Press
The Chemnitz-Zwickau Student Services Organization provides services to students at Chemnitz University of Technology, West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau, and the Saxony Cooperative State University in Glauchau, Breitenbrunn, and Plauen. Our legal mandate is to support these students in the areas of financial, social, health, and cultural well-being.
We operate dining halls, cafeterias, residence halls, and our own daycare center; we process BAföG applications and offer a wide range of free counseling services.
I’m happy to answer any questions about our services via email at presse@swcz.de.
Press Secretary
Press Releases
2025
-
July 14, 2025
Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau Invests 15 Million Euros in Modernization of Zwickau Student Residence
Thanks to support from the “Junges Wohnen” program, our residence hall at Innere Schneeberger Straße 23, Building 1, will be modernized by the 2026/27 winter semester. The goal is to create a student residence that meets today’s standards in terms of both construction and design—featuring primarily self-contained studio apartments and two-person units.
Originally built in 1971, the building was last renovated in 1997 and no longer met structural requirements or the living standards expected by students. By the end of February of this year, all rooms had been vacated. Our administration also moved to the new location at Villa Falck at Äußere Schneeberger Straße 35 in mid-March. This was followed by the gutting of the building before the actual construction work could begin at the end of June.
To meet today’s living standards, it was necessary to adapt the existing floor plans. The future living arrangements will consist primarily of fully furnished studio apartments with approximately 16 m² of living space, as well as several two-person units. After the modernization, this residence hall will offer 287 beds—18 more than before the renovation. Special attention is being paid to sustainable design. The balconies will be covered with climbing plants, creating a green west and east facade—a real highlight for the cityscape and the climate. The goal is to create a modern, energy-efficient, and livable residential environment for students.
Community aspects are not neglected either. The Null13 student club, which temporarily relocated during the renovation, will return to its original premises once the work is complete.
The reopening of the fully modernized dormitory is scheduled for the 2026/27 winter semester. The Chemnitz-Zwickau Student Services Association is investing approximately 15 million euros in this modernization project. Of this amount, 10 million euros come from the “Junges Wohnen” funding program of the federal government and the Free State of Saxony. As part of social housing construction, this special program supports the creation and modernization of affordable housing for students and trainees.
-
June 26, 2025
Joint press release from the Saxon student services organizations
Saxon State Parliament’s Budget Resolution: Additional Funds for Student Services Organizations Mitigate Funding Shortfall
Chemnitz/Dresden/Leipzig/Freiberg, June 26, 2025. Following the Saxon State Parliament’s approval of the 2025/2026 biennial budget, Saxony’s student services organizations will have access to additional annual funding of five million euros. The Saxon Student Services expressly welcome this decision and thank all democratic parliamentary groups for their cross-party support.
For the Saxon student services organizations as a whole, this is an extremely important and positive development. Anja Schönherr, Executive Director of the Chemnitz-Zwickau Student Services and spokesperson for the Working Group of Saxon Student Services, comments:
“We are very relieved about the subsidies approved today as part of the 2025/2026 biennial budget, which are now higher than initially provided for in the government’s draft. Especially in economically difficult times, students need us as reliable partners,” says Anja Schönherr, spokesperson for the Saxon student services organizations. “With our extensive range of affordable housing, low-cost meals, childcare, student financing, and psychosocial counseling, we enable access to higher education regardless of a student’s background or their family’s financial situation. We thank everyone who has helped ensure that we can maintain these services and continue to support Saxony’s students in a variety of ways in the future—the members of the Saxon State Parliament, the State Ministry of Science and Culture, and, last but not least, the students themselves, who—supported by the KSS and local student councils—have championed the Saxon Student Services with great dedication.”
The additional funds now approved make a significant contribution to reducing the funding gap that has arisen in recent years as a result of sharp increases in personnel, energy, and material costs.
Although the originally planned two-year budget provided for an increase in the state subsidy for ongoing operations from 12.85 million euros to 13.5 million euros for all student services organizations, this remained well below the cost increases of recent years. At the same time, no funds for new investments were made available beyond the federal-state funding for “Junges Wohnen.” The substantial investment needs would not have been covered by the federal “Junges Wohnen” program either. This program is important and contributes to stabilizing housing capacity, but it does not fully meet the needs. This program is not available at all for the renovation needs in the student dining halls. As a result, the Saxon student services organizations were faced with insurmountable challenges.
In Dresden in particular, the social infrastructure for students was hanging in the balance. As early as March, the Dresden Student Services had pointed out the resulting risks for key service areas—particularly in university dining, social housing provision, and counseling. A reduction or even closure of important services could no longer be ruled out.
To secure the existing range of services at least in the short term, intensive discussions have been held with student representatives over the past few months. At the board meeting on May 8, 2025, a temporary increase in the semester fee of 15 euros was subsequently approved—primarily to cover the increased demand for psychosocial and social counseling services, as well as to stabilize the deficit in university dining services. As a result, the biannual semester fee for the Student Services Association in Dresden rose to €112.73.
“The budget decision sends an important signal regarding the social infrastructure at university locations. We thank the political factions that advocated for and approved this funding increase. This cross-party support demonstrates that students’ concerns are being taken seriously and supported,” explains Michael Rollberg, Executive Director of the Dresden Student Services. “Even though the allocation of the additional funds is still undecided and the deficit cannot be fully covered by these funds, this financial step provides us with important stability for the coming months,” Rollberg continued. “It creates the framework to avert immediate cuts and to continue measures already underway to secure our services.”
-
Answer
Answer
Answer