South Africa’s student accommodation crisis: high demand meets limited beds

Large-scale student accommodation expansion cannot happen in a very short space of time in South Africa. Universities in South Africa receive significantly more accommodation applications than available on-campus bed spaces each year, thereby reflecting national demand pressures and strong academic needs. For the 2026 academic year, the University of Johannesburg says it received close to 100,000 (99 472) student accommodation applications while its current on-campus bed capacity stands at 7 015 beds.

“As at 04 February 2026, a total of 6 312 students had been accepted for residence accommodation. Describing its 2026 student accommodation situation as South Africa begins the 2026 tertiary academic year, Ledwaba says UJ continues to experience a high demand for student accommodation, which consistently exceeds the institution’s own bed capacity. He says this trend is not unique to UJ and reflects broader national pressures within the higher education sector.

“To mitigate this challenge, UJ has strengthened its partnerships with accredited private student accommodation providers. Through these partnerships, the University can supplement its capacity by an additional 31 505 beds, over and above the 7 015 university-owned beds.” For the 2026 academic year, UJ residence fees range from R39 676.00 to R70 616.00 per annum. The cost of accommodation is said to be influenced by several factors, including the type of residence and room configuration(single or shared).

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Nationally, the demand for student accommodation continues to outstrip university-owned capacity across the higher education sector. This remains a structural challenge, says Ledwaba. “Going forward, sustainable solutions will increasingly rely on public-private partnerships, where universities collaborate with accredited private providers to supplement accommodation capacity, while ensuring affordability, safety, and quality standards for students.” This year, tens of thousands of students applied for university-managed accommodation, while the University of Pretoria (UP) has just over 8 000 on-campus residence beds, supplemented by accredited off-campus accommodation partners. As is standard practice, demand exceeds supply.

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