Students are moving into UWB’s Baarova dormitory after a year-and-a-half-long renovation

One of the largest recent investments of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, the CZK 138 million renovation of the Baarova 36 dormitory, was completed at the end of September. On October 1, 390 students moved in, restoring the university’s full dormitory capacity.

Only single and double rooms and also their more modern equipment are the main changes with which one of the dormitory buildings of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (UWB) reopened after a year and a half of reconstruction. On Baarova Street, 110 single and 140 double rooms with private bathrooms are now available for students. Prices range from 4 190 to 5 190 CZK per month, including utilities.

There are no vacancies left. “Students applied for accommodation as early as spring and summer, that is, still during the renovations. We filled the capacity even though they had to take into account that they would only be able to move in two weeks after the start of the semester,” said Petr Jícha, Director of the Dormitory and Canteen Administration of UWB.

The building from 1968 now has new insulation, windows, heating, water and sewage systems, electrical wiring, and security systems. The total cost of the reconstruction amounted to almost CZK 138 million excluding VAT. “Fifty-five percent came from a subsidy from the Ministry of Education, forty-five percent we paid from the university’s own resources,” explained Barbora Jánská, Director of Operations and Services at UWB. “The university kindergarten will also return to the renovated premises during the autumn holidays. It had to be temporarily moved to substitute premises in the dormitories on Klatovská Avenue,” she added.

By returning the dormitory in Baarova Street to the offer, the university once again has sufficient accommodation capacity. “During the reconstruction, we had to reject applicants for housing; we were short of 390 places, and for example last year about ten percent of interested students remained on the waiting list,” added Petr Jícha, noting that such situations should not occur in the coming years.

The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen currently has 10 dormitories with a total capacity of 2 543 beds for students. In recent years, the neighboring dormitory at Máchova 20 underwent a similarly extensive renovation. The university is currently preparing a project for the reconstruction of another building, this time at Máchova 14–16. The start of construction will depend on the availability of subsidies.

EDIT from October 17, 2025: Following an agreement with the kindergarten management, the children will not return to the renovated premises until early 2026 so that all necessary work can be completed before the class moves.