Stirling University’s 2023/2024 Student Union Housing Report revealed that 15 per cent of students, equating to approximately 2,775 individuals, have experienced periods without a fixed address during their studies.
Although Stirling’s student population has increased by 32 per cent, from 14,000 to over 18,500 since 2018, the availability of student halls has stagnated, and the private rental market only grown by 14 units.
The closure of on-campus accommodations Muirhead and HH Donnelly for renovations this semester, resulted in the loss of an additional 254 rooms.
With just 2,800 university-managed bed spaces and over 15,000 students relying on private housing or living at home, Stirling University’s accommodation offerings fall utterly short of its student body’s needs.
Meanwhile, the financial strain on students is intensifying. An eight per cent rent increase on University-owned accommodation took effect in August, the second consecutive year for some halls.
The closure of Donnelly and Muirhead, two of the university’s most affordable halls, and the rent spikes have left all accommodations, except Polwarth, exceeding £400 per month.
Despite the rising cost, service quality has declined, with basic provisions like bedding no longer included.
The rising costs are a big burden. A survey revealed that 60 per cent of students in private accommodation struggle to pay rent, with some resorting to long commutes or skipping meals.
Only 40 per cent of students can afford food consistently, equating to over 11,100 individuals unable to meet basic living needs.
To fight this nationwide housing issue, Stirling University‘s Student Union is campaigning for stronger housing rights in the Housing Bill 2025. Key demands include extending tenant protections and rent controls to purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and abolishing rental guarantor requirements. Read more about this here.
A student’s perspective
Daniel, a 21-year-old Scottish undergraduate, described the stressful process of finding accommodation. He secured a flat only by the end of September, long after his course had started.
“The University provides no help to students they’ve rejected from halls,” he said. “And they get rejected so late they struggle to find private accommodation in time for the start of their course.”
Although Daniel avoided homelessness by commuting from his family home, the long travel times had severe impacts on his mental health. “When I have a 9 am class, I need to get up at 5 am to catch the right buses,” he explained.
For many students, especially internationals and Scots from farther afield, commuting is not an option. Those unable to travel to Stirling for flat viewings or classes find themselves couch surfing, staying in hotels, or facing the threat of homelessness.
Daniel also highlighted the intense competition for rentals in Stirling. During his search, an estate agent informed him that for one flat, there were 87 applications, but only four viewing slots available.
Stirling’s housing market is ill-equipped to meet the demand and students face some of Scotland’s steepest rent increases, behind only Greater Glasgow and Lothian.
Many rentals lack HMO licenses that are needed if more than three tenants want to live in the same property, or they exclude renting to students entirely, exacerbating the challenges.
The University’s response
When asked about measures to address the growing student population, the University said, “We have been able to meet demand for accommodation and still have a number of rooms available.”
This claim however is contradicted by reports from students that were denied rooms in University halls.
The University added, “There are no plans to expand University-provided accommodation at present.”
In contrast, the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford mitigated accommodation shortages by housing students in hotels. When asked about implementing similar measures, Stirling University said, “There has been no requirement to provide such accommodation in 2024.”
While the University provides some financial assistance through the Accommodation Enhancement Fund, its scope is limited due to its strict eligibility criteria. Those who apply can receive a maximum of £1,761 – insufficient to bridge the gap in such a competitive housing market.
Despite the gravity of the issue the University does not seem to be interested in improving the situation, although the institution itself cannot survive without its students.
Real change requires more than incremental policy changes, demanding urgency, empathy and a commitment to ensuring that every student has access to stable and affordable housing, the foundation needed for students to succeed academically and personally during their university journey.
Featured Image Credit: Brig Newspaper
