VU continues to charge international students an unlawful housing fee

Finding a place to live isn’t easy, especially when you’re from abroad. That’s why international students can turn to VU University Amsterdam for help. In exchange for a housing fee of 500 euros, VU helps them find accommodation. If this isn’t successful, they get their money back.

However, charging for this service is not permitted, the court has ruled – for the second time. Four American students, together with the !Woon foundation, brought a legal case against the university. VU must refund the students.

According to the court, the university operates as an ‘intermediary’, assisting both tenants and landlords. Such intermediaries are legally prohibited from charging tenants (in this case, the students) for their services.

Could cost millions

That is a bitter pill to swallow, and not just for the VU. Other educational institutions also charge a housing fee to international students. According to the VU, it could cost universities and colleges millions if they are no longer allowed to charge housing fees.

The VU will therefore continue to charge international students 500 euros for the time being. “Charging the ‘housing fee’ is necessary to be able to continue offering this support,” says a university spokesperson.

The university is considering appealing the ruling. Previously, the VU had also planned to appeal a similar ruling from 2024. But that was unsuccessful at the time, says the spokesperson, who can only add that there were “too few legal grounds”.

Other universities

Educational institutions do not rent out student rooms themselves. This is handled by housing associations such as DUWO and private landlords. They reserve rooms specifically for international students at a university or university of applied sciences.

The VU is by no means the only educational institution that charges for this, but it is the most expensive. Most institutions charge around 300 euros. For example, TU Delft charges a housing fee of 285 euros. Leiden University, the University of Amsterdam, The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, and other institutions also charge a fee.

Ruled unlawful twice

Although they do not rent out rooms themselves, reserving rooms with landlords does cost money. For instance, at least the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the VU have agreed to pay for reserved accommodation that remains vacant. This can happen, for example, if a student unexpectedly fails to turn up: in that case, the educational institutions pay the rent. To cover these and other costs, the institutions charge a housing fee.

But there is another reason for charging a housing fee. Universities and universities of applied sciences are not permitted to spend public funds on student accommodation. After all, accommodation is not part of their statutory remit. Public funds may only be spent by the institutions on education, research and the dissemination of knowledge.

All in all, educational institutions find themselves in a difficult position. They have agreed with landlords to pay compensation for vacant rooms. However, they are not permitted to pass these costs on to international students as agency fees, nor are they allowed to use public funds for this purpose.

VU to better explain housing fee

The VU is not accepting the ruling and will explain the housing fee more clearly to international students, says a spokesperson. Other institutions have not yet abolished the agency fees either.

The !Woon Foundation, which assists Amsterdam tenants with practical and legal matters, among other things, is disappointed. The foundation has held discussions with the VU on a couple of occasions and, together with the international students, has now been vindicated by the court twice. “It would be very strange if a university did not continue to comply with a court ruling,” says Ingrid Houtepen of the foundation.

HOP, Olmo Linthorst