x
Breaking News
More () »

Purdue struggling with shortage of student housing

Students trying to live on campus in West Lafayette are struggling to get the rooms they want. The university is giving them three choices.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue is struggling to find rooms for everyone who wants to live on campus. 

The university is issuing housing notices to students this week. 

More than 7,400 upperclassmen requested to live in University Residences. More than 700 of them wound up in rooms that were "different from what they expected." 

On July 11, the university gave those students three options: 

  1. Keep your original housing contract. This is the default. You don't need to do anything to keep it. 
  2. Completely voluntarily as your choice, if you choose (you don’t have to) the alternative given to you on Wednesday (July 10), then your annual room fee will be reduced by $4,000 in addition to any automatic change due to occupancy. (Example for First Street Towers double occupancy: $5,800 - $4,000 = $1,800 a year.)
  3. You may choose to be released from your contract without penalty.

RELATED: Purdue responds to viral TikTok showing crowded makeshift dorm

If a student doesn't get back to the university with a choice by July 14, the university will assume they want the first option. 

A statement from the university reads, in part, "The university continues to work through housing assignments for first-year students, working on master leases for additional local apartments, and we expect to issue those assignments within the coming week."

This is not the first time Purdue has struggled with student housing. 

Housing for the 2023 school year was already completely claimed by November 2022. That year, the board of trustees approved a new student housing building with 890 beds for students along with a new airport terminal. 

(NOTE: The video at the top of this story is from the 2023 housing shortage at Purdue University.)

RELATED: Purdue tight on housing space with 10,000 freshmen ready to begin classes

Before You Leave, Check This Out