Living Out and Learning at University

As public higher education expands in Malawi, growing numbers of students at most public universities in the country, including the University of Malawi, are living off-campus due to limited on-campus accommodation. Using the University of Malawi as a case study, this chapter explores the evolution of student accommodation policies, the challenges faced by off-campus students and examines how these challenges affect their academic well-being. Drawing on empirical data and global literature, the study reveals that students face a combination of infrastructural, economic, social and psychological barriers to education. These include substandard housing, unaffordable rent, unreliable utilities, long commuting distances, insecurity, poor landlord relations and lack of study spaces. Such conditions disrupt study time, induce financial and emotional stress and weaken student engagement. The findings align with research from across Africa, Asia and the West, highlighting a global housing crisis affecting student equity and academic outcomes. However, Malawi’s distinct policy and socioeconomic context intensifies these challenges, particularly for vulnerable groups such as low-income and students with disabilities. The chapter calls for urgent policy reforms, including regulatory oversight of off-campus housing, increased public investment, financial support mechanisms and inclusive planning. It argues that student accommodation is not merely a welfare issue, but a structural determinant of academic success and educational equity in low-income settings.