Concerns as the surge in Chinese students doesn’t match current PBSA performance
Recent headlines suggest an increase in the number of Chinese students in the UK. The UCAS website shows that the UK’s higher education sector is attractive to many international undergraduate students. However, concerns are rising as the emerging statistics don’t account for every single applicant, and as a result housing operators are struggling to prove why their current performance doesn’t match the apparent surge in numbers.
Surge in Chinese students
This year, data illustrates a 2.7% increase in international undergraduate applicants through UCAS, compared to last year’s figures. The site says, “The largest increases were in applicants from China (+2,540), Ireland (+750) and the USA (+700).”
According to SI-UK, the top five universities with the most Chinese students are University College London (9,840), University of Manchester (8,645), University of Edinburgh (6,375), Imperial College London (6,105), and University of Warwick (5,485.)
Postgrad decline
However, the UCAS figures showing an increase in Chinese students don’t account for every single applicant as they were taken in January.
The site states, “These figures come from the UCAS Equal Consideration Deadline, which took place on 29 January, which normally accounts for approximately 80% of applicants in any given cycle.” Therefore, the figures aren’t entirely representative of whether Chinese student numbers in the UK has actually increased in 2025 as applications are still being submitted.
The official UCAS site advertises that anyone wishing to apply for a university or college place via UCAS this year can continue to do so, using the main application service until 30 June, before Clearing opens and more applications are submitted.
Dan Smith from RESI Consultancy, recently posted a report on LinkedIn that stated Chinese post graduate numbers have declined in recent years. On top of this, he says, “A 25% drop in UK student visas granted to Chinese students from Sept 2021 to Sept 2024.”
Biggest concerns for Chinese students in UK
Rostrum Education says that “The average monthly living expenses for international students in the UK can range from £1,200 to £1,400 in London and £900 to £1,100 outside London.” For international students who are paying higher tuition fees and paying for visas as well, the cost-of-living crisis is proving to be a big stopping factor.
To ensure they are getting better value for money, Chinese students are prioritising high-ranking universities, this is proven by the SI-UK statistic that showed the top five most popular universities for Chinese students. As a result, this is impacting accommodation choices too.
How this affects landlords and accommodation choices
The StuRents latest annual report states that “Wealthy Chinese students are paying £66 a week or 42% more in rent than their British counterparts.” It found that in the 2024-25 cycle, British students paid an average of £158 per week on rent, while those from China were forking out £224 per week.
The LandlordZone says “Returning British students still favour HMOs, with 78% choosing them compared with 21% who opt for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), however it’s exactly the reverse with Chinese students.
A study from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) says: "UK universities are highly reliant on Chinese students for financial stability, with Chinese international students paying £2.3 billion a year in fees.
Overall verdict
Whilst the overall 8.9% increase in UCAS undergrad applications is a positive thing, with students having less money to spend, the postgraduate market decreasing, and the unsurety over whether the figure is exactly representative – it is safe to say landlords should be cautious over how they interpret the data.
