New rules: students are left without rooms in student residences despite their status

Multiple students in Slovenia have received decisions rejecting their applications for continued residence in subsidized student dormitories, despite holding valid student status. The Ministry of Higher Education has indicated it will begin moving these students out even while administrative appeals remain pending. A new legal provision, effective at the start of the current academic year, stipulates that an appeal against a decision regarding subsidized housing does not suspend the execution of that decision. Consequently, individuals can lose their accommodation before authorities finish reviewing their claims. A twenty-two-year-old veterinary student at the University of Ljubljana, identified as Karin, has lived in a student home in the Rozna Dolina district for three consecutive years. She commutes from the Prekmurje region, noting that daily travel would consume up to five hours each day. Although she submitted her application for extended residence on time this year, she received a negative response because she did not obtain a timely ministry ruling confirming her entitlement to subsidized housing. The student home rejected her request based on this missing documentation. Karin stated that the rejection placed her in serious distress, as she lost her residence despite fulfilling all obligations. After filing an appeal, Karin learned from colleagues that the protest does not halt enforcement. She faces eviction before the ministry concludes its review of her complaint. She described the search for alternative private housing as a heavy financial burden. Private rental prices are high, requiring payment of rent, security deposits, and other costs that she cannot afford within such a short timeframe. She expressed concern that if her initial rejection is later found to be incorrect, the interim consequences, including loss of housing and additional expenses, could not be easily reversed. She argued that stable accommodation is a basic condition for successful study continuation and called for greater legal security for students in similar situations. The Student Organization of Slovenia responded to the situation, stating that several students contacted them after receiving rejection notices. Some of these individuals maintain valid student status and continue fulfilling academic duties yet face potential homelessness due to the new rules. The organization characterized the regulation as problematic, warning that it may cause severe and difficult-to-repair consequences if initial decisions prove erroneous. They urged the ministry to act immediately. In Ljubljana, the Student Home Ljubljana manages twenty-nine dormitories. For the current academic year, the institution announced 7,047 available beds. By the August 18 deadline for the primary priority list, officials received nearly 2,800 admission requests and over 6,000 extension applications. Head of the Student Affairs Sector Aleksandar Matkovic noted that these figures align with previous years. New residents typically move in during the second half of September, with approximately 1,000 placements completed by October. Selection prioritizes students with the highest points, calculated based on average gross income per family member and distance from permanent residence to the university. The average subsidized rent in Ljubljana stands at 115.94 euros per month per bed. Prices vary by room type and standard. The lowest rate is 77.42 euros monthly for a double room in the Academic College, while the highest is 184.19 euros for a single room in the Litostroj House. Rent increases over recent years reflect rising operational input costs, particularly labor and energy expenses. In the last academic year, prices rose by 7.28 percent. Matkovic emphasized that failing to secure a bed in September or October does not guarantee exclusion for the entire year. In the 2025/2026 academic year, all eligible students were housed by late May, a trend consistent with previous years. Students waiting for placement remain on the priority list and can seek alternative options, including subsidized private rentals, in the meantime. In Maribor, fifteen student homes located in five neighborhoods near faculties offer slightly more than 2,700 beds. Currently, 448 students appear on the active priority list. Of these, 211 have already received invitations to move in, while 237 await vacancies. Officials expect to fill spots vacated by ineligible students by the end of October. For the current year, 902 students were placed on the first priority list published on September 14, 2026. By September 24, the first 552 students had been invited to move in, bringing the total number of invitations issued to 763. Application numbers for admission and extensions received by September 28, 2026, increased compared to the same period in 2025. Average rents in Maribor are 138.81 euros for double rooms and 167.23 euros for single rooms.