about 1,800 students in its dormitories in Prague’s Suchdol.
According to their representatives, the universities of VŠE and CTU are currently processing the submitted requests for accommodation. Whether the dormitories will have to reject applicants cannot yet be stated. CTU expects to fill more than 90 percent of its dormitories.