Once students are offered a college place, the scramble to find affordable and suitable accommodation begins. On-campus accommodation and private student complexes are generally priced at the higher end of the market, potentially exceeding €1,000 per month.

Those on the hunt for accommodation need to be vigilant and ensure to research properly before handing over any money.

In the first six months of 2025, reports of accommodation fraud are up by 22%, with approximately 160 cases recorded by An Garda Síochána. Reported losses total €385,000, compared with €617,000 for the full year of 2024.

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Approximately one third of all accommodation fraud reports occur during August and September each year.

Rental fraud occurs when a victim pays money to rent accommodation (typically in the form of a deposit) and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent.

The most common pitfall is that people miss or overlook red flags in the rush to secure accommodation. To avoid scams, students should prioritise in-person viewings, research properties and landlords, use reputable platforms, and secure payment methods.

On-campus prices

Student accommodation prices in Ireland for the 2025-2026 academic year have hit an all-time high, with University College Dublin (UCD) leading the way in terms of the most expensive college for student housing.

Students are being asked to fork out €11,764.80 for an en-suite room in Village 3 of the college’s on-campus accommodation. On the lower end of UCD’s scale, its cheapest option will set students and their families back €5,666.44 for the academic year. This fee is for a shared bedroom in Village 1.

Trinity College Dublin’s student accommodation requires a hefty wallet too, with a 38-week stay in its Kavanagh Court/3rd Party Student Accommodation costing €305 per week, or €11,590 in total.

The most expensive on-campus accommodation option for students at the University of Galway is in Dunlin Village, where a standard plus double room with a private bathroom will cost €881 per month, on top of a €250 booking deposit and €631 instalment deposit, bringing it to a total price of €8,810.

The cheapest campus option in Galway is Corrib Village, where a bed in a standard sharing twin room will cost €362 per month, on top of a €250 deposit fee and €112 installment deposit. €3,620 is the total for this option.

For an on-campus room in Maynooth University, students can expect to pay €7,003 for a single room with an ensuite for the academic year in Rye Hall. A single room with a shared bathroom will bring the price down to €5,411 for the college year.

University College Cork has the highest-priced on-campus accommodation outside Dublin, with prices ranging from €3,816 to €8,585.

Useful websites for helping with accommodation: collegecribs.ie and daft.ie. Here you can search for rented accommodation in the locality of your college.

Threshold is a national charity that offers advice for students with accommodation issues. You can freephone 1800 454 454 or check threshold.ie. The Residential Tenancy Board (RTB), has an online dispute service. See rtb.ie for more details.