Student digs investment enjoys bumper start to year

Investment into the global student housing market reached $21bn in 2021, rising from $19.4bn in 2020 and above the pre-pandemic peak of $20.4bn in 2019, according to a new report from JLL. So far, 2022 is proving another bumper period, with first-quarter investment of $4.7bn – the market’s best start to the year in at least four years. Geraldine Guichardo, director of living sector research at JLL, said rising international student mobility as Covid travel restrictions lift will drive activity, with JLL forecasting a boost in student flow to 8m by 2030. “We are now seeing that with borders reopening student mobility is improving,” Guichardo said. “We will have surpassed peak 2019 [student flow of] 6m, with expectations for international students’ levels to rise.” Julia Martin, head of student housing for EMEA in JLL capital markets, added: “In the UK 26% of students are international, and with Brexit to contend with, tuition fees for international students has risen, impacting European students coming to the UK as part of the Erasmus programme. “However, the UK is seeing an increased number of applications from China and India. We are now in a situation where applications are about 20% from Europe and 80% from non-EU countries. What we are seeing is, despite Covid, international student enrolments are 10% higher on average.” Earlier this week, UK student accommodation group Empiric Student Property said occupancy is now ahead of pre-pandemic levels. Chief executive Duncan Garrood said: “We remain confident of achieving our guidance for revenue occupancy for the forthcoming academic year of 85% to 95%, with a target of delivering at the upper end of that range, assuming no further market disruption.” Read more: Empiric confident of return to pre-pandemic form To send feedback, e-mail akanksha.soni@eg.co.uk or tweet @EGPropertyNews Image © Empiric Student Property