YU Students Face Higher Housing Costs, Fewer On-Campus Options
YU students returning to campus this fall are facing higher housing costs and fewer living options, as the university raises dormitory prices across both undergraduate campuses for the 2025-26 academic year.
The price increases, which range from $200 to $500 per semester depending on the dorm, come alongside the removal of several housing options, including the closure of Megantic on 30th Street and the 39th Street Residence Hall on the Beren Campus.
On Wilf, double rooms in both Rubin and Morgenstern Halls will now cost $5,825 for the academic year, up from $5,625 last year. Muss Hall, which has offered a discounted rate for triple occupancy in the past, will charge a flat $4,875 per student regardless of whether the room houses two or three people.
Students on Beren face even steeper price hikes. Brookdale, the primary residence hall for undergraduate women, will now cost $5,825 per semester — an increase from $5,625 last year.
“It’s kind of funny for prices to be going up when the building hasn’t been renovated or changed at all,” Yael Fishman (SCW ‘26) told The Commentator. “As someone who is planning on living in Brookdale for the third time, it’s wild how little effort they put into making the dorm better.”
Other buildings on Beren have seen similar increases. 36th Street Residence Hall rose from $5,625 to $5,825; deluxe suites in Brookdale, which house four students and include kitchens for those with dietary needs, increased from $6,750 to $7,000; 251 Lexington, which mostly contains studio apartments with full kitchens, also went from $6,750 to $7,000; and 35th Street, often considered the most luxurious of the Beren housing options, jumped from $7,750 to $8,250.
“It’s getting harder to justify the cost,” Tamar Giterman (SCW ‘26) told The Commentator. “For such small living spaces, I feel like a fool having to pay more and more each year. But I also feel like I have no other reasonable options.”
Compounding Stern student’s frustration is the closure of the Megantic and 39th Street halls, both of which previously offered apartment-style housing with kitchens, a necessity for students with dietary restrictions. Now, despite a growing student population, students are left with fewer housing options and higher prices.
A YU spokesperson told The Commentator that despite projected enrollment growth on the Beren Campus, Megantic and 39th Street were deemed no longer necessary for student housing.
“After a thorough review of our on-campus housing capacity, we have confirmed that all students — including the expected increase in enrollment for the upcoming academic year — can be accommodated within our existing university-owned buildings,” the spokesperson said. “We appreciate the staff’s efforts in strategically reallocating space without disrupting student services.”
To illustrate the reduced need for additional spaces, the spokesperson said that a room in Brookdale Hall, formerly used as an office for residential advisors and storage, has been converted back into a residential unit. Additionally, “RA functions have been improved through centralized inventory and storage solutions at 215 Lexington and other non-residential areas of Brookdale Hall,” the spokesperson said.
| Residence Hall | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 | |
| Beren: | Brookdale, 36th St. | $5,625 | $5,825 (+200) |
| Brookdale Deluxe (Kitchen), 251 Lex. | $6,750 | $7,000 (+250) | |
| 35th Street | $7,750 | $8,250 (+500) | |
| Megantic, 39th Street | $7,750 | eliminated | |
| Wilf: | Rubin Hall (Double) | $5,625 | $5,825 (+200) |
| Rubin Hall (Triple) | $4,625 | $4,875 (+250) | |
| Morgenstern Hall (Double) | $5,625 | $5,825 (+200) | |
| Muss Hall (Double/Triple) | $4,625 | $4,875 (+250) |
The rent increases are another addition to the growing financial burden students face at YU.
“The rising cost of housing, especially when paired with mandatory meal plans, places an increasing financial burden on students,” Yishai Gross (YC ’28) told The Commentator. He said that many students are required to enroll in meal plans, the unused balances of which do not carry over at the end of the year. “It would be great to see some balance — like free or reduced Shabbos rates — to help offset these expenses,” he said.
A YU spokesperson told The Commentator that there are no specific renovations, updates or changes planned for the dorms that might explain the price increases.
“The cost to maintain and service our residential buildings continues to rise, consistent with overall economic trends,” the spokesperson said. “While we do not have specific, large-scale renovation projects for Wilf Campus housing to announce for the 2025-2026 academic year beyond ongoing maintenance and upkeep, Yeshiva University is continuously committed to enhancing the on-campus living experience.”
The spokesperson listed some improvements, including the Shabbat Living Room in Morgenstern Hall, air conditioning in Muss Hall, “general improvements to communal spaces in Morgenstern Hall” and improved flooring on some floors in Muss Hall.
When asked for a reason for the price increases across both campuses, The Commentator was told that “the university annually reviews and adjusts tuition and fees, including housing rates, to address increasing operational costs” and that housing rates on both campuses “have been adjusted in alignment with these broader university-wide changes.”
