Cheap housing for students in Prague? Try a senior citizens' home

With student housing increasingly difficult to afford in Prague, several city districts are offering an unusual solution: discounted accommodation in senior housing in exchange for regular companionship and help with everyday activities.

The intergenerational housing programs give students access to below-market rents while connecting them with older residents who may otherwise face loneliness. Students are not expected to provide medical or professional care, but instead spend time talking, walking, organizing activities or helping with phones and computers.

The programs offer another response to Prague’s housing pressures, which have become an increasingly prominent issue for locals. Last week, a Prague 1 residents’ initiative launched a petition calling for apartments used for short-term tourist rentals to be returned to permanent housing.

Prague 3 was among the first city districts to introduce the model, launching its Students Among Seniors program in Žižkov in 2019. University students were offered discounted one-year leases in two apartments in municipal senior housing in exchange for spending at least 30 hours a month with residents.

Activities included accompanying seniors to medical appointments or on walks and helping them learn to use modern technology. In 2023, one student paid about CZK 4,000 in monthly rent plus CZK 2,000 in fees for a roughly 35-square-meter studio, around one-third of the estimated commercial rent for a comparable apartment in the area.

Prague 4 launched its own program in Braník in October 2025 in cooperation with the district, the Prague 4 Social Services Institute and Letokruh, an organization focused on intergenerational programs.

Students in the first year visited seniors in their apartments, helped with activities at local centers for active aging, accompanied residents on walks and participated in community events. Organizers said relationships based on trust and regular contact developed between the students and older residents.

The Prague 4 program will continue for the 2026–27 academic year, although details including the number of available places, rent and application deadline have not yet been announced. Last year's application period ended in late August.

Intergenerational housing is now available in several Prague districts, including Prague 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, although requirements differ.

In Prague 1, students have been living in senior housing since 2024. Participants are expected to provide at least 40 hours of volunteer work each month, with motivation, empathy and a positive attitude toward older people among the selection criteria.

Prague 6 has previously offered apartments in senior housing in Šlejnická Street and Liboc, requiring students to spend 10 to 15 hours a month with residents. Prague 5's program in the Raudnitz House in Hlubočepy required 20 hours of volunteer activity each month.

The model is based on programs used elsewhere in Europe. France's Ensemble2générations has connected students with seniors since 2006, while a program in the Dutch city of Deventer has allowed students to live in a senior home rent-free in exchange for at least 30 hours of monthly interaction.

For Prague, the approach addresses two problems at once: students gain access to more affordable housing, while older residents gain regular social contact and practical help.