How Are the Top Source Countries Impacting the Rental Market for UK Student Accommodation
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Student Housing Blog
As international student mobility reshapes in 2025, the UK’s rental market is feeling the ripple effects. From booking delays to budget shifts and visa changes, the influence of the top source countries for UK students on student accommodation is more visible than ever.
In this blog, we’ll break down how students from countries like India, China, Nigeria, Nepal, and more are affecting rental prices, housing preferences, and cancellation trends across cities like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Manchester.
Overview: The Global Impact on UK Student Housing
As of 2022–23, 2.93 million students were enrolled in UK higher education. Of these, over 758,000 were international students, with non-EU nationals accounting for 87.4%. These international students collectively contribute in excess of £40 billion annually to the UK economy, encompassing tuition fees and living expenses.
However, the landscape shifted noticeably in 2024. According to the "Amber's UK Student Housing Annual Report (2024-25)", student accommodation bookings experienced a 20% year-over-year (YoY) drop. This highlights an increasing reliance of the £7.35 billion student housing market on the evolving trends emanating from key international student markets, especially the top source countries for UK students.
Visa Policy Shifts & Their Ripple Effects
The year ending September 2024 brought significant changes to the UK's visa policies, creating tangible effects on the student accommodation sector.
Highlights:
- Student visa grants fell by 31% in YE Sept 2024.
- Dependent visas dropped 84.5%, hitting Indian and Nigerian applicants hardest.
- The monthly maintenance requirement increased to £1,483 in London and £1,136 outside.
Country-wise Impacts:
- India: Dependent visas fell by 74.63%, with total applications at 107,306.
- Nigeria: Main applicant visa grants dropped 62.27%.
- China: Least impacted; only a 4.46% decline in visa grants.
These policy shifts have a direct consequence on student accommodation providers. The reduced influx of international students leads to fewer bookings, and those who do arrive may book their student accommodation in UK later or actively seek more budget-friendly options.
Booking Behaviour by Nationality
According to amber insights:
- India saw a 29% booking spike in August 2024, showing late booking trends.
- Nigeria had a massive 102% jump in bookings in August but still saw an overall 65% YoY decline.
- China, while steady, booked later than usual, affecting early occupancy rates.
2024 saw a compressed booking window, forcing operators to reduce rents post-June to boost occupancy.
Rental Preferences Across Source Countries
Students from the top source countries for UK students have starkly different budget thresholds:
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