Opening one’s home to a student from NOVA University Lisbon can mean much more than making use of a spare room. It can represent a safe and supported way to earn additional income, while at the same time helping students continue their studies at a time of acute housing scarcity and rising rental prices. With this purpose, Rede 1/4, a programme promoted and supported by NOVA, is launching a campaign during April and May aimed at people with a spare room who may be willing to become hosts.
Rede 1/4 begins with a simple and deeply human gesture: opening one’s home to someone in need. Inspired by long‑established experiences in other European countries, the platform brings together people with spare rooms and university students looking for accommodation, offering a practical response in a context of housing shortage and rising prices. More than sharing a space, it fosters relationships built on trust and everyday coexistence. By supporting this programme, NOVA University Lisbon reaffirms its commitment to an academic community where studying also means feeling welcomed and connected to the city.
Since the beginning of the project, Rede 1/4 has brought together more than 300 students and over 200 hosts, resulting in 86 successful matchings. For some students, this support has been decisive: 9% of respondents — five students out of 58 — say that without Rede 1/4 they might have had to interrupt their studies. These figures highlight the real impact of an initiative that combines a housing solution with solidarity and closer ties between the university and the surrounding community.
Solidarity across generations
The model is straightforward. Hosts make a room available to a NOVA student, usually for a period between six and twelve months, with maximum rent levels defined by location. In Lisbon, the maximum rent for an individual room is €369; in Oeiras and Cascais, €323; and in municipalities such as Almada, Seixal, Loures, Odivelas and Sintra, up to €246. In all cases, the process is mediated by the Rede 1/4 team, which supports both hosts and students from the first contact through the matching process and throughout the stay.
Safety and trust are central to the programme. Both students and hosts register on the platform, and all registrations are validated by NOVA, including confirmation of student status. Issues such as compatibility, length of stay, payments and house rules are addressed clearly from the outset, with close support from the team, helping to reduce uncertainty and ensure transparency for everyone involved.
Hosts who have already joined Rede 1/4 represent a wide range of profiles, challenging the idea that this type of initiative is aimed solely at older people. Among private hosts who have completed a matching and responded to the survey, 80% have higher education qualifications and 53% are in employment, while 37% are retired or pensioners. For some, hosting is a way of making practical use of a room that is no longer occupied; for others, it is also about the value of intergenerational exchange and contributing to a response to a structural problem affecting student housing.
Richer lives for all
“I had been thinking for some time that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to put that room to use — it used to be my daughter’s,” says Ana Maria, a host with Rede 1/4. “It was great, because when I contacted you, the first approach was immediately very friendly. It felt like a way of being supportive to someone. Rede 1/4 helps people become aware of this need.” Isabel, another host, highlights the “professionalism and empathy of the whole young team”, recommending the programme to anyone who values a simple and trustworthy rental process.
From the students’ perspective, the experience has also been decisive. “Rede 1/4 helped me find a room quickly and efficiently. The whole process was handled with great speed and professionalism,” says Matilde. Luís emphasises the human dimension of the initiative: “Rede 1/4 has been essential for my life in Lisbon, especially given the high cost of housing. It also allows students to live with local residents, who can help them get to know the city better. In my case, it was a very enriching experience. The room has everything I need and the house is very welcoming. It made me feel at home.”
With this campaign, Rede 1/4 aims to increase the number of registered hosts and generate qualified leads, strengthening a network that has already demonstrated tangible impact on the lives of both students and hosts. The initiative is open to anyone with a spare room — including active adults, professionals and empty nesters — who are looking for a secure, supported solution with clear rules.
Becoming a host is a concrete way to support students, benefit from additional income and contribute to a closer, more supportive academic community.