Recently, several universities purchasing existing housing inventory to convert into student dormitories has attracted widespread social attention.
Previously, Hubei University purchased existing commercial housing around its campus, converting some housing units in Wuhan Urban Construction Water Front—located just across the street from the Yangluo Campus—into student apartments. This became the national first case of a university acquiring nearby commercial housing to convert into student apartments. Walking from the Wuhan Urban Construction Water Front student apartments, it takes about 5 minutes to reach the Hubei University teaching area, and each building is equipped with a dedicated dormitory management team.
The student dormitories are fully equipped with air conditioning and hot water. Four independent rooms are arranged within a single unit, allowing roommates to chat together or close their doors to stay quietly on their own.
Hubei University graduate student Xie Ziying introduced that fitness equipment is provided downstairs at the apartment complex. Food deliveries do not require going downstairs to pick up, as couriers can deliver directly to the dormitory door. With the school right across the street, it takes only a few minutes' walk to reach the teaching area, so daily commuting does not require much time.
Xie Ziying lives in a double room with an annual accommodation fee of 1,320 yuan: "There is no need to pay property management fees, but it feels like enjoying the treatment of residential property owners."
Multiple Universities Purchase Commercial Housing for Student Dormitories
In addition to Hubei University, several other universities including Shenzhen University, Hefei University of Technology, Central South University, and China University of Mining and Technology have also acquired existing commercial housing for use as student dormitories. On one hand, this resolves student housing issues, and on the other, it helps revitalize existing commercial housing inventory.
China University of Mining and Technology Puts Doctoral Student Apartments into Use
It is understood that nearly 10,000 incoming freshmen of the class of 2026 at China University of Mining and Technology recently reported for registration, among whom new doctoral students will move into the Guanshanfu doctoral student apartments. The first batch of Guanshanfu doctoral student apartments puts 174 apartment units into service, fully furnished with complete living furniture, air conditioners, washing machines, water heaters, and other amenities.
Jiangsu: Subsidies Provided for Dormitory Purchase Work
Recently, the Department of Finance of Jiangsu Province, together with the Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Education of Jiangsu Province, issued the "Provincial Fund Subsidy Plan for the Three-Year Action Plan for Quality Improvement and Capacity Expansion of Student Dormitories in Provincial Universities." Based on the operational and development realities of the 75 provincial universities across the province, the subsidy plan supports universities in adopting a combination of methods—such as "renovating, renting, buying, building, and reallocating"—to systematically allocate student dormitory resources.
Specifically, for rented projects, a fixed subsidy of 2,000 yuan per bed per year will be implemented to lower university rental costs and revitalize social inventory resources; for purchased projects, support will be given to dormitory acquisition efforts in cities with relatively lower housing prices such as Xuzhou, Huai'an, and Lianyungang, with provincial finances providing a 30% subsidy to comprehensively advance both the filling of dormitory shortfalls and the destocking of real estate.
Seven Ministries: Encourage Universities to Purchase and Lease Social Housing Around Campuses to Supplement Dormitory Resources
In 2024, seven ministries and commissions, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Education, released the "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of University Student Dormitories." Among its provisions, it mentions renovating and upgrading existing dormitory resources. Universities are encouraged to supplement dormitory resources by purchasing or leasing nearby social housing, such as talent apartments and commercial-residential buildings, while strengthening supporting services and management according to the same standards used on campus.
