amberRadar Global Student Accommodation Market News - September 2026, Week 03

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amberRadar 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!

amberRadar | News from September 15-September 21, 2026

United Kingdom

• UK sponsored study visa applications fall 20% to 99,500 in August, lowest since 2022, as refusals and withdrawals rise (Source)
• UCL research forecasts funding gaps for UK universities by 2030, prompted by lower applicants from key source regions like China, EU, Hong Kong and India (Source)
• UK’s HE sector warns of potential closures, weaker soft power, stronger competition from source countries and more drivers of falling appeal among international students amid tighter policies (Source)
• Russell Group calls for variable UK tuition fees as universities lose £3,000 per domestic student amid rising costs (Source)
• The PIE News forecasts UK visa refusal rates below 1.4% for Russell Group, versus up to 7.8% for other mission groups under new BCA rules (Source)
• EC English Language Centers to close all schools across seven destinations due to financial challenges, set to support students find alternatives (Source)
• Unite Group reaches 95% bed reservations for 2026/27 as UK undergraduate acceptances rise 1%, high-tariff university acceptances grow 6% (Source)
• Partners Group and Aboria Capital acquire £165 mln PBSA portfolio comprising more than 1500 beds across London, Liverpool, Newcaslte and Cambridge (Source)
• Bouygues UK delivers 375 PBSA rooms in East London ahead of the 2026/27 academic year (Source)
• £60 mln 507-bed student housing scheme approved in Newcastle (Source)

United States of America

• US extends $100,000 H-1B visa fee order for another year amid ongoing legal challenges (Source)
• Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Penn among colleges to tighten CPT rules after DHS warning to suspend work opportunities for international students unless indispensable degree requirement (Source)
• Harrison Street Asset Management and The Michaels Organization to deliver $230 mln, 700-bed on-campus student housing in partnership with University of San Diego, completion expected by August 2029 (Source)

Australia

• Australia tightens student visa rules on dependants, course transfers and study progression, exemptions continue for Pacific, ASEAN and select courses, while commencements track 8% lower amid AUD$2,500 visa fee and processing delays (Source)
• Australia’s tallest VMC building reaches level 12 of 20 of 528-unit Sydney PBSA project, passing halfway mark (Source)

Canada

• Canada’s new graduate study permits more than double to 6,455 in Q2 2026, with master’s and PhD share up to 21%, even as applications fall 12% (Source)
• Canada’s international student population falls 29% to 691,215 as university share rises to 57% and college share drops to 39% (Source)
• Canada seeks Erasmus+ and Horizon participation as Prime Minister Carney pushes closer EU ties on education, research and mobility (Source)
• Canada’s student housing shortage persists as top-20 universities have just 1 PBSA bed per 6 students, despite international enrolment falling 26% (Source)

Europe

• Germany’s international student population reaches record 516,820, making up 18% of university enrolment in 2025/26 (Source)
• New Zealand expands Post-Study Work Visa eligibility to Level 7 graduate diploma holders from November 2026 (Source)
• FOX Living acquires Hanover site for 320-unit PBSA development, targeting 2028 completion (Source)
• Nido Livensa Group sells five Portugal PBSA assets totalling 883 beds as it targets 25,000 beds by 2031 (Source)

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