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

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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 October 01-October 07, 2025

United Kingdom

• UK student groups warn Labour’s proposed 6% international student levy could risk deterring international students, impacting £4B contribution and university revenues (Source)
• Maintenance grants to return by 2029 for tens of thousands of low-income English students in priority courses, funded by tax on international student fees (Source)
• PM Keir Starmer sets a goal for two-thirds of under-25s to enter university, college, or apprenticeships by 2040, with at least 10% in higher technical courses (Source)
• Labour proposes 6% international student levy to fund maintenance grants for disadvantaged domestic students, amid warnings of 77,000 fewer enrolments, £2.2B economic loss, and £1.6B sector-wide deficit (Source)
• British Property Federation launches PBSA board, chaired by Unite Students CEO Joe Lister, to highlight student accommodation’s impact on students, universities, and UK economy (Source)
• UK to broaden opportunities for Indian students with joint/dual degrees, credit transfers, scholarships, and mutual recognition of qualifications under India-UK Vision 2035 (Source)
• University of Worcester announces £3,000 merit-based scholarships for Indian students applying to January 2026 postgraduate programmes (Source)
• UK universities to face phased implementation of tougher BCA thresholds, with proposals including 95% enrolment, 90% completion, and 5% visa refusal rates (Source)
• UCL granted extra CAS numbers after exceeding quota, allowing international students to start in 2025 and offering £1,000 support for super priority visa applications (Source)
• Nottingham Trent University offers Indian students merit scholarships covering up to 50% of postgraduate tuition for January 2026 across multiple disciplines (Source)
• King’s College London could lose £22M a year from 6% international student fee levy, impacting 54% international students and £364M in non-UK tuition fees in 2024-25 (Source)
• £75M flagship Unite Students scheme with 623 beds completed in Bristol, 50% of rooms leased to Russell Group (Source)
• UniHomes secures investment from Macquarie Capital and LDC to expand student accommodation platform and enter PBSA, build-to-rent, and professional sharer markets (Source)

United States of America

• Trump proposes 15% cap on international students as U.S. enrolments fall, August 2025 sees 313,000 students, a 19% drop YoY, with 24% decline from Asia (Source)
• US international undergraduates make up only 2.2% of total 15.3 million, easing concerns over proposed 15% country cap at universities, reports Forbes (Source)
• Indian student arrivals in US drop nearly 50% in July-August 2025, threatening 2025-26 enrolment as survey finds 54% may avoid US if OPT or H-1B rules tighten (Source)
• US universities face budget cuts as international enrolments fall, with DePaul down 30%, first-year grads 62%, as Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, USC also cut staff amid funding losses (Source)
• Global demand for US master’s degrees plunges 61% amid visa uncertainty and Trump-era policy shifts (Source)
• Recent study shows US falls to third in global business education rankings in 2025, with 74% citing high costs and 20% visa or work concerns (Source)
• US colleges may face strain as up to 150,000 fewer international students could enrol in 2025-26, a 30–40% possible drop in new arrivals, 15% total decline, $7B potential economic loss, says NAFSA (Source)
• Liberty Mutual and Landmark partner to add 1,255 off-campus student beds, 515 at Pennsylvania State University and 740 at University of Connecticut (Source)
• Houston Christian University to convert closing University Place nursing home into student housing, boosting campus capacity by 33% to 1,400 beds (Source)
• Proposed US tax changes could end FICA exemption for Indian students on OPT, cutting take-home pay by roughly $4,590 for nonresident aliens (Source)
• TREO Group secures $132M refinancing loan for VOX I and II, a 262-unit, 726-bed student housing project near University of Miami, completed for AY 2025–26 (Source)
• Inland Investments and Scion Group partner to operate off-campus student housing across top US universities, expanding Inland’s $1.7B, 10,000-bed portfolio spanning 19 properties (Source)
• US housing market enters correction as median apartment prices fall 11% and house prices 6%, the steepest drop in a decade, as global investors eye 2026 opportunities (Source)

Australia

• Australia’s September 2025 visa framework update places Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at Assessment Level 1; India, Vietnam, China, Bhutan, and Nepal at Level 2; and Pakistan at Level 3 (Source)
• In 2024, the University of Sydney enrolled 39,725 (51%) international vs 35,727 domestic students, earning US$1.6B in fees, while the University of New South Wales followed with 37,870 (46%) (Source)
• In August, Australia government announced that Australia will raise its 2026 international student cap by 9% to 295,000, and will prioritise visa processing for Southeast Asian applicants (Source)
• As of 30 Sept 2025, 15 Australian universities upgraded from Level 2 to Level 1 in immigration risk ratings, easing student visa processing (Source)
• According to latest data by the Department of Education, ELICOS enrolments fell 38%, commencements 44% (YTD July 2025), after visa fees jumped 182% to $2,000, threatening 5,000 jobs (Source)
• Greystar owns 5,662 Australian student beds, aims for 10,000 by 2027, supporting government’s 25,000 student intake increase plan (Source)
• Australia expands list of English tests for student visas, increases minimum scores, and updates documentation, impacting Indian students’ visa eligibility and applications (Source)
• US-based Greystar plans 10,000 student beds in Australia by 2027 through Accolade, doubling its local portfolio (Source)

Canada

• Canada’s Indian immigration has quadrupled since 2013, as over 1,300 Indian student visas were revoked by the US, boosting Canada’s education appeal (Source)
• Canada’s international education faces a 23% enrolment drop, 30% study permit approvals, 50% fewer applications, and 70% fewer arrivals (Source)
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) gained 1,254 nominations in 2025, reopening international PG applications, totalling 5,254 slots (Source) 
• According to IRCC, there are 47,175 potentially non-compliant international students, with 50,000 “no-shows” in Spring 2024, raising fraud concerns (Source)
• The Thompson Rivers University (TRU) could face $25-30M deficit by 2027, due to a 26% international student drop, with 190+ layoffs underway and more cuts expected (Source)
• Canada invited 291 foreign nationals for permanent residency under its latest Express Entry draw, with the CRS cut-off rising to 855 (Source)
• New ApplyBoard analysis of IRCC data reveals Canadian post-graduation work permits (PGWP) approvals set to fall by at least 30%, intensifying existing labour shortages (Source)

Europe

• Germany’s ambassador warns Indian students of 25% visa rejection, advises caution with agents promoting lesser-known private universities (Source)
• DAAD invites applications for fully funded 2026 post-grad scholarships in Germany, covering tuition, living costs for eligible international students (Source)
• In 2024–25, Indian student enrolments in France rose 17%, aiming for 30,000 by 2030 (Source)
• France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship offers fully funded Master’s/PhD programs with €1,200–€2,100 monthly, covering tuition, housing, and travel (Source)
• PBSA Council of Ireland launched as national student housing voice, as Ireland has more than 260,000 higher education students, with over 40K international students (Source)
• Nido Living acquires over 600 student beds via UnioneZero development in Milan; project targets LEED Gold and A1 energy rating, completes in 2027 (Source)
• Germany attracts Indian students with low tuition, quality education, English programs, strong job prospects, simplified visas, and supportive government initiatives (Source)
• France issued 8,351 student visas to Algeria in 2025, an 87% acceptance rate (Source)
• As of 2024, 44.2% of EU youths aged 25–34 hold tertiary education; aiming that at least 45% youth reach target by 2030 (Source)