Amber Beat Global Student Accommodation Market News - June 2026, Week 04

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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 June 22-June 28, 2026

United Kingdom

• UK student visa grant rates fell 32% in Q1 2026 as visa application withdrawals surpassed refusals for the first time in 20 years (Source)
• UK to replace the Turing Scheme with Erasmus+ from 2027–28 after supporting more than 200,000 participants, targeting 100,000 participants in the first year (Source)
• UKCISA calls for clearer English test requirements with 59.6% prioritising quick test results (Source)
• University of Glasgow introduces cost-saving measures following a projected decline in international postgraduate students (Source)
• Bath records 1,699 projected student housing searches per property, ranking second only to Liverpool as student numbers have grown 18% since 2018 (Source)
• Greystar acquires a 1,200-bed UK PBSA portfolio across Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham (Source)
• £176M UK student housing deal to add 1,269 PBSA beds in London and Glasgow for the 2028 intake (Source)
• £16M refinancing will modernise a 150-bed PBSA scheme in Cambridge, with phased delivery through 2027 (Source)

United States of America

• White House review and clears proposal to replace duration of status with a four-year limit for international students (Source)
• US court orders USCIS to resume OPT processing after seven-month pause affecting applicants from 40 countries (Source)
• DHS asks appeals court to reinstate President Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa application fee (Source)
• 17% decline in international student enrolment could reduce US GDP by up to $481B, study finds (Source)
• Ares and Scion acquire a 7,578-bed US student housing portfolio for $910M across major US university markets (Source)
• UTEP begins construction of $102M Miner Crossing residence hall, adding 507 on-campus beds by fall 2028 (Source)
• San Marcos approves seven-storey student housing development near Texas State University (Source)

Australia

• Australia proposes 230,000 additional university places by 2036 under a new managed funding model, alongside A$3.6B in equity support (Source)  
• Australia's net overseas migration falls to 301,000, down 45% from its 2023 peak, with international student migration returning to pre-pandemic levels (Source) 
• Australia's PBSA pipeline faces growing feasibility pressures as construction costs rise through 2028, with 12,500+ beds under development (Source) 
• Centurion acquires a 25% stake in a 182-bed Perth PBSA development, expanding its pipeline to 2,198 new student beds by 2028 (Source) 

Canada

• Canada's immigration application backlog falls to its lowest level since July 2025, with study permits down to 35% in April 2026 from 40% a month earlier (Source)
• Canada tightens immigration language test verification, requiring enhanced fraud checks at every stage of application processing (Source)
• Canada's PBSA market covers just 12% of students, compared with 23% in US and 28% in UK, below the 35% optimal benchmark, highlighting significant growth potential (Source)

Europe

• Ireland’s higher education system ranks as Europe’s most improved, with two universities in the QS global top 100 (Source)
• France raises proof-of-funds requirement for international student visas from €615 to ~€878/month (Source)
• Poland’s 280,000+ PBSA supply gap presents significant investment potential, with affordability expected to shape future projects (Source)
• Greystar expands Ireland PBSA portfolio with 216-bed Dublin acquisition (Source)
• FU.Life and GDI partner to develop 3,000 student apartments across Germany (Source)
• European PBSA rent growth slows to ~3.5% in 2025 (vs 2.8% UK), as affordability pressures cap further increases across key markets (Source)

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