Amber Beat: Global Student Accommodation Market News - January 2025, Week 03

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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 January 10-16, 2025

United Kingdom

• UK observed 14% drop in international student visa applications in 2024, with overall postgraduate enrolments down by 20% (Source)
• Unite warns Building Safety Act will delay student accommodation by 6 months, plans 6,600 beds in pipeline amid 2% growth in UK 18-year-old population (Source)
• Nido Living launches ‘The Fabric Works’ PBSA in Leeds with 402 bedrooms, featuring modern amenities (Source)
• LaSalle secures £68.7M green loan to fund Vita's 540-bed PBSA Project in Central Birmingham, set for completion in 2026 (Source)
• AHMM switches Southwark Station Scheme to 429-bed PBSA, addressing London's shortfall of 93,700 student beds (Source)
• Urbanest unveils 769-bed PBSA scheme for Vauxhall with 46% energy reduction target, completion expected by Autumn 2029 (Source)
• Morehead State University breaks ground on $38M Prefontaine Hall, 310-bed residence set to open in 2026 (Source)
• Lavanda launches LavandaLabs AI Innovation Lab to revolutionise the PBSA sector, enhancing resident experience and operational efficiency (Source)

United States of America

• US Education Stakeholders support H-1B visa amid debate, USCIS sees 780,884 registrations in FY 2024 (Source)
• Wayne State College opens Stearns Hall, a new 276-bed residence hall with suite-style and traditional rooms (Source)
• Landmark Properties, Silverpeak Real Estate Partners, and Peninsula Investments acquire site for 397-bed student housing near Colorado State University (Source)
• Morehead State University names 310-bed student dwelling 'Prefontaine Hall' after generous gift, set to open in 2026 (Source)
• Alden Street JV sells 98% leased Georgia Student Community for $99M to Kennesaw State University Foundation with 656 beds (Source)
• CC&L Infrastructure acquires majority stake in UTD's Northside Student Housing, adding 1,200 units for over 2,500 students (Source)
• New 12-story student housing complex with 213 units and 717 beds breaks ground at UW-Madison, set to open in Fall 2026 (Source)
• San Diego State University proposes 4,500 new student beds with two major developments, set for completion by 2034 (Source)

Australia

• Australia's opposition leader proposes a 25% cut to migration and stricter caps on international students to tackle the housing crisis (Source)
• Allens advises Greystar on the $1.6 billion acquisition of the Australian PBSA portfolio, highlighting rising private capital interest and strong demand for well-located PBSA assets (Source)
• Forrest family's Fiveight unveils $400M Perth development, featuring revamped Carillon with retail podium, 17-storey hotel tower & 30 levels of student accommodation (Source)

Canada

• Canada's cap on international students from January 2024 cites economic challenges; receive blame for job competition, housing costs, healthcare strain (Source)
• IRCC data reveals 50,000 international students with study permits failed to enrol in Canadian institutions in March and April 2024, with the highest number of no-shows from Indian nationals at 19,582 (Source)
• IRCC implements new rules for international students transferring schools, may require new study permit by applying for an extension of current permit (Source)
• GEC secures $135M investment from Pomerleau for Vancouver student housing development, targeting 450 students amid 0.9% vacancy rate (Source)
• Alignvest Student Housing Inc. announces agreement with Forum Asset Management for acquisition of Alignvest’s REIT by Forum REIIF for $1.686 billion in Toronto (Source)
• Niagara region launches post-secondary student housing strategy to address growing housing needs, improve quality and availability of housing in Canada (Source)

Europe

• DAAD projects Germany to welcome 405,000 international students in 2025, reporting 10% increase in international student enrolments (Source)
• Apply Board’s report reveals Ireland’s record high numbers of international student enrolments, surpassing 40,000 for first time, observes 15% increase from previous AY (Source)
• Merkel Capital plans to build 13-storey building with more than 300 student rooms in Málaga, Spain, scheduled to open in AY 2025-2026 (Source)
• Resa to invest €200 million and add 3,000 places to its portfolio until 2029 by acquiring between 10-15 new residences, comprising around 200 beds each (Source)
• Brookfield Asset Management plans sale of Spanish student housing ‘Livensa Living’, expected to draw bids around €1.3 billion (Source)
• Cushman & Wakefield to market potential 221-bedroom PBSA scheme at prime site in Santry, Dublin 9 for €7.5 million, near Dublin City University, receiving planning approval (Source)
• Kajima Europe acquires Student Depot’s third development site ‘Warsaw Ciołka Street’ with 628 rooms in Warsaw, expanding its portfolio in Poland to 12 properties (Source)
• University of Coimbra to begin renovation of “Alegria” student residence with approximate cost of €1 million (Source)
• UCAM and City Council plan to build a residence in Cartagena, Spain to attract students, facilitating expansion of university through agreement (Source)
• Plans approved to convert Sinnott's nightclub into 3-storey, 38-unit student accommodation in Waterford, Ireland (Source)
• Colodge expands in Lyon, France with new heritage-inspired coliving to accommodate young professionals, students, with rising popularity of shared living spaces & affordability (Source)