GSL and CUBO’s 2024 joint research report: Closing the Gap: the experience of vulnerable students in student accommodation highlighted that room allocation practices and a lack of choice around who they live with can negatively impact the student experience. Students frequently expressed a desire for more choice around who they live with (e.g. ethnicity, gender, sexuality and stage of study) and where they live (for example, ‘quiet’ floors).

In response to these findings, in the 2024 Q4 wave of the GSL Index, for the first time we asked students about specialist accommodation.

Students in specialist accommodation more satisfied

Generally living in some form of specialist accommodation sees higher levels of satisfaction and a higher sense of community, but satisfaction varies considerably across different types.

Interestingly satisfaction is notably lower for those living in ‘postgraduate only’ and ‘international student only’ accommodation and satisfaction is actually higher for these groups in non-specialist accommodation. ‘Single sex’ accommodation also has lower levels of satisfaction.

Conversely, ‘quiet floors/accommodation’, ‘accessible accommodation’, ‘student mixed with non-students’, ‘alcohol-free’, ‘LGBTQ’, ‘religious student accommodation’ and ‘family accommodation’ all have higher levels of satisfaction.

 Not in specialist accomQuiet floor / accomAccessible accomSingle sexMix of students / ProfessionalsPG onlyIntl Student onlyAlcohol freeLGBTStudents on courseReligiousFamily
Satisfaction – Positive80%88%86%80%84%76%77%83%87%84%86%92%
Sense of community61%70%69%64%66%60%68%67%74%72%74%75%

While satisfaction levels are not significantly higher, wellbeing impact is significantly more positive for those living with students from their course, and they are also much less likely to have struggles that impact their experience with significantly lower levels of stress/anxiety, struggles with meeting new people, loneliness, study skills and making the most of their time at university.

‘Quiet’ Accommodation delivers all-round positive impact

The most common type of specialist accommodation was quiet accommodation. Those who say they live in ‘quiet’ accommodation see some of the most notable benefits:

  • Significantly more likely to say their accommodation is having a positive impact on their wellbeing
  • Significantly higher levels of satisfaction
  • Less likely to have struggles that impact their university experience.
  • More likely to say they will be staying on in the same accommodation next year.

On first glance, it looks like specialist accommodation that suits a way of life or interest has a more positive impact on students than assigning people based on demographic traits.

Alcohol-free accommodation

A 2018 National Union of Students (NUS) survey on student preferences around alcohol free accommodation found that students who said they would prefer alcohol-free accommodation are not making the choice purely because they do not drink or for religious reasons. Unsurprisingly, the NUS found that “preference for alcohol free halls increases as personal alcohol consumption decreases. e.g. 4% of respondents who drink alcohol 2-3 days a week said they’d be likely to choose these halls compared with 7% who drink once a week”.

However, it is interesting to note that students who drink alcohol are also interested in alcohol-free accommodation, with safety and wellbeing being key drivers. Students surveyed by the NUS said they believed that living in alcohol-free accommodation would improve academic performance and have a positive impact on wellbeing. Students also reported that they believed that alcohol-free accommodation would increase safety by reducing the possibility of harassment, violence and antisocial behaviour.

Those answering the GSL Index this wave who live in alcohol free accommodation were the most likely type of specialist accommodation to prioritise safety and security when searching for their accommodation (along with students in accessible accommodation). Those in alcohol free accommodation were also less likely to struggle with stress/anxiety and suffer with financial struggles.

About the GSL Index

The GSL Index is the world’s leading student insight platform and performance improvement tool for both university and private student accommodation providers. Throughout the year, the GSL Index surveys hundreds of thousands of students across 15 countries and in 15 different languages, on all aspects of their student accommodation experience. 

The Index brings together a range of standardised local, regional and global KPIs alongside bespoke insights from custom questions developed to meet the specific needs of accommodation providers.  With responses from over one million students since its inception, and more than 250 million data points, data from the GSL Index provides rich insight into what students expect from their accommodation and the factors that drive student satisfaction.

To get involved in the GSL Index, go to the GSL website: https://gslglobal.com/index/ to register.