article by Matteo Pecci
In September, the Ministry of University and Research announced that it had exceeded the PNRR target for university housing, with over 63,200 housing units made available through the Housing Plan. This achievement brings student housing—a market segment closely tied to students’ ability to choose a university far from home—back into the spotlight.
But how many of these beds are already available, and where are they located? The MUR’s new portal lists 31,858 available beds and 31,334 planned for 2027. The total number therefore includes both the housing already available and that scheduled to become available in the coming months.
An example of the regional distribution comes from Emilia-Romagna. According to MUR data reported by the local press in early September, the region has 4,020 new housing units already available, to which 1,805 more will be added by 2027.
The provincial breakdown of the 4,020 units shows Ferrara with 881, Rimini with 793, and Parma with 647; followed by Reggio Emilia with 527 and Modena with 367. Bologna has 326, Piacenza 231, Forlì-Cesena 218, and Ravenna 30. In this part of the program, therefore, university centers outside the regional capital play a significant role.
These are the new units under the Housing Plan, not the entire supply of housing available in each city. The regional picture shows, however, that the expansion of student housing is also having a tangible impact on smaller markets.
To understand the scope of these initiatives, we must look at the starting point. In its 2025–2027 Strategic Guidelines, CDP cites over 85,000 beds in university housing by 2023, corresponding to coverage of approximately 10% of demand. The same document indicates nearly 890,000 students living away from home in 2024, compared to 814,000 in 2017. This gap helps explain the focus on student housing—that is, facilities dedicated to accommodating students, often equipped with study spaces and shared services.
This photograph shows the situation prior to the most recent developments. To measure the coverage achieved today, an updated census of the entire housing supply would be needed, compared with the number of students during the same period. The Housing Plan expands availability, but its progress must be viewed within a market where supply and demand continue to shift.
The ability of universities to attract students from other regions helps illustrate the role of housing supply. In July 2025, the Emilia-Romagna Region reported that 46% of the more than 194,000 students enrolled in university courses came from other regions. This figure highlights the significance of student mobility and the importance of housing services, even for medium-sized university campuses.
In Reggio Emilia, one example of the ongoing expansion is the Studentato Europa, which Unimore presents as a project carried out as part of the PNRR. Thirty percent of the spots are reserved for students on the scholarship rankings. The residence thus provides organized housing options within the university’s service system.
Another development is emerging in Isernia. In the CDP list dated August 26, 2026, the municipality is listed among the recipients of a grant of 792,000 euros for 44 beds. The local project involves a residence in the train station building: a September 10 report by TGR Molise indicated that the call for bids to award the construction contract was still imminent. It is, therefore, a project in the planning stages, linking the revitalization of existing spaces to the strengthening of the university’s presence in the city.
These examples suggest that small and medium-sized university towns should be viewed as markets with their own distinct characteristics, and the emergence of new projects confirms the interest in these areas. For a property owner, this may mean considering a different use for an underutilized building. For the city, this can result in the revitalization of properties and the arrival of services related to university life. Proximity to campus, transportation links, and affordable rent remain key factors in ensuring that the transformation meets actual demand.
The availability of affordable housing can influence a student’s choice of university just as much as the quality of its academic programs. For smaller college towns, expanding student housing therefore means creating the conditions to attract students who might otherwise choose to go elsewhere. It is in this intersection between the university’s needs and properties ripe for redevelopment that a new phase of student housing development can take shape: projects tailored to local demand, capable of ensuring the continued use of these properties and strengthening the bond between students and the city—even beyond the impetus provided by the PNRR.
Accessed September 28, 2026. Numbered references for verifying data and including links in the article.
1 MUR • Presentation of the housing platform, September 21, 2026.
Announcement that the target was exceeded. The national total is presented in rounded form.
2 MUR • University Housing Portal
September 2026 data: 31,858 available spots and 31,334 in 2027. A complete national breakdown by city of only the places already available has not been reconstructed.
3 Estense • New housing units in Ferrara, September 3, 2026
MUR data taken from the local press: 4,020 available places broken down by province and 1,805 future places. The nine provinces total 4,020. This breakdown should not be extrapolated to the national level.
4 CDP • Strategic Guidelines 2025–2027
Page 60 (PDF 60): supply and coverage figures refer to 2023; out-of-town figures refer to 2024. CDP cites MUR and Scenari Immobiliari. The definition of “students living away from home” includes residents outside the province and abroad.
5 Emilia-Romagna Region • Plan for the Right to Education, July 7, 2025
Data reported in July 2025: over 194,000 enrolled students, 46% of whom come from other regions. This indicator describes the students’ places of origin; it does not quantify the unmet demand for housing.
6 Unimore • Europa Student Housing
Facility built as part of the PNRR; 30% quota reserved for students eligible for financial aid. This example is located in Reggio Emilia, not in Modena.
7 CDP • Approved Projects, August 26, 2026
Page 2: Municipality of Isernia, CLP AV026/260140, 792,000 euros and 44 beds. This is a grant awarded, not the total cost of the project.
8 Rai TGR Molise • University and student housing in Isernia, September 10, 2026
Railway station: 44 spots planned and a call for bids announced. This is not a residence that is already open.
