Student Housing: from lodging hosts to student villages

Blog: Dorsman dives into university history

Student in zijn studentenkamer (1945). Bron: Wikimedia/Anefo CC0 1.0
Student in his dorm room (1945). Source: Wikimedia/Anefo CC0 1.0

The new academic year has begun, and with a shortage of 6,000 student rooms, finding accommodation is nearly impossible for thousands of new students. Those who manage to secure a room are considered lucky. Many others will have to start their academic careers as what used to be called a ‘commuting student’.

Cubicula Locanda: rooms for rent

I found my first room through Bureau Standing, which still exists and advertises with the slogan “Home is not a place, it’s a feeling!” That first room certainly was a feeling—a cold one, mostly, as there was no heater, and the cramped two-and-a-half by four-metre space did not exactly invite me to feel at home.

In the early centuries of the university, room agencies did not exist. You found a room by asking people you knew, checking a travel guide, or knocking on doors with a sign that read ‘Cubicula Locanda’: rooms for rent. In Utrecht, you would typically rent a room for a full year, whereas elsewhere, rooms were vacated over the summer.

The notice period was six weeks, often leading to disputes, as students frequently had various reasons to terminate their leases. Such conflicts would sometimes escalate to the academic senate, with the landlord fighting their case. Contracts were typically signed with the student’s father, not the student, to ensure reliable payment.

Room with breakfast

The rooms were not exactly luxurious: a sturdy table, a few chairs, a wardrobe, and space for a large chest to store the student’s belongings. In the first two centuries of Utrecht University, basic rent was around 50 to 60 guilders per year.

Costs would rise depending on the services provided by the hospes. You could opt for full or half board: breakfast and lunch or just lunch. But if your finances allowed, you could also dine in the city. To cut costs, students often received food baskets from home, containing items like ham, cheese, and eggs. The hospes could also arrange for laundry services on a monthly basis.

In the first two centuries of Utrecht University, basic rent was around 50 to 60 guilders per year.

Heating was occasionally available, but you would have to pay extra for the turf needed to fuel it. All these additional expenses could add up to about 150 guilders on top of the annual rent. For context, the annual income of an unskilled labourer at that time was roughly 300 guilders.

An attendant to run errands

Many students also employed an ‘attendant’, usually an older man who made sure they got out of bed on time, polished their shoes and boots, and occasionally brushed their clothes. This custodian would visit at regular intervals and was often sent on errands or asked to pass messages to fellow students. It was a way for these caretakers to supplement their pension.

Rooms varied greatly depending on what you could afford. Wealthier students could rent several rooms or even an entire house, often with servants brought from home. In some cases, parents would rent or buy a house and move the whole family in, keeping a watchful eye on their student offspring.

Studentencomplex Johanna, Utrecht. Bron: Flick/Fred Romero CC BY 2.0
Johanna student complex, Utrecht. Source: Flickr/Fred Romero CC BY 2.0

New Forms of Student Accommodation

Signs reading Cubicula Locanda were still hanging on houses renting out rooms well into the twentieth century. To this day, there are private landlords offering rooms—an ideal solution for some students, a dreaded one for others.

Gradually, new forms of student accommodation emerged. After World War II, the government took on more responsibility for student welfare, leading to the establishment of housing services. From these efforts, the still-active Stichting Studenten Huisvesting (SSH) was founded in 1956. With government backing, this organisation bought up houses to provide student housing.

The end of students’ ‘room culture’?

One of the most ambitious plans was put forward in 1919, aiming to revolutionise student life: a student village on the outskirts of the city. This would, it was hoped, put an end to what was described as the individualistic ‘room culture’ of students.

The proposed village would accommodate 50 students in a horseshoe-shaped layout around a central garden, with a main building that would include a kitchen, a music hall, a library, and even sports facilities. It was designed to foster a sense of community, with senior students mentoring the younger ones, reducing the risk of what was then termed ‘spiritual isolation’.

Although this plan never materialised, the idea of a ‘student village’ lives on as a synonym for the term ‘campus’. The concept has been most successful at newer institutions like the Technical Universities of Twente and Eindhoven. And is not our University College a prime example of a self-sustaining village?

Dorsman dives into university history

Out of the thousands of people who study and work at Utrecht University, fewer and fewer know anything about the history of this institution. We can do better than that. Leen Dorsman was a professor of University History until 1 August 2022. Each month on UU.nl, he describes something from the university’s long history that you would want to know or should know.

View all blogs by Leen Dorsman