PRESS RELEASE
Stockholm, August 27, 2026
Stockholm, August 27, 2026
Swedish National Union of Students, SFS
Almost nine out of ten students live in a location where they cannot be offered their own, safe accommodation for the start of the fall semester based on SFS criteria.
The report shows a trend where more study locations than usual are classified as yellow.
This means that students are either forced to wait well into the fall semester to get housing, or that the housing that is actually available has a rent that is far too high for a student's wallet.
Overall, the rent level is considered too high in 23 out of 34 locations reviewed.
– Generally, we see two types of yellow cities. The first are cities where students get their own housing by the start of the semester, but where the rents are too high. The second are cities where students have to wait well into the fall semester before they get their own housing. What is common to almost all yellow cities is that the rent is higher than what SFS considers to be a reasonable rent level for students, says Hampus Haugland, chairman of SFS.
There are glimmers of light – but much remains to be done
Despite the generally gloomy situation across the country, this year's report shows a slight positive trend in some of the country's largest study locations. These are cities that previously had an acute housing shortage, but where the situation has now moved in the right direction.
– Several of the larger student cities are going from red to yellow this year. It is pleasing to see and means that the housing situation has improved for many students, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Our hope is that these cities will continue the work and now strive to become green, concludes Haugland.
To strengthen the housing situation for the country's students, SFS has three proposals
- Increase your study allowance.
- Co-finance affordable student housing.
- Introduce a housing allowance for students.
Press Contact:
Markus Krantz
[email protected]
076 4153032
Read more about SFS's proposal and the situation at all study locations - read the report in its entirety in the appendix below.