Special dormitories for married students have been set up for the first time in Shanghai at Tongji University, officials from the institution said Saturday.

Six doctoral student couples are the first group to enjoy the privilege, which began this semester.

But the accommodations are only provided to postgraduate couples both of whom study in the university. If either leaves the school, the couple will be required to vacate the room, officials stressed.

With approximately 18 square meters each, the rooms are set up in the teachers' dorm building at Tongji's Hudong Campus in Yangpu District. The furniture supplied with the dormitory -- bed, desk and closet -- is identical to ordinary student dorms. It does not include any family-like facilities, such as an independent kitchen. It costs about 500 yuan (US$60.24) per year for each couple, university officials said.

"Our main purpose is to facilitate our students," said Lin Qiang, an official at the Hudong Campus.

According to Lin, standard practice has been to separate dorms for male and female students at local universities. Married student couples were always forced to live separately or live together off campus - not common due to the added expense.

Currently, renting a one-bedroom apartment, including an independent kitchen, a toilet and some necessary household electricity appliances, off campus costs between 800 yuan to 1,000 yuan per month.

Some student couples thus had their own way.

"If able to sneak into the dorm without being stopped by the dorm guard, I could still stay with my wife in the dorm," said a graduate student, identified only as Wang.

(eastday.com October 12, 2003)