Homelessness in higher education: a study of African graduate students of the University of Delaware
Date
2024
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Housing insecurity is a pressing challenge in higher education, affecting students’ academic performance, health, and overall well-being. Housing insecurity, which encompasses homelessness and limited or uncertain access to stable, safe, and affordable housing, is particularly pronounced at the University of Delaware (UD) where on-campus dormitories can only house 38% of the undergraduate students. Despite the shortage of on-campus accommodation, UD maintains a policy of not building additional dormitories and only maintaining the existing ones. As the majority of UD students rely on off-campus accommodation, the City of Newark grapples with high rental costs and a shortage of affordable housing. Therefore, the majority of UD students, including the African graduate students, are at risk of experiencing housing insecurity. Based on the findings from the survey of African graduate students, 19% indicated that they had experienced housing insecurity, which impacted their health and academic performance during their time at UD. Furthermore, over 80% of the respondents indicated that they spend above 30% of their income on housing-related costs, and 79% indicated that they had experienced financial strain from housing-related costs. Highlighting these challenges, the study explores affordable housing options as exemplified in other institutions. The significance of this study is to address a research gap on homelessness in higher education, particularly among African graduate students.
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Keywords
African graduate students, Homelessness, Housing insecurity, Newark housing, University of Delaware