‘Dear Italy, how much do you cost us?’ Students pitch tents over soaring rents

University students in Italy have launched a national protest against rising accommodation costs, setting up tents outside Parliament in Rome and at university sites across the country.

The mobilisation, organised by the Union of University Students (Unione degli Universitari, UDU), is taking place under the slogan “Cara Italia, quanto ci costi?” or “Dear Italy, how much do you cost us?”

Students gathered in Piazza Montecitorio, near the Italian Parliament on Oct 12, continuing their protest into the following day. Similar demonstrations were reported at around 10 university locations, including in Milan, Bologna, Genoa, Pavia, Naples and Lecce.

The protesters say high rents and a shortage of affordable accommodation are making it increasingly difficult for students to pursue higher education, particularly those who must move away from their family homes to attend university.

Students question use of housing funds

A central focus of the protest is Italy’s student-housing investment programme, supported by funding from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The original target was to create 60,000 student beds by June 30, 2026. However, only around 33,000 had been completed by that point, with the remaining accommodation expected to be delivered later.

The government’s housing programme has made approximately €1.2 billion available for the initiative. Protesters argue that too much of the funding has benefited private accommodation operators rather than creating affordable public housing.

UDU coordinator Sabrina Brizzola said students were returning to tent protests because they had seen little improvement in access to housing since similar demonstrations three years ago.

The government, however, has presented a different account of progress. Italy’s Ministry of University and Research has said that more than 60,000 beds have been achieved under the broader programme, including accommodation still being completed or brought into the system, and that a proportion is reserved for students eligible for housing support.

The competing figures reflect differences in how progress and completed accommodation are being counted.

Private rents remain a concern

Students have criticised the cost of accommodation in privately managed student residences, saying some rooms can cost as much as €1,000 a month.

Under the programme described in Italian media reports, funded accommodation can be offered at market-linked rates, subject to specified discounts and eligibility conditions. Protesters argue that such arrangements do not adequately address the needs of students from lower-income households.

They are calling for greater investment in publicly owned student housing, expanded scholarships and more affordable university services.

The dispute has also raised broader questions about whether investment in additional accommodation is sufficient if students cannot afford the rents charged.

Opposition leaders back the protests

The demonstrations have received support from opposition politicians and trade union representatives.

Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein met students during the mobilisation, while Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) secretary Maurizio Landini visited the protest in Piazza Montecitorio.

Landini said the students’ demands concerned the wider right to a secure future, linking housing pressures with economic insecurity and inequality.

Representatives of opposition parties also criticised the government’s housing policies and called for more immediate measures to address the cost of accommodation.

Students seek a wider housing and education response

The mobilisation extends beyond rent levels to the broader cost of attending university, including transport, meals and other living expenses.

UDU has called for additional investment in scholarships, publicly owned student residences and measures to reduce the cost of university education. The demands include a multi-year plan for public accommodation and increased support for students who cannot afford to live near their institutions.

The protests highlight a challenge facing Italian higher education: expanding access to university requires not only places in classrooms but also affordable living arrangements for students who must relocate.

Whether the demonstrations lead to changes in funding or housing policy remains unclear. For now, students are continuing to press the government to make accommodation a more accessible part of the right to education.