Amber Beat: Global Student Accommodation Market News - April 2025, Week 01

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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 March 28-April 04, 2025

United Kingdom

• UK’s One Homes launches Pakistan’s first PBSA for women in $30Bn market, targeting 100,000 students in Lahore (Source)
• British Offsite to deliver £2M, 138-Bed PBSA in Cambridge using UNisystemLB to cut build time by 30% (Source)
• Kexgill Group reports 18.6% rental growth and £58.5M refinance, expands portfolio to Salford and Nottingham (Source)
• Bristol’s 706-bed student scheme tops out, with 30% studios and completion set for 2026 (Source)
• Fusion Group acquires Cardiff office for £8.37M to develop 706-bed Longcross Court PBSA scheme (Source)
• Puma’s impact lending framework backs £145M in sustainable development loans in 2024, including PBSA and care homes (Source)
• HG Construction appointed to deliver 504-bed PBSA scheme in Stratford, targeting 2028/29 completion (Source)
• Tide delivers 321-bed PBSA in 11 months under UK plan, slashing 4,489 tonnes of carbon with volumetric tech (Source)
• Viridis submits plans for 3,300-bed Passivhaus PBSA redevelopment at University of Manchester's Fallowfield Campus (Source)
• Northwood partners with every student to market PBSA in Aberdeen, aiming to support transitioning students (Source)
• loc8me launches seal of approval for student rentals, expands to over 2,500 properties across 13 UK cities (Source)

United States of America

• Trump administration revokes visas of 10 international students in Colorado as part of nationwide crackdown; over 300 student visas rescinded by April 2025 (Source)

• Trump’s immigration crackdown sparks fear among international students as visa revocations, detentions rise across the U.S. in 2025 (Source)
• The Preiss Company recapitalizes a five-property, 3,700-bed student housing portfolio across key university markets with tech and interior upgrades (Source)
• $45M international student housing complex in Myrtle Beach set to open first 300 of 3,000 beds by summer, located at Robert Grissom Pkwy and Mr. Joe White Ave (Source)
• Blue Vista JV secures $104M for 518-bed Ithaca Gateway student housing project with 371 units near Cornell, set to open in July 2027 at 445 E. State St., Ithaca (Source)
• TCU launches $83M student housing expansion on West Berry Street in Fort Worth, adding 779 beds and 19,800 sq. ft. retail space by 2027 (Source)
• Landmark JV begins $82.8M, 678-bed The Standard at West Lafayette project with 253 units near Purdue University, set to open in fall 2027 at 210 West Wood St. (Source)
• TriPost acquires minority stake in The Carmin, a 833-bed Class-A student housing property near ASU in Tempe, Arizona (Source)
• Tailwind Group acquires 792-bed, 288-unit Connection at Huntsville for $19.5M; 2008-built Texas property to be rebranded and renovated (Source)
• Coastal Village, an 800-bed student housing community near FGCU in Fort Myers, sold for $72.35M; built in 2004 with 200 units on 21.29 acres (Source)
• UCLA students explore off-campus housing in Westwood as dorms shift to mostly triples; 88 private apartment vacancies listed on Kelton, Roebling, and nearby streets (Source)

Australia

• Universities Australia warns proposed 30% cap on international enrollments could lead to reduction of 55,000 students, approximately $4 billion contribution to the economy annually, ahead of federal election in May 2025 (Source)
• India surpasses China as top country to get Australian student visa grants issued, with over 5,000 approvals received by February 2025 (Source)
• Savills' 2024 report highlights major transformation amid undersupply in Australia's PBSA sector; 16 new projects underway, despite high construction costs, regulatory hurdles, high operating expenses, etc. (Source)
• Greystar completes its largest Asia Pacific deal with the A$1.6 billion acquisition of 7-asset Australian student housing portfolio from GIC and Wee Hur Holdings (Source)
• Wee Hur Holdings completes sale of its 37.1% indirect stake in seven PBSA assets to Greystar's GS Australia Venture I Mid Trust for A$355.4 million (Source)

Canada

• Canada tightens immigration as 52% study permit denials mark 2024, affecting international students, workers, and tourists amid rising visa rejection rates (Source)
• British Columbia invests $19.6M in 12-unit family housing project with 110 total beds at NVIT campus in Merritt, set to open by Fall 2027 (Source)
• University of Guelph adding 4,000 beds across three new residence sites, first housing expansion since 1990s, rollout began in 2022 in Guelph, Ontario (Source)
• University of Calgary, Truman to develop 203-unit Scholar apartments with 13K sq. ft. retail in University District, Calgary with completion set for 2027 (Source)
• Sid Lee and CANORA launch Le Within, 25,000 sq. ft. student lofts in Montreal’s Shaughnessy Village, revitalizing a historic building for 2025 occupancy (Source)

Europe

• Spain leads global student housing investment potential with 39.2% of investor interest, ahead of Germany and Italy, reports Bonard (Source)
• 72% of Investors eye Scotland’s living sector for 2025 as PBSA emerges key focus amid £202M Q1 transaction, says Lismore Research (Source)
• Aberdeen acquires 144-apartment student housing asset in Suresnes, expanding French portfolio with €27.5 million (Source)
• University of Málaga, Spain announces €60 million student residence with 1,000 beds to alleviate accommodation shortage (Source)
• Santiago’s €6.8 billion-backed luxury student residence to open in September with rents from €715 to €1,520/month (Source)
• Montpellier inaugurates 72 new student studios at Boutonnet Campus in France, expanding Crous Housing to 10,400 units (Source)
• Enterprise Land and Capital assured launch AI-powered PBSA platform "Casa" with €500M pipeline across 6 European countries (Source)
• Irish Life adds 144-unit student residence in Paris, marking sixth pan-European property investment (Source)