The Government has published its new long term policy on student accommodation.
The policy commits Government funding for the construction of on-campus housing.
The plan was approved by Cabinet earlier this week.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said more student accommodation being built this year will be based on campus and some will be ready by next year.
He said the new policy would help increase the supply of accommodation in campuses across the country and would also help prevent students competing with families for private rental accommodation.
The policy includes a commitment to enabling the supply of below market rate housing to disadvantaged students, and to examining what it calls "commuting alternatives" to accommodation close to campus.
Minister Harris said 521 student houses will be built in Maynooth and DCU with work starting this year.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said work will start in Maynooth in spring and be ready by next year, while the project in DCU will start this summer and should be ready by 2026.
He said he has also got Government approval this year to further pursue projects in UCD, DCU and Trinity College, with "2,500 additional units across the city of Dublin".
Furthermore, he said the technological universities based in the regions are being asked to bring forward their plans to Government by March.
Vacant properties are also to be repurposed.
He outlined the importance of having "standardised design" for student accommodation.
"We want student accommodation that is fit for purpose and we are going to have standardised design that will reduce costs and also speed up delivery," the minister said.
There are currently 48,000 purpose built student beds, with one third owned by the colleges and two thirds owned by the private rental market, Mr Harris said.
"That was the approach that was being taken until I sought approval to change it," he added.
The minister said he wants to see less reliance on the market and more universities building accommodation.
He said there was no specific target for student accommodation under the Government's Housing for All plan.
Minister Harris said he does not believe a student complex in Cork is being turned into a reception centre for asylum seekers, as has been reported.
He said the Department of Integration has a job to do in identifying lots of different options in responding to humanitarian accommodation but that he has a job too, to ensure students have accommodation.
He said if there was a plan for student accommodation to be used to house asylum seekers, he would need to see when and where alternative accommodation would be provided and it would also require a Cabinet decision.
'Shovel-ready projects'
Dáire Keogh, President of DCU, said he was "thrilled...and the announcements have the potential to be a red letter day for higher education and student experience in Ireland".
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, he said DCU and Maynooth were chosen because they have "shovel-ready projects" and both universities have engaged with the various departments to bring this to a point where "we can move forward".
He said the hope was that the projects, which are currently at tender in DCU's case, will begin in the second Quarter of this year and "the beds will be delivered as soon as possible".
"The strength of today is that this plan will be rolled out to universities, and critically the technological universities, right across the country," he said.
