The Cyprus University of Technology (Tepak) is set to welcome 800 new undergraduate and another 200 postgraduate students at both master’s and doctorate levels in the upcoming academic year, with four new programmes launching at the university from next Monday.

“This week, newly enrolled students were offered an information and orientation week, to learn more about their chosen study programme, and to ensure that everything runs smoothly once classes start on Monday,” senior university officer Antonis Vrasida said.

Vrasida said the number of new students had significantly increased compared to the previous year, adding that this was mainly due to the newly offered programmes

In view of the much-discussed issues regarding affordable student housing, Vrasida said that every year, around half of all students studying at Tepak will receive support by either being provided with accommodation in a student dormitory or by securing a rental allowance.

This figure, he said, amounts to “around 700 students out of the approximately 1400 who request assistance with housing issues each year”.

He said that Tepak itself was offering around 300 beds in dormitories near the university’s main campus in Limassol, 200 of which were located in a building complex provided by the Holy Synod.

A further 150 dormitory placements were offered as part of a cooperation with the Paphos municipality, where Tepak operates a second campus.

“We have approximately 450 beds that have been allocated on the basis of the points allocated to our students based on their socioeconomic status,” he said, adding that rooms had been offered to both new and older students.

He said that this year, approximately 300 students had been granted a rental allowance amounting to €250 per month for the 10 months duration of the academic year.

He expressed hope that the first phase of privately owned dormitories in the Limassol suburb of Kato Polemidia would be completed during the year, eventually adding another 150 beds this academic year, and a total of 500 beds by 2027.

“If things go well, the [private] dormitories will be fully completed by 2027, adding a total of 500 dormitories to the potential”, he said, adding that from then on, Tepak will aim to “automatically” provide all first-year students with dormitory placement.

At the same time, he said, the university would like to expand that offer to “older students who face serious housing issues”.

Aside from efforts to provide students with housing, he said that the student welfare services is aiming to accelerate the approval process for the awarding of dormitory placements to provide a broader timeframe in case they need to seek alternative housing.

“A lot of effort is being made during the summer, so that … the services can give a response to the students both to secure a place and to secure a residence,” he said.

Of the 800 new undergraduates set to start their studies at Tepak next week, 600 will be studying at the university’s main campus in Limassol. Another 200 students have been admitted to its second campus in Paphos.