Student rents exceed 500 euros: BAföG no longer sufficient for housing costs in many places

Studying is becoming more expensive, especially in terms of housing: For the first time, students in Germany are paying an average rent of over 500 euros per month. According to the Moses Mendelssohn Institute, the nationwide average for the winter semester is 505 euros - an increase of over two percent since the summer. In 70 out of 88 university cities, rents are significantly higher than the BAföG housing allowance of 380 euros. Students face the highest costs in Berlin at 650 euros, in Hamburg at 620, and in Bavaria at 603 euros. The most affordable housing is in Thuringia and Saxony. Experts are calling for an expansion of BAföG and more support for affordable student housing, as increasingly the parents' financial situation determines whether studying at the desired location is even possible.