UGANDA: GULU UNIVERSITY ADMITS NEARLY 7,000 FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS AS HOSTEL FEES RISE TO UGX 1.4 MILLION

The management of Gulu University is in crisis following the 2026 academic year 2026; the university admissions rose from 2,000 to 3,000 yearly. As 550 hostel owners skyrocket accommodation prices, many students who booked the Hostel early miss out due to double-booking.
GULU CITY-MONDAY AUGUST 23, 2026.
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, (Uganda Correspondent)
The management of Gulu University is set to sign an MoU with 52 Hostel owners around Gulu University following skyrocketing accommodation fees, raised from UGX 600 to 1.4 million, as the University hit the break-even point by admitting 7,000 year one students.
James Onono Ojok, the Public Relation Officer for Gulu University, decried calls for the social evil affecting the new admission of Gulu University, as 7,000 admitted students would be thrown out, as Hostel Owners are digging a goal in their business by raising huge amounts of fees.
“Gulu University’s admission of nearly 7,.000 first year students has triggered growing concern over accommodation after thousands of students arrived at the University, placing enormous pressure on the limited number of hostels in Gulu City.
Hostel owners have reportedly raised accommodation fees from about UGX 600, 000 to UGX 1.4 million, creating a heavy financial burden for the students, parents, and guardians struggling to secure safe and affordable rooms,” the Public Relations Officer for Gulu University announced during a press conference held at the Northern Uganda Media Club in Gulu City.
Added, the sudden increase in hostel charges has fuel tension as students continue searching for accommodation. So far, cases of fraud have been registered as Hostel owners conned students who early had booked and paid accommodation fees, but because of newcomers who swamped the over stressed thin hostels, owners are facing new demand.
With police cases already registered over disputes linked to the rising fees, although the management of free Zone Hotel five story building have come in to breach the gap by turning Free Zone Hotel to the hostel, the situation will test whether Gulu City and the business community is ready to accommodate new threats.
The Public Relation Officer appeals to hotel owners in Gulu City to turn their business to hostels to make sufficient affordable accommodation to absorb the growing student population, while landlords and hotel owners are facing increasing security over the sharp rise in charges.
Verbatim press conference by James Onono Ojok
Admission of students: We admit 7,400 in year 2665 for this academic year 2,30 students have reported by today, Monday, 22, August; they are enrolling for free. We encourage new students to complete their enrollments soon.
Gulu University is non accommodation, but we have a collaboration with hostel owners, which are 52 Hostels, because of demand. The room which was going for UGX 600,000 they are exhibiting will increase to UGX 900,000 and UGX 1.4 million. Let the hostel owners reach an agreement with the University management.
On Friday, we have a meeting with Hostel Owners to reach an agreement to sign the MoU with students. As a university, we engaged with the hostels. As a university, we don’t do business with the hostel owners. We don’t encourage double booking. When students book hostels, others would also come and pay; this is a bad financial obligation and is fraud.
We appeal to Gulu City; the face of Gulu University has a mark. Although students are graduating in PHDs, Master Degree and Undergraduate student, this is why we are proud as the Public Relations Officer of Gulu University.
Because the Hotel Free Zone has changed from a hotel to a hostel, I am appealing to newly constructed houses in Gulu City to reach out to the students to rent their premises as a hostel. Even homes within Gulu City if their people could do that, I would be very happy, provided you have vehicles to transport the students. Whether you are in Koro Centre, Layibi-Bardege City Division, if you can manage to transport the students, well and good.
In conclusion, let us borrow a leaf from the Netherlands in Europe, there is a city called Groningen that has a student population of roughly 50,000 to 60,000 people, which accounts for about 25% of the city’s total residents.
Last academic year, 2025, from the records I have seen, UGX 600,000, while others were charging UGX 800,000
Many hotels in Gulu City on Acholi Road, the likes of Lim Welo, Parwech Hotel and many others, could benefit from the lucrative booming business, as Gulu City, Gulu City Inn, Eagle Hotel, and Opit Buganda Pub have admitted to turning from hotels to hostel accommodations to avoid part-time prostitution and make Gulu City a business hub.
Gulu University is also facing a classroom shortage due to overwhelming numbers of new admission, which rose up from 3,000 students to 7,000 students. The University hopes that the new Business Centre construction will cater for the new demand.
The attempt to contact leaders of the hostel owners hit sang as his new phone contact has been futile.