The cost of on-campus accommodation has risen above the cost of private rental accommodation for the first time, according to a survey of 600 parents of college students in Ireland, while the price of accommodation rental has remained the largest cost associated with third-level education.
The Cost of Education Survey from the insurance company Zurich found the average cost of on-campus accommodation to be €4,219, compared with an average of €3,750 for private rented accommodation.
The average cost of on-campus accommodation was shown to have risen by €777 from last year.
The report is based on a nationally representative sample of parents and reportedly aimed to represent the average experience across the whole of Ireland. Prices of renting accommodation within Dublin tend to be notably higher than the national average.
The survey suggested that 51% of college students were living at home while the number of students living in rented accommodation has almost doubled to 29% compared to last year
The report from Zurich also showed that 41% of parents fall into debt in order to cover the cost of their child’s third-level education. These parents accumulated an average debt of €1,400 over an academic year.
The report placed the total annual cost of a year of attending college as €8,830 for those living in purpose built student accommodation and €8,361 for those living in other types of rented accommodation.
The annual cost for students living at home was significantly lower at €4,611.
The report highlighted transport as another significant cost of third-level education. The report states that the average spend on transport to college has increased this year from €303 to €315.
The survey suggests that students are attempting to cut transport costs and the main modes of transport have shifted from from cars and cycling to using public transport and walking.
The cost of accommodation has been a central point of concern for students over the recent years as costs continue to rise.
In May, Trinity students were among thousands who joined a Raise the Roof march in Dublin to demand affordable accommodation, including delegations from Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).
