More than a decade of Global Student Living Index data confirms that a student’s experience on moving in day sets the tone for their entire tenancy and significantly impacts satisfaction. There is also a strong relationship between a student’s moving in experience and the likelihood of renewal – residents reporting a ‘very good’ moving in experience are significantly more likely to renew than those who had a very negative moving in experience. This pattern holds true regardless of whether students are domestic or international. However, recent findings from the Autumn (2025 Q4) wave of the Global Student Living Index reveal small but meaningful declines in performance on this critical touchpoint.
Autumn 2025: a slight step backwards
The latest Autumn wave (2025 Q4) of the GSL Index shows modest shifts across several aspects of the moving in experience for both university-managed and private student accommodation in the UK and Ireland.
Key performance metrics
- Arrival instructions. Student satisfaction with arrival instructions fell slightly to 77% (down from 78% the previous year). The gap between accommodation types remains narrow, with university halls at 77% and private operators at 78%.
- Cleanliness continues to be a pain point, with only 72% of students rating it positively – a one-point decline from last Autumn. Interestingly, university accommodation edges ahead here (74% versus 71%), suggesting that private operators may need to refocus attention on this fundamental expectation.
- Finding the accommodation proved slightly more challenging this year. Satisfaction dropped one percentage point to 81%, though private halls maintain a marginal advantage (82% versus 81% for university accommodation).
- Online induction experiences declined from 72% to 71% satisfaction. Private providers performed notably better (73%) compared to university halls (68%), highlighting a potential area where technology-enabled onboarding could differentiate operators.
- Parking remains the most challenging aspect of moving in experiences, though modest progress has been made. This year, 54% of students rated parking positively, up from 53% in Autumn 2024. University accommodation performs better overall (54% versus 50% for private halls), while private operators saw a six-percentage-point drop since last year that suggests the need for more attention in this area.
The human touch holds steady
Two aspects of the moving in experience bucked the downward trend:
- Staff welcome maintained its 82% satisfaction rate. Private halls continue their strong showing at 83%, while university accommodation saw a small uplift from 78% to 79%.
- Welcome from fellow students also held at 69%. Here, the dynamic reverses: students in university halls (71%) feel more welcomed by their peers than those in private accommodation (69%), despite the latter scoring higher on staff interactions.
Improving the moving in experience
Analysis of thousands of free-text comments from the Autumn 2025 GSL Index highlights a set of recurring, fixable issues shaping how students perceive their first day. While many operators run smooth, well-managed arrivals, persistent pain points erode the experience for many students. The following practical suggestions, grounded in student feedback via free-text comments, can help providers strengthen this critical touchpoint.
- Raise the standard of pre-arrival cleaning and maintenance. Students frequently mentioned arriving to rooms with visible dirt, mould, stained carpets, and poorly cleaned bathrooms and kitchens. Many felt they had to spend their first hours cleaning before they could unpack, which detracted from the excitement of arrival. One student noted:
“When I first moved in to the accommodation, it was dirty which is very worrisome for me. I raised the issue and the reception said they would send a cleaner in, but they didn’t. So, I spent 1-2 hours cleaning before I could unpack, and I still couldn’t get the stain out if the carpet.”
- Improve clarity and consistency of arrival instructions. Students frequently reported unclear emails, conflicting move-in times, and difficulty locating their building. However, many students who reported a positive moving in experience attributed this to the effectiveness of their arrival instructions. As one resident explained:
“My moving in experience was really good. … When I eventually got to my accommodation, I wasn’t stressed at all because I already got a check-in video sent to me weeks before. So, I had an idea of how it was going to be – how I’m going to meet someone at the reception, I’m going to sign, I’m going to get my access card given to me. So, I already knew all that before coming in.”
Based on student feedback, providing students with a single, consolidated arrival email 5–7 days before move-in with maps, parking guidance, and clear time slots as well as short video walk-throughs showing the route from nearby transport points or car parks to reception as well as key information around things such as wi-fi and waste disposal is likely to have a significant positive impact on the experience:
“My moving in experience was mostly positive as staff were friendly. However, it would have been even better if there had been clear guidance before arrival. For example, a detailed checklist or video explaining key procedures, like key collection, waste disposal and internet setup.”
- Minimise parking challenges with better communication. Students report limited availability, unclear instructions about parking locations, and difficulty finding spaces during peak moving times. Many described making multiple trips on foot when unable to park close to their buildings, with some forced to use double yellow lines or distant multi-storey car parks. However, what is clear from student comments is that many parking frustrations can be solved by setting realistic parking expectations upfront and, where possible, by providing trolleys for students who might have a significant distance to cover from the parking drop-off point to their building.
“More communication about specifics such as parking could have been shared via email, the rest of the experience was great.”
“Moving boxes and belongings into the building was a bit difficult as the parking facilities are a bit far from the entrance to my building, but trolleys were provided to facilitate the process, so it was feasible!”
- Strengthen on-the-ground support during move-in. While many praised helpful reception staff and student volunteers, others highlighted gaps -including unstaffed reception desks, volunteers unable to help carry luggage to upper floors, and inconsistent instructions about where to go. Many students reported that they would have appreciated an induction to equipment and facilities such as recycling. One student explains:
“While the staff were friendly, I think better signage and clearer instructions about where to go and what to do would have made things less stressful. It would have also helped to have someone available to show us around or explain how things work, like how to use the heating and where the bins are and how to access support. Having a welcome pack with essentials like Wi-Fi info, key, contacts, rules, cleaning schedule would be really help useful especially for international students like me or those moving for the first time.“
- Offer inclusive and well-timed welcome events. Many students reported that they would have appreciated some welcome events to help break the ice with other residents. Others, suggested that a range of different types of events were required – e.g. events for early arrivals, quieter events for introverts, events for returning students, and events for specific floors etc. Several noted the importance of continuing to have events throughout welcome week to support those who might have arrived late:
“As I moved in a few days later than most residents, I missed out on some of the welcome events. It would be good if they had had more welcome events throughout the first week rather than just on the first weekend.”
“Some flat-specific/floor-specific events would be good.“
Taken together, these insights show that while most students experience a generally smooth and supportive process, the small moments that fall through the gaps – a room that is not ready, unclear instructions, or a lack of welcome – carry disproportionate weight in shaping long-term satisfaction. For operators, this presents an opportunity: thoughtful preparation, clear communication, and visible support during those first few hours can deliver meaningful improvements at relatively low cost, strengthening both the resident experience and long-term loyalty.
Looking ahead
Data from the Autumn or ‘entry’ wave of the GSL Index survey is used to calculate the Best Booking Experience and Best Moving In Experience categories in the Global Student Living Awards for the UK & Ireland and Europe. Feedback gathered in the upcoming Spring/’exit’ wave will determine the Finalists and Winners of all other award categories. Winners of all awards will be announced at an awards ceremony in London in October 206.
Watch this space for the announcement of the finalists for the Best Booking Experience and Best Moving In Experience categories for 2026, which will be announced next week!
For accommodation providers seeking to benchmark their performance and contribute to industry insights, registration for the GSL Index is available at https://gslglobal.com/index/
