UK Student Housing: International Students Sleep Rough On the University Campus

Key Points:

1. The current student housing crisis in the UK has led international students in Wales to struggle to find affordable accommodation. This situation has led students to sleep rough on the campus.

2. Postgraduate students with dependants and families aren’t allowed on university campus accommodation and thus are struggling to find an abode. 

3. Limited housing availability in cities like Bangor forces students to reside in nearby cities like Manchester or Liverpool.

4. Students travelling such long distances also prefer staying overnight at the campus to save commuting time and cost. 

In the recent student housing news, international students in Wales are facing a major student housing crisis as they find it challenging to find a home away from home. This situation has led students to sleep rough on campus due to the lack of proper student housing availability. Because of the ongoing scarcity of on-campus and off-campus student housing, students have resorted to staying in nearby sites. This involves long hours of commute and higher and recurring costs. 

Students resort to sleeping in university buildings, which helps them save commute costs and stay close to the campus, said Nida Ambreen from the Bangor University Student Union. This scarcity of student accommodation in UK for international students has led them to sleep on university campuses to save costs. Considering the state of University of South Wales accommodation and on-campus housing at the University of Bangor as well as around the university, the students are forced to find housing in Manchester & Liverpool. The student unions at the universities have opened rooms that are equipped with microwaves and kettles to help them arrange their meals. 

The issue as mentioned above is not limited to Bangor. Students at the University of South Wales are also facing a student housing crisis at the moment. Patience Obtaige has shared her experience at the University of South Wales accommodation as she struggles to find a home. She lives with her family, which raises issues with the landlords who refuse the application due to children. The ongoing UK student housing crisis has impacted a lot of graduate and postgraduate students. Members of the Senedd have also expressed some concerns regarding the students' sleeping at various places on the campus due to the scarcity of student housing.

The University of Wales has considered this situation and is actioning upon providing a solution for this student housing crisis in the UK. However, challenges persist, with issues of communication between universities and students regarding accommodation expectations. The BAME Mental Health Service in Swansea has reported an influx of requests for help, indicating the severity of the situation.

The university has expressed its support and shown utmost concern about the current student housing crisis, which is impacting the international student population. The UK government has also stressed the need to implement better immigration policies while keeping the talent intake intact. The issue to be resolved on priority remains to ensure that international students have access to top-notch and comfortable student housing near their desired institutes. Another point is that students should also have seamless access to student services as they face issues with University of South Wales accommodation.

TD’LR

International students studying at the University of Wales and the University of Bangor are struggling to find affordable housing near the universities due to the ongoing UK student housing crisis. This crisis has primarily affected postgraduate students who live with dependants or families. This has made students sleep on the campus to avoid travelling costs as they are unable to afford accommodation near the university and aren’t able to find any due to ongoing scarcity. This situation affects not only students' well-being but also their academic performance. Universities and government agencies are called upon to address this issue promptly to ensure international students have access to suitable housing and support services during their studies in Wales.