Dhanaal student accommodation in Malé and on campus, with set room fees
MNU runs student accommodation, called Dhanaal, in four buildings with 215 beds in total. According to MNU’s Accommodation page, rooms in Malé cost MVR 1,200 or 1,500 a month for a single room and MVR 900 or 1,125 for a twin room, while single rooms in the campus Dhanaals cost MVR 500 to 625. Utilities are included in the fee. Priority goes to students whose homes are outside Malé, and places are allocated by lottery. Average apartment rent in Malé was about MVR 13,634 a month in 2020, so a Dhanaal room is far cheaper than renting privately. For SDG 11, this is MNU’s main evidence of affordable student housing, particularly for students who move from the islands to study. The fee table on the Helpdesk dates from 2022, so the 2025 fees should be confirmed.
Kulhudhuffushi campus Dhanaal fees and allocation
MNU’s FAQ page sets out the fees for student accommodation at the Kulhudhuffushi campus in Haa Dhaalu atoll. A place in a shared room costs MVR 400 a month and a single room MVR 500, which is lower than the Malé Dhanaal rates. The page also explains how places are allocated: 75 percent are kept for continuing students, so students already enrolled can stay housed as they progress through their studies. For SDG 11, this shows that MNU’s affordable housing reaches beyond the capital to students studying at an atoll campus in the north of the country, where students often come from other islands. The page does not give the number of beds or the year the fees were set, so the campus should confirm these figures for 2025.
New student accommodation at Thinadhoo campus (50+ students)
In July 2024, MNU invited expressions of interest for building student accommodation at its Thinadhoo campus in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll, with a closing date of 22 August 2024. The notice called for housing for more than 50 students and required green building practices, solar power and ramps for accessibility. By June 2026, The Standard reported that a 31-room student block, along with a seven-room staff block, was taking shape on the campus. For SDG 11, the project shows MNU expanding low-cost housing for students at an atoll campus, so that students from surrounding islands can study without the cost of renting privately. The building was not complete in 2025 and the fees have not yet been published, so this is evidence of a plan in progress. The proof is MNU’s expression of interest and the news report.
Student scholarships with cash allowance (2025 Term 2)
On 22 September 2025, MNU announced the scholarships awarded for the second term of 2025. Ten were awarded: two undergraduate full scholarships, three undergraduate and four postgraduate tuition fee scholarships, and one Shaheed Ahmed Rasheed Award. In total, 44 students are now studying on MNU scholarships. Tuition fee scholarships cover fees only, but full scholarships include a cash allowance for the whole programme, and the Shaheed Ahmed Rasheed Award pays a monthly allowance. For SDG 11, the allowances are supporting evidence that MNU helps some students meet living costs, which can include rent for students who move from the islands to study. The article does not mention accommodation or give the allowance amounts, so this is weaker evidence than the Dhanaal accommodation and should be presented alongside it. SSS could add the allowance amounts. The proof is MNU’s news article.
