Student Housing and Hostel Life in Sudan

Campus hostels: the traditional first option

Sudanese public universities have long run "internal" hostels, subsidized housing on or near campus for students who apply and qualify, often based on need, distance from home, or academic standing. Spots are limited relative to the size of the student body, so not every admitted student gets one, and demand is highest for students moving from smaller towns into a university city.

Apply for a hostel spot directly through your university's student affairs office as soon as you are admitted, since allocation fills up early in the term.

Off-campus rental in the university cities

Students who miss a hostel spot, or attend a university without one, rent rooms or shared flats near campus. Khartoum, Omdurman, and Wad Madani were traditionally the biggest concentrations of student renters, given the density of universities in and around the capital region before the war.

Shared housing, with several students splitting rent and utilities, is the common way to keep costs manageable, especially for students without family in the city.

Hostel versus rental: weighing the trade-off

A hostel spot is cheaper and puts you close to classes, libraries, and other students, which matters most in your first year when you do not know the city yet. It also means less control over roommates and house rules. Renting privately costs more and takes more effort to arrange, but gives you more say over location, roommates, and how many people you share space with.

What to expect inside a hostel

Rooms are usually shared between several students, with shared bathrooms and communal study or common areas rather than private facilities. Basic furniture, a bed, a desk, and storage space, is standard, and you typically bring your own bedding, toiletries, and study materials. Ask your allocated hostel's supervisor about mealtime arrangements and quiet hours before you move in, since rules differ between universities.

How the war changed student housing

Fighting since April 2023 hit Khartoum and Gezira states hardest, with more than 100 higher education institutions damaged, occupied, or forced to stop operating between 2023 and the end of 2024 (Sage Journals ). At least one Khartoum university campus was converted into a military barracks during the conflict, and hostel buildings in the worst-hit areas were caught in the same disruption as classrooms and laboratories.

Sudan also holds the world's largest internal displacement crisis, with more than 11 million people forced from their homes since the war began (Christian Science Monitor ). That scale of movement changed where students live, with many now staying with relatives in safer states rather than renting near a campus that may not be operating in person.

Where students live now

After the Sudanese Armed Forces retook Khartoum in March 2025, the government ordered universities to plan a return to the capital, and some campuses started reopening and clearing war damage through 2025. Return is not universal or complete. Many programs still run students through relocated sites in states such as Port Sudan, Kassala, Gedaref, and River Nile State, or through online classes held over platforms such as Google Meet, Telegram, and WhatsApp for students who cannot travel.

If your program relocated, ask the university directly whether it also arranged hostel space or partner housing at the new site, since this is not guaranteed and varies by institution.

What it costs

Rental prices in Sudan have moved sharply since 2023 alongside high inflation and currency depreciation, and no verified national rent survey is available. Ask current students and the university's student affairs office for today's typical room and shared-flat prices in your specific city rather than relying on any fixed figure, since costs vary widely between a relocated host state and pre-war Khartoum rates.

Setting up a shared rental step by step

• Find roommates you already know or through a verified university student group, not a stranger contact from social media alone

• Visit the room or flat in person before agreeing to anything, and check water and electricity actually work

• Agree in writing on how rent, utility bills, and shared purchases split between roommates

• Keep a copy of your lease and any receipt for the deposit you pay

Staying safe while you search for housing

• Confirm current security conditions in the specific neighborhood, not just the city, before signing any lease

• Get a written agreement with the landlord covering rent, deposit, and duration

• Ask other current students at the same university about their actual experience before committing

• Keep a backup plan for sudden relocation, since conditions in conflict-affected areas change fast

If you cannot travel to your assigned campus

Some students admitted to a university with a damaged or relocated main campus continue their studies from home rather than moving at all, using the online classes some universities now run. If this applies to you, you still need a reliable place to study, a stable internet connection or data plan, and a backup plan for the days connectivity fails. Ask your university's student affairs office whether it recognizes remote study from your current location before you assume it counts the same as in-person attendance.