Shenzhen University planned to rent properties in a luxury residential community, where each unit is valued at an average of 8 million yuan (HK$9.2 million), for student accommodation, as postgraduate enrollment expansion triggered a dormitory shortage in the mainland.
In an announcement, the university said its 2026 full-time postgraduate students of Shenzhen University Lihu Campus will be arranged in a luxury community in the Nanshan district, located two to three kilometers from the school, while the lodging fee will be in line with the campus's standard.
According to the property agency, all flats in the community measure over 100 square meters, with an average transaction exceeding 8 million yuan per unit, or 66,000 yuan per sq m in the secondary market.
After the announcement spread on the internet, homeowners in the residential community expressed concern about their home prices. One property owner said that the home originally bought for 8 million yuan has been suggested by the property agency to sell for 7 million yuan.
Some of the residents also worried that the public resources like lifts, parking spaces, and the gym will be over-occupied, with nearly 1,000 students flowing into the residential.
This came as the mass expansion of postgraduate admissions in mainland China squeezed the student housing resource. In 2025, the number of postgraduate enrollments reached 1.43 million, nearly double from that of a decade ago.
In April, Shenzhen released policies encouraging the conversion of non-residential properties, such as commercial properties and industrial facilities. into student accommodation, offering support like a five-year land premium exemption during the transition period.
