• 55 new hostels to provide 16,000 additional places 

The availability of hostel facilities remains limited across State universities, with accommodation currently available for only 63,318 of the 150,815 students studying at 22 universities under the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prime Minister and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament yesterday (8).

Responding to a question raised by Opposition Parliamentarian and attorney Chamindranee Kiriella on hostel facilities at State universities, Dr Amarasuriya said only 42% of students at UGC universities could currently be accommodated in university hostels.

She said there are 22 State universities operating under the UGC, in addition to five universities established under separate Acts of Parliament – the Bhikshu University, the Buddhist and Pali Studies University, the Vocational Technology University, the Ocean University and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU).

The five universities established under Acts have a combined student population of 15,098, but hostel facilities are available for only 1,841 students.

All 465 students at the Bhikshu University have been provided with hostel accommodation, while 442 of the 551 students at the Buddhist and Pali Studies University have hostel facilities. This includes 80% of local students and all foreign students.

The Ocean University has 1,516 students, but hostel facilities are available for only 196, or 12.92%. At the Vocational Technology University, only 332 of its 4,348 students, or around 7.6%, have hostel facilities. The accommodation is available only to female students, with no hostel facilities provided for male students.

At KDU, 406 of the 8,218 students, or 4.94%, have been provided with hostel accommodation.

“There is a need to improve hostel facilities across the State university system,” Dr Amarasuriya said, noting that only 42% of students at UGC universities could currently be accommodated in university hostels.

“Among the 150,815 students in the State universities coming under the UGC, hostel facilities can currently be provided for 63,318 students. This is 42% of the total student population,” she said.

She added that a project to construct 55 new hostels at UGC universities had already been launched, with the Government expecting the project to provide accommodation for an additional 16,000 students.

Rs. 1.5 billion has been allocated for the project this year (2026), while a further Rs. 853 million has been allocated under the 2026 Budget for the renovation of university hostels.

The UGC is also preparing an overall hostel policy aimed at providing fair, transparent, safe, affordable, accessible and inclusive hostel facilities for State university students.