Amber Beat Global Student Accommodation Market News - December 2025, Week 02

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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 December 08-December 14, 2025

United Kingdom

• BUILA reports 6% drop in overseas postgrads across 61% of universities for 2025–26, China down 17%, India 9%, November visa applications (11,300) lowest since 2020 (Source)
• UK reviews MRes dependant-visa exemption as demand surges by 22% and enrolments at postgraduate taught level lower 17% (Source)
• UK to regulate university franchises, providers with 300+ students must meet OfS standards from 2028/29 or risk student loan funding (Source)
• UK nursing acceptances dip 0.7% to 26,315, with England (+0.7%) and Northern Ireland (+8%) up, and Wales (-15%) and Scotland (-5%) falling (Source)
• UCL sees 19% UG and 26% PG surge in Indian students, driven by outreach and scholarships (Source)
• Heriot-Watt University to offer free first-semester housing for 2026/27 undergraduates from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to ease cost-of-living pressures (Source)
• AustralianSuper acquires 1,616-bed PBSA portfolio across six UK cities amid 2.7% rise in international student applications and 62,000-bed supply gap projection for 2026 (Source)
• £160M Manchester PBSA scheme funded, 737-bed Upper Brook Street development with 9- and 23-storey buildings set for 2028 completion (Source)
• Fusion Group secures Gateway 2 approval for 636-bed PBSA-led Lordship Lane scheme in Wood Green, London (Source)
• Southwark approves iQ Student redevelopment of former Blackfriars Crown Court to provide accommodation for 600 students in London (Source)
• Southwark Council reapproves plans for 429 student rooms above Tube station, alongside new council housing in London (Source)
• Downing secures Gateway 2 approval for 411-bed Heron’s Yard PBSA in Newcastle, clearing way for March 2026 start after 42-week delay (Source)
• Glasgow approves 152 new student bedrooms on River Kelvin site despite local objections, with three 6 to 8 storey PBSA blocks comprising 96 studios and 56 ensuites (Source)

United States of America

• Trump administration launches ‘Gold Card’ to retain top international graduates, costing $1M for individual applicants and $2M for employer-sponsored foreign talent (Source)
• U.S. News data shows early applicant edge at most US colleges as early action admits average 74.4%, early decision 56.7%, vs regular applicants 59.7% (2024–25 (Source)
• US Education Department scraps SAVE student loan plan years ahead of its planned 2028 phaseout, forcing borrowers into costlier repayment options (Source)
• US court rejects Trump administration request to delay student loan forgiveness, requiring timely processing for over 200,000 borrowers under the Sweet v. Cardona settlement (Source)
• US Education Department proposes major Pell Grant changes under OBBB, prioritising non-federal aid, introducing performance-linked ‘short-term Pell’ for workforce programs (Source)
• US Education Department adds ‘lower earnings’ alert to FAFSA, warning students when college programmes lead to earnings below high-school graduates (Source)
• Fitch flags deteriorating outlook for US higher education in 2026, warning of rising mergers and college closures amid enrolment and funding pressures (Source)
• LinkedIn’s 2025 rankings name top US colleges for long-term career success, with Princeton, Duke, UPenn, MIT and Cornell in the lead (Source)
• US student housing stays resilient in fall 2025, enrolment up 1.9% at 157 of top 200 schools, occupancy hits 94.5%, and rent growth slows to 2%, says Yardi Matrix (Source)
• Intercontinental Real Estate and Interwest acquire 622-bed student housing near Boise State University (Source)
• Blinn College opens $33M, 464-bed Mill Creek Hall to meet rising on-campus housing demand, adding tech-enabled learning spaces ahead of fall semester (Source)
• Sierra College opens $107M, 358-bed on-campus housing at Rocklin campus, doubling capacity, offering rents from $823/month plus free beds for high-need students (Source)
• Landmark–Manulife JV to build 825-bed student housing near Auburn University, with Peninsula Investments also participating for 2028–29 delivery (Source)
• Deven Group and Parallel form strategic alliance, launching with 631-bed student housing project next to Baylor University in Waco, set for 2028 delivery (Source)
• JLL arranges sale and financing of 532-bed Market 100 near Georgia Southern University, marking RDG Student Housing’s first acquisition as campus enrolment rises 7% in 2025 (Source)
• Global investors buy The Standard in Charlottesville as part of $1B US student-housing deal, rebranding it Yugo Crestline with rents starting at $995 per month (Source)

Australia

• Australia’s visa system overwhelmed with 46,590 student-visa appeals pending, comprising 38% of tribunal caseload and straining processing resources (Source)
• Australia’s temporary visa population hits record 2.93 million, including 638,166 international students, now ~10% of population, pressuring housing and services (Source)
• Australia’s Times Higher Education 2026 ranking lists 37 top universities for international students, led by University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney, and Monash University (Source)
• Australia hosts 178,000 Indian students, up 31% from 2024, while officials highlight fraud and agent-related concerns amid tightened visa integrity measures (Source)
• Australia’s student-debt overhaul still lets graduates pay interest on repaid loans, despite reforms forgiving up to A$16 billion and raising repayment thresholds (Source)
• Australia-listed Centurion Corp TP raised to S$1.86 after adding Perth PBSA development, reflecting expanded purpose-built student accommodation exposure (Source)

Canada

• Canada records 60% drop in new international student arrivals in first nine months of 2025, with 11,390 in September vs 28,910 last year (150,220 fewer total) (Source)
• Canada to halve international student admissions in 2026, cutting new study permit target from ~305,900 to 155,000 amid ongoing immigration policy crackdown (Source)
• Nova Scotia preserves 56 affordable housing units near NSCC campuses after $6.9M in provincial loans, prioritising students while keeping current residents in place (Source)
• Toronto Metropolitan University’s new $83M vertical campus student housing will double beds to 2,526 with 393 suite‑style units and academic spaces under Ontario’s Building Ontario Fund (Source)

Europe

• Germany’s international student enrolments reach record 402,000 in 2024-25, up 6%, with 116,000+ new students; India largest source (59,000), up 20% from last year (Source)
• Sciences Po intensifies India recruitment with ~400 Indian students amid France’s target to attract 30,000 Indian students by 2030, boosting applications from tier-2/3 cities (Source)
• GSL announces 2026 Booking & Moving In Awards finalists, driven by a 15% rise in student survey participation, highlighting top UK & Europe student accommodation providers (Source)