Student Accommodation: Growth and Globalisation

Simplified visa processes, affordable living and a perception of student safety have driven recent growth in international education as an export industry in Australia, now accounting for around $20 billion. This trend has increased demand for student accommodation, which has seen significant investment in the sector over the past few years.

With international student enrolments continuing to trend upwards, so too is the number of students seeking purpose-built student accommodation. This is further strengthened by government reforms that have cut down the international education red-tape, combined with a primary focus on international student attraction programs by higher education providers.

Donald Cant Watts Corke has worked with leading student accommodation providers, often working to stringent budgets and tight timeframes, undertaking a range of services to deliver modern, environmentally sustainable facilities across Australia. From project management and superintendency, to independent certification and quantity surveying services, our extensive experience in student accommodation allows us to provide trusted advice to Australia's top universities and private developers.

Southbank Student Accommodation, Melbourne

Whilst many local students will stay at home while they study or live in other forms of shared accommodation, the appeal of purpose-built student accommodation is growing. Facilities provide students with fully-furnished rooms and modest rent inclusive of Wi-Fi, utilities and other support services and amenities on site. “Student accommodation is no longer a place for wealthy regional students to stay while they study, but a much more diverse environment of students from all demographics and nationalities,” said Ronan Walsh, National Student Accommodation Sector Lead and VIC Project Management Director, Donald Cant Watts Corke.

As more and more student accommodation providers enter the Australian market, a number of differentiators will dictate which facilities are favoured and able to charge higher prices. The main factors being: the proximity of the facility to local universities; the configuration of shared and individual room options; and, increasingly for private builds, a trusted brand.

Some of our recent projects working with universities include: Bundoora West Student Accommodation for RMIT University, a project focused on Environmentally Sustainable Design; and two projects for Monash University that centre around student independence and fostering a community atmosphere. We have also been engaged by private developers such the Southbank Student Accommodation project, working with Urbanest, which utilised forward-thinking building concepts such as the installation of pre-fabricated bathroom modules imported from Europe; and the Vulture Street development in Brisbane, working with Scape Living Australia, a large-scale build of two, 20 level towers.

Vulture Street, Brisbane

Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are the top locations for Australia’s existing student accommodation, with Melbourne and Brisbane having the strongest pipelines for the construction of new facilities. Sydney’s high property prices relative to Melbourne and Brisbane account for its lower rate in new construction projects for the sector; although our western seaboard is also starting to boom in this sector.

“We look forward to seeing how the Student Accommodation market grows as the industry continues to mature and become more competitive over the coming years. We are poised to support more developments as they spring up, not only in the three university capitals of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, but also in the neighbouring states as they follow this trend,” said Mr Walsh.

Learn more about our student accommodation projects.