Returning students face six-hour commutes or dropping out as housing crisis bites

'I’ll have to wake up at around 4 am to get the bus from Waterford at five to be in campus for eight in the morning'

Students Jennifer Clifford, Grainne Stembridge, Orlaith O'Byrne and Maeve Bartley at the USI student walkout protest at University College, Cork as students walked out of lectures in  2022 in protest to the cost of living crisis. Picture: Larry Cummins 

Returning college students have been contacting accommodation services and unions in a “state of panic” ahead of the academic year as they struggle to find somewhere to live in Cork.

In University College Cork (UCC), 3,900 first year students are expected to enter via the CAO this year. An additional 200 international students are anticipated to start full time, while approximately 700-800 visiting Erasmus students will arrive this autumn.