Kalamata students protest rising housing costs and dormitory shortages

Elected members of the Panspoudastiki K.S. student unions in Kalamata held a mobilization and press conference at the University of Peloponnese to protest the critical student housing crisis. Protesters highlighted that student dormitories nationwide cover only 4.8% of student needs.

In Kalamata, which is seeing 956 new students this year, the local dormitory offers only approximately 200 rooms. The city ranks seventh among Greek student cities for highest rents, with an average cost of 11.2 euros per square meter. Students reported that high living costs are directly impacting academic attendance; for instance, in the Department of Accounting and Finance, only 50 to 60 out of 200 students attend classes daily.

The protesters are demanding an increase in the monthly housing allowance to at least 500 euros, paid monthly, and an expansion of eligible recipients. They criticized the current government allowance—166 euros per month for regional universities—as insufficient, noting it is paid at the end of the year, forcing families to cover full rental costs upfront.