Amber Beat: Global Student Accommodation Market News - February 2025, Week 04

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Missed keeping track of all the latest happenings in the student accommodation market?

Amber Beat is a weekly snapshot of the key developments in top student accommodation markets.  This newsletter provides you with all the information you need to know, from new upcoming projects to current trends, news affecting students to government policies, we’ve got you covered!

Amber Beat | News from February 21-27, 2025

United Kingdom

• UK emerges as the top choice for Chinese students in 2025 amid global uncertainty, outpacing the US with 9% growth (Source)
• UK Universities earn nearly £100 million from non-student summer rentals in 3 years, FOI data reveals (Source)
• Trump's re-election may drive 4.7% rise in UK international student applications as US enrollment declines by 50,000 (Source)
• Vita Group secures £200M for 48-storey Canary Wharf PBSA with 1,068 studios, set for 2028 completion (Source)
• Unite Students quadruples pre-tax profit to £444M, reports 8% turnover growth and 8.2% rental increase for 2024 (Source)
• Unite forecasts 4-5% rental growth as the market stabilises, eyes new acquisitions amid rising costs and 4.5% dividend yield (Source)
• Passivhaus Projects make up 1% of UK housing developments, with 8,000 homes in progress and the ambition to reach 10% by 2035 (Source)
• Dandara and Gamuda Land UK partner to deliver 492-bed PBSA in Glasgow, addressing city’s 22,000-bed deficit (Source)
• RAC CHP secures approval for 457-bed PBSA in Newham, East London, featuring 160 affordable rooms and 46 accessible units (Source)
• Firethorn Trust's Leith Walk PBSA reaches construction milestone with 230-bed development set for 2026-27 academic year (Source)

United States of America

• Trump proposes $5M ‘Gold Card’ program to help US companies retain top international graduates (Source)
• University of South Carolina-Columbia leads 2024 student housing transactions with $134M in deals, 673-bed Sawyer on Lincoln changes hands (Source)
• Capstone Collegiate secures $76M for 532-bed luxury student housing project in Tucson, set to open in fall 2027 (Source)
• Florida ends in-state tuition for Dreamers, risking $25M loss and widening workforce gaps in healthcare, STEM, and education (Source)
• Ambient Communities acquires Consulate Hotel in San Diego for $17.4M, plans market-rate and student housing conversion (Source)
• Northwest Florida State College opens $13.3M Raider Village, adding 192 beds in first on-campus housing (Source)
• Fort Lewis College acquires 1304 Apartments for $12M, adding 20 units and 68 beds to student housing in Durango, Colorado (Source)
• Up Campus begins construction on 641-bed Blume on Ivy in Charlottesville, opening Fall 2027 (Source)
• Gilbane, URI to add 1,100 on-campus beds in Kingston through public-private partnership, first occupancy by Fall 2027 (Source)
• CAPREIT acquires 800-bed Coastal Village in Fort Myers, marking entry into student housing (Source)
• HPM tops out Azalea Hall, a 412-bed student housing project at Mississippi State University, set to open for 2025-26 academic year (Source)
• Centenary College to open ‘Bicentennial Village’ housing for 84 students in Shreveport by Fall 2025 (Source)
• Lubbock City Council to vote on zoning for 584-bed Tech Terrace student housing project near Texas Tech (Source)

Australia

• Australia’s Coalition vows to impose stricter international student caps, targeting metro hubs like Melbourne and Sydney, ahead of federal election in May 2025 (Source)
• Australia’s IDP Education saw a 46% profit drop in first-half net income as foreign student curbs hit, driving shares down 16% to a five-year low (Source)
• Australia’s Accounting Professional Year Program (APYP) to be discontinued for international students due to lack of government support and decline in enrollments from 7,122 in 2018 to 340 in 2024 (Source)
• A 26-storey, 533-bed student building at Scape Victoria Street in Melbourne, Australia features striking brick facade using an innovative inlay system, offering premium housing near major universities (Source)

Canada

• Canada’s new visa rules give border officers power to cancel student and work permits, raising concerns for Indian migrants (Source)
• UBC Okanagan sees 10% drop in international student enrollment amid shifting immigration policies and rising costs (Source)
• Ontario colleges face financial crisis as international student enrolment drops, with billions at stake (Source)
• University of Ottawa plans $559M student housing project with 2,600 beds to address growing demand (Source)
• UTILE’s $60M student housing project with 180 units on rue du Pacifique, Sherbrooke, approved; ready by Summer 2027 (Source)
• Georgian College faces $45M deficit as foreign student enrolment drops 45%, impacting Barrie’s housing and job market (Source)

Europe

• FCité U de Chanzy in Nantes, France reopens after renovation, offering modern housing for 330 students amid a push to address shortages (Source)
• Greystar expands in France with acquisition of 390-apartment student residence from Linkcity in Toulouse (Source)
• More Chinese students choose Italy over UK post-pandemic, driven by success of Marco Polo and Turandot programs (Source)
• Spain continues to attract students from Latin America, with nearly 15,000 enrolled in Madrid universities in 2022-23, amid new migration policies (Source)
• National University of Córdoba in Argentina opens doors to new student residence on February 26, 2025 to accommodate 135 students (Source)
• Malaga, Spain faces student housing shortage, lagging behind Andalusian (Spanish) cities like Granada and Seville, per recent Uniscopio report (Source)
• 500+ apartments for students estimated to operate in Greece, with new developments under way, and rents soaring 20-40% higher than conventional residences (Source)