UK universities received more than 560,000 applications for undergraduate courses beginning in the 2019/20 academic year according to Knight Frank, representing an increase over the previous year. This increase was driven by a growing number of international students, particularly from China where a year-on-year increase of 33.3% was recorded.
This means that the number of applications from outside the UK made up almost a fifth of the overall total (19.2%) – and it is these overseas students who are the most likely to desire and pay for premium PBSA.
Consequently, recent figures from Real Capital Analytics show that global investment into PBSA reached a record high of US$16.3bn in 2018, surpassing the previous high of US$15.9bn recorded in 2017. This is clearly a good time to invest in the market.
So, where should you look for your next student accommodation investment? The obvious answer is Liverpool.
The city is home to 50,000 students who come from all over the world to attend the city’s world class higher education institutions, with a higher than average percentage of those being internationals students. The University of Liverpool alone has more than 7,000 international students in attendance, making the need for high specification accommodation in the city clear.
This will become even more pressing in future as the transformation of the city continues and Liverpool becomes an even more attractive higher education destination than it already is. The £1bn investment into the Knowledge Quarter which surrounds the universities will bring more high-level graduate jobs in world-leading industries and put the Liverpool at the bleeding edge of global innovation in sectors as varied as technology, education and health.
Furthermore, the University of Liverpool itself is investing a further £1bn over the next 15 years to improve every aspect of its offering to students. Early proposals include a £23m showcase building for the School of Architecture, a £42m electrical engineering and electronics facility, significant enhancements to the Veterinary Institute, a new university park opposite the cathedral and a plan to plant 1,000 trees on the campus – and all of that is just the start.
Is it any surprise that ambitious young people from across the UK and the world are so desperate to be a part of all that is happening in Liverpool?
Natex is our new student accommodation development right in the centre of Liverpool, just a four minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station and a 12 minute walk from the University of Liverpool.
In addition to well-sized, modern apartments, the development includes a wide range of communal facilities to appeal to tenants, including a gymnasium, games room, communal lounges and dining areas, laundry rooms and a private courtyard.
The premium studio apartments and double en-suite rooms, arranged in a cluster format around shared lounge and kitchen facilities, are arranged across two blocks and are currently in construction.
If you are looking for your next investment, take a look at our available student properties!
