Key Summary
FAQs
Who are the biggest student accommodation providers in the UK?
Fresh Student Living and CRM Students top the list with the widest reach, each covering 30+ towns and cities. Homes for Students is close behind with over 21,000 spaces across 35+ cities, and names like Vita Student, Downing Students and Student Roost are also well established nationally.
What's the difference between university halls and private providers like these?
University halls are run directly by your university, while providers like Fresh Student Living, CRM Students or Vita Student are independent companies that build and manage their own student blocks, often across many different university cities. Private providers tend to offer more consistent facilities and all-inclusive bills, though university halls usually put you closer to campus and course friends.
Which provider is best if I want a lively, social experience?
Collegiate and Fresh Student Living both build regular events and social opportunities into their properties as a core part of the offering, and Vita Student pitches itself around networking and entrepreneurial events alongside standard student living.
Which provider has accommodation in the most cities?
Homes for Students and CRM Students both operate in over 30 towns and cities across the UK, giving you the widest choice if you're not sure yet which university city you'll end up in or want consistency if you switch cities later.
Are private accommodation providers more expensive than university halls?
It varies a lot by city, room type and building age, so there's no blanket answer. It's worth comparing a couple of private providers against your university's own halls for your specific city rather than assuming one is automatically cheaper.
What should I look for when comparing student accommodation providers?
Check which cities and specific buildings they operate in near your university, what's included in the rent, like bills and WiFi, and what social or wellbeing support they offer. Reading recent reviews from current residents is also worth doing before committing to a contract.
Do these providers only offer accommodation for first years?
No, most cater to students across all years, including postgraduates in some cases. Providers like Homes for Students and CRM Students are commonly used by second and third years who want the ease of a managed building without going through a private letting agency.
How do I choose between all these different providers?
Start with which ones actually operate in your university city, since that narrows the list fast. From there, compare location relative to campus, what's included in the rent, and the general vibe, social and event-driven versus quieter and more independent, to find the best fit for how you want to live.
Sometimes people forget that the halls on offer from your university are not the only ones you can choose from! In fact, there are lots of different (and often nicer) student accommodation providers across the country. To help you find the best student accommodation for you, we’ve put together a list of the top student accommodation providers in the UK.
9. Student Roost
Locations available: Aberdeen, Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Chester, Coventry, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Southampton, Swansea, Wrexham and York
Student Roost is a well-known student accommodation company in the UK, and it is clear why. It won Top Student Accommodation Operators Award in 2019 and offers students great value for money. With stylish accommodation options and top-quality facilities, students can rent with Student Roost in 19 cities across the UK, including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Newcastle, Southampton and Swansea.
8. Collegiate
Locations available: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Coventry, Derby, Exeter, Gloucester, Ipswich, Leicester, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Southampton
Collegiate is synonymous with luxurious student living. With student accommodation in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Nottingham and Liverpool, it’s a leading provider of student accommodation in the UK. Collegiate’s buildings are stylish and modern and focus on encouraging students to meet new people with exclusive events throughout the year.
7. Sanctuary Students
Locations available: Preston, Liverpool, Bradford, London, Ormskirk, Manchester, Salford, Falmouth, Truro, Glasgow, Dundee, Brighton, Stratford-upon-Avon
One of the bigger names on our list of the top student accommodation providers in the UK, Sanctuary has comfortable, affordable and stylish student accommodation available in Preston, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford and Truro. Sanctuary Students’ accommodation is all-inclusive and provides ample opportunities for socialising!
6. DIGS
Locations available: Huddersfield, Sheffield and Wolverhampton
DIGS has made a name for itself as a leading student accommodation company through event schedules and wellbeing support programmes. But that’s not to say its accommodation is shabby – with affordable student accommodation in Huddersfield, Sheffield and Wolverhampton, DIGS has truly earned a spot on the list of the best student accommodation providers in the UK.
5. Homes for Students
Locations available: Aberdeen, Aberystwyth, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, BrightonBristol, Cambridge, Canterbury, Colchester, Coventry, Derby, Dublin, Dundee, Durham. Edinburgh, Egham, Exeter, Glasgow, Guildford, High Wycombe, Kingston Upon Thames, Lancaster, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Norwich, Oxford, Plymouth, Preston, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, St Andrews, Stirling, Stoke-On-Trent, Warwick, York
Homes for Students has over 21,000 student accommodation spaces in over 35 cities across the UK. Homes for Students offers student rooms, studios and apartments all complete with modern furnishings, kitchens, fast WiFi and all-inclusive utility bills. On top of that, there are security and reception teams onsite to ensure that every resident has the best and easiest experience living there.
4. Downing Students
Locations available: Cambridge, Coventry, Exeter, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle
Downing Students has over 30 years of experience in providing student accommodation. What started as a family-run business now has excellent value-for-money student accommodation in 10 cities up and down the UK, with great transport links and access to local amenities.
3. Vita Student
Locations available: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, London, Southampton
Vita Student has one of the best-rated student accommodation experiences. The student accommodation provider has halls in 13 cities across the UK, and living with Vita Student provides students with access to entrepreneurial insights and exclusive events. The halls have en-suite rooms, graduate prospects, and everything else a student might need.
2. CRM Students
Locations available: Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Brighton, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Dundee, Edinburgh, Egham, Exeter, Falmouth, Penryn, Guildford, Hatfield, Kingston upon Thames, Lancaster, Leicester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Stirling, Swansea, Winchester, and York
With a whopping 31 locations, CRM Students has been rated highly for years as one of the biggest student accommodation providers in the UK. CRM Students has 23,000 beds nationwide and all of its student properties are finished to a high standard with studios, shared apartments and boutique rooms on offer.
1. Fresh Student Living
Locations available: Aberdeen, Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Canterbury, Cardiff, Chester, Coventry, Derby, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Kingston, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Newcastle, Norwich, Oxford, Paisley, Sheffield, Stirling, Stoke-on-Trent, Wembley
At the top of our list of the best student accommodation providers in the UK is Fresh Student Living. Fresh Student Living has over 16,000 studios and ensuite rooms in the UK and Ireland, each offering high-quality, all-inclusive student accommodation that focuses on the comfort of its residents. The buildings have social hubs and exclusive events as well as helpful on-site staff who aim to make every student’s experience perfect.