Discrimination, homelessness, and stress. These might not be the first words you associate with studying abroad. Yet, for more and more foreign students it is the reality when they come to Nijmegen. This also applies to International Social Work (ISW) students. The biggest source of stress? The lack of housing at a reasonable price. 

Picture: Mika Kraft

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It is difficult to read people’s emotions via Teams, but Yasin, first-year ISW, sounds disappointed and slightly indignant when he talks about the housing problem of international students. He lives near Düsseldorf and spends hours driving back and forth to Nijmegen by car. Frequent travel and long trips cause stress. “I’d like to study in Nijmegen because it is a real student city. I like to live at home, but I also want space for myself, to build my own life and meet other people. Then, when you search for a room on Facebook, it says ‘only Dutch students’ everywhere. I think that’s just discrimination.”

Foto: Oscar Brak Fotografie

Only Dutch students
Student Casey, a second year ISW from Cologne, can also relate to housing problems. In her first year, she was lucky that Erasmus-students did not show up because of COVID-19. But that was only a temporary solution. After a year she had to move out and lived in a converted van for a few months. She was also confronted with the ‘Only Dutch students’ signs. “I understand that Dutch students want to speak Dutch in their own home, but I also think it is a pity that they are not open to meeting students from other countries. That can also be something positive and beautiful.”

As for barring international students and then not providing housing as a municipality, she is a lot less understanding. “I think that’s irresponsible. Ultimately, a government should make sure there is enough housing.”

No focus 
Eventually, Casey finds a room in a living group via others. But that doesn’t solve her problems. “I can focus on studying now. Normally I am someone who prepares well and keeps up with everything in terms of material. I’m really stressed because just now I can start studying for my exams.”

Living in Kleve 
Arjen Nieuwenhuis, responsible manager at the School of Social Studies, is looking for solutions to the housing shortage. In his view, it is especially important to start looking for creative solutions, because existing ones do not work. “I am in favor of looking regionally at how we can solve this. So not only looking for housing in Nijmegen but also, for example, in Arnhem where the rooms are considerably cheaper. Or perhaps living in Kleve is a solution.” He also likes to enter a dialogue with students themselves.

Picture of the housing protest in Nijmegen last october. Foto: Mika Kraft Foto: Mika Kraft

In the discussions with stakeholders, the question arises whether it is morally responsible to lure international students here without saying that it is very difficult to find housing. Especially since the prognosis is that the enrollment of ISW students will be twice as high next year. Should we discourage students from coming here?

No stop 
Victoria from Nigeria lives in Helmond and travels every day by public transport without being entitled to an annual OV-chipkaart. She sometimes stays with fellow students, but that is not comfortable and makes studying difficult. Still, she is neither in favor of a student summit nor discouraging it. “You do have to tell students honestly what the problem is, and then let them decide for themselves.” She, too, recognizes the issue of international students being turned away. She has no family or other Nigerians around to help her. “Keep in mind those students who come from outside Europe. The best thing would be if they could live together in an apartment.”

Help 
About the possibility of living in a home of a lecturer, none of the students interviewed are enthusiastic. “It seems rather confusing to me,” Yasin thinks. Mostly, it could be a temporary emergency solution. Casey would rather broaden the call now only made to teachers. “Why not ask all the people in Nijmegen if they can help us?”

Solutions
Casey also has a few tips for the municipality of Nijmegen:

• Rebuild old schools or homes for the elderly into student complexes
• Use sea containers and turn them into apartments, like in Amsterdam
• Make sure that students are also entitled to a rental allowance
• Let Social Work students live with elderly people with housing who can use help