Summer’s over – college begins! And quite a few freshers arriving in town at the start of the new academic year will soon be moving into their hosted homestay student accommodation. They’re the lucky ones!
As the squeeze on finding an adequate place to live is being felt more acutely than ever, in London and other major cities student homelessness is increasingly described as the “hidden problem.” Research has found that students across the capital are being “forced to sleep on floors, stay with friends and relatives, or in council temporary accommodation”.
Latest figures from education governance and policy analysts, Universities UK, show that the number of students who found places at universities and colleges across the country has risen again, for the fourth year in a row. By August, over 467,000 applicants had accepted offers of a course place – an increase of 3 per cent on 2015.
And there’s more international students than ever before. 13 per cent of undergraduate students and 38 per cent of postgraduate students are from outside the UK. (Higher Education in Facts and Figures – Universities UK, 2016).
Despite concern over an immediate Brexit effect upon college admissions caused by Britain voting to withdraw from the EU there has actually been a rise in the number of student applications from the EU – up by 11 per cent this year.
Weaker pound would make a UK degree less expensive
A recent survey of students from abroad found that just over 4 in ten said they felt that a weaker pound against their home currency would make a UK degree less expensive. Universities UK also report that by August, the number of applications accepted from outside the EU remained stable, after increases of 5 per cent in the past two years, and in line with recent trends.
The number of international students studying in the UK has generally continued to grow over the last ten years, and by more than 25 per cent in London, alone. There has also been a drive to increase dedicated student property. But nearly all of the development tends to be focused at the exclusive, high-end of the luxury market, which excludes more than two thirds of young people while standard student accommodation remains in short supply.
The future for affordable student living space is not hopeful, either – only 1,000 new beds are said to be scheduled to be built in London in 2017, compared to just over 6,000 new beds in 2016. The consequences are likely to lead to further homelessness amongst students, a so-called “hidden problem” now raising alarm in the higher education sector.
A recent survey carried out at the London Metropolitan University found that undergraduates at just one of its ten schools had 27 homeless students, and urges more research to find out the true scale of the problem in the capital and nationwide. The report also warns that “without adequate support or early intervention, homelessness can go on to impact education, employment, health and wellbeing.”
Clearly, as the research concludes, life for students can be “fraught with loneliness and anxiety”. But it doesn’t have to be that way at all.
You are expected to be “part of the family” you stay with
A family hosted accommodation ticks all the vital boxes for a young international student accepted on a study course in the UK. You are expected to be “part of the family” you stay with, eating your evening meal at the table with your hosts, and generally improving your English speaking while learning about British culture and customs.
Crucially, homestay accommodation is very affordable, compared to most alternatives, such as a hotel room. Renting a room with a reputable international hosting scheme is according to approved British Council standards, application times are flexible and lengths of stay to suit short and long study courses.
A young student in the UK for the first time should not have to risk dealing with private landlords or their estate agents, and the eye-watering high rents and other unexpected fees often charged. Yet, this can be the case when forced to vacate your room at a university halls of residence after the first year.
Ending up sleeping on a friend’s small, lumpy couch for the duration of your course may appear to be a bit of a “laugh” and no big deal at the start. But as the weeks pass, your ability to study can seriously be affected by the lack of a proper night’s sleep.
And your parents are sure to suspect there’s something wrong…