Following last year’s successful CUBO and GSL research collaboration, Building Connections, which took a deep dive into the residence life experience, CUBO and GSL have once again joined forces – this time exploring how faith and ethnicity shape everyday life in shared accommodation. The newly released insight report, Common Ground: Faith, Ethnicity and Belonging in Student Accommodation in the UK & Ireland, draws on GSL Index data from 54,152 students across 1,400 properties in 73 towns and cities in the UK and Ireland, gathered between February and June 2026, to explore what really shapes the accommodation experience for students of different faith and ethnic backgrounds.
The findings present a more nuanced picture than might be expected.
Students from diverse faith backgrounds and racially minoritised ethnic groups are not consistently less likely to feel that they belong in their accommodation. In fact, several groups report levels of belonging and social connection at or above the student average.
But the report also finds that belonging is only part of the story.
Students can feel part of their accommodation community while simultaneously experiencing conflict, practical barriers or cultural misfit in their everyday lives. Shared kitchens, noise, food preparation, attitudes to alcohol, prayer, privacy and different social routines can all become points of negotiation – or friction – when students with different needs and expectations live together.
One of the report’s most significant findings is what it describes as the “community–conflict paradox”.
Around one in four students regularly experience social conflict in their accommodation, with higher rates reported among several faith groups. At the same time, many of these students also report strong friendships and a strong sense of community. The findings suggest that community and conflict are not necessarily opposites – diverse and socially connected communities can create opportunities for friendship and belonging, but also more opportunities for misunderstanding and tension.
This matters well beyond the immediate accommodation experience. While 26% of students overall say they have seriously considered dropping out of university, that figure rises to 50% among students who regularly experience social conflict.
Conflict is also becoming increasingly important to how students judge their accommodation management. Introduced as a new measure in the GSL Index this year, “ability to resolve conflict” is already the second most influential driver of satisfaction with accommodation management, behind responsiveness.
The findings point to a need for accommodation providers to combine community-building with the skills and systems needed to help students live well together – including conflict prevention, mediation, active bystander approaches and culturally confident staff responses.
Other key findings include:
Students of faith are not consistently less likely to feel they belong. Hindu students report the highest belonging score among the faith groups analysed, while Muslim and Sikh students also sit above the all-student average. This suggests that headline measures of belonging may miss some of the more practical challenges students experience in accommodation.
Most students are looking for practical solutions rather than separation. Student feedback points to interest in options such as quiet floors, alcohol-aware environments and events, inclusive food provision, prayer and reflection spaces, and clearer information about services and support. The wider message is that students often want shared environments that make different lifestyles easier to navigate, rather than necessarily wanting to live only with people who share their identity.
International status changes the picture. Some apparent differences associated with faith or ethnicity become more complex when domestic and international students are considered separately, reinforcing the importance of avoiding one-size-fits-all assumptions about particular groups.
Black domestic students report a less positive experience on several important measures. The report finds lower belonging and higher social conflict among Black domestic students, while Black students are also among those most likely to experience difficulties finding part-time work, having enough money to get by and considering dropping out. The findings highlight the need to consider affordability and practical pressure as part of the inclusion agenda.
Alongside its exploration of faith and ethnicity, Common Ground also provides an updated picture of the wider student accommodation experience. Value for money has returned as the leading driver of overall accommodation satisfaction, reflecting continued financial pressure on students.
Ultimately, the report argues that inclusive accommodation is shaped by the everyday details of shared living – how kitchens work, how noise and conflict are managed, how social events are designed, how concerns are reported and responded to, and whether students with different routines and values can live comfortably alongside one another.
There is also considerable common ground. Across backgrounds, most students want their accommodation to offer the same fundamental things: rest, safety, respect, connection and a sense of home.
The challenge for providers is to create shared environments where differences are expected, practical needs are anticipated, and students are supported in navigating the everyday realities of living alongside one another.
With practical recommendations spanning specialist accommodation, event design, signposting and conflict resolution – including a case study on the University of Leeds’ restorative approach to flatmate disputes – Common Ground offers valuable insight for private and university accommodation operators, accommodation and student services teams, and policymakers alike.
Interested in learning more?
Read the full report here.
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.
