Italian cities boost student housing support

The Piedmont regional government confirmed its 2026‑27 budget for university students, keeping overall spending steady while adjusting scholarship amounts for inflation (+1.4%), increasing residence capacity from 2,650 to more than 3,100 beds, and adding new protections for part‑time students and those from conflict‑affected countries.

In Bologna, mayor Matteo Lepore announced a €1 million annual fund to subsidise rent and living costs for the city’s roughly 90,000 university students. The measure, presented as a stable “rent‑and‑welfare” instrument, is financed with municipal resources and is intended to make the city more attractive to students and young researchers. The proposal triggered sharp political criticism from the Lega and the tenants’ association Confabitare, who argue the fund is insufficient and does not address the underlying shortage of housing. Supporters, including the Democratic Party, describe the initiative as an investment in the city’s educational future.