With the Jubilee of Hope beginning on December 24th, finding accommodation for the following year as an international student in Rome becomes increasingly difficult.

For students who do not speak Italian fluently, locating an apartment involves searching websites like SpotAHome, Idealista, and Immobiliare, or reaching out to real estate agencies that work with English speakers.

However, due to the anticipated influx of tourists, landlords are now turning to Airbnb to rent out properties instead of relying on long-term residents.

Students at The American University of Rome—one of the few English-speaking universities in the city—are facing hardships in finding apartments for the coming semester.

Numerous apartments, which appear to be good deals, often turn out to be scams, with landlords asking for down payments before even allowing tenants to view the property in person. To avoid this, students are advised to go through trusted agencies, though these agencies often charge excessive and unavoidable fees.

Eva, Ella, and Luca, three second-year students at AUR, have been living in the residential neighborhood of Testaccio and working with the same realty agency and landlord for the past year and a half.

Just last week, they discovered that their reliable landlord is opting to take advantage of the expected tourist influx, ending their arrangement. They were given two options: sign a new contract for a different apartment in the same neighborhood at over €1,000 per person (compared to their previous €750 each) or part ways with the agency entirely.

Another student at AUR reported that her rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Monteverde increased by €100 per month. This leaves students with a difficult choice: accept these rising costs or move out completely. The university itself struggles to provide a solution, offering limited student housing where up to three students must share a room.

In a city that is generally affordable for students, the high cost of student accommodations now outweighs the otherwise economical daily expenses. One might question the accuracy of the predicted surge in visitors. Many units on Airbnb, some even labeled with names like “Jubilee Apartment Vatican Museums,” are surprisingly available during off-peak months, including January through May and September through December.

Are landlords overestimating the number of pilgrims visiting Rome solely for Catholic festivities, given that rentals, even near Vatican City, are only consistently booked during the summer as usual?

In their search for affordable student housing, students continue to struggle to find reasonably priced accommodations within a manageable commute to their school.

Students lucky enough to secure a contract with a reliable landlord face exorbitant rent prices for below-average accommodations. Scouring the online platforms mentioned, as well as Facebook Marketplace for individual room rentals, is often their only remaining option—or turning to Airbnb for short-term stays.

Rome's residential neighborhoods, such as Monteverde and Testaccio, may also see significant changes as the influx of tourists drives out both native Romans and university students.

While it may be frustrating for students, Romans can’t be blamed for wanting to profit from the anticipated influx. However, a little more consideration toward struggling university students—especially those with a good rental history—could go a long way.