Third-level classes are due to return to campuses across the country this month, with many new and returning students struggling to find somewhere to live before term begins.
Due to a shortage in housing, and the fact that many college places were deferred because of the pandemic, many students are finding it difficult to secure appropriate, affordable accommodation.
In Cork, UCC's student union president Asha Woodhouse said the union is hearing from students who are deferring course places as they're unable to find affordable accommodation. Units remain at a privately run student housing block, Woodhouse told The Irish Times, but at up to €1,000 a month, most students are not able to afford one.
Some students may be forced into long commutes to campus to attend classes, while others might take on more hours in part-time jobs to supplement the cost of rent.
Students' union president at Waterford Institute of Technology Rachel McCartney says the SU heard from students sleeping on friends' sofas or in their cars in order to attend classes. Some will be unable to commute from home, as there is no transport, or none which can bring them to early morning lectures.
We would like to hear from third-level students seeking to find accommodation for this academic year.
How much rent is being sought? Is the cost of accommodation going to affect whether you can take up a college place this year or are you facing a long commute to classes?
If you are reading this in The Irish Times app, click here.
