As everyone knows, September to October marks the prime application period for studying in the UK.During this phase, offer issuance is relatively lenient, with less stringent scrutiny of applicants and fewer competitors.With only two months remaining until this year’s peak application season, time is running short.For those preparing to study in the UK, beyond securing university admissions, addressing post-offer needs like housing, food, and transportation is equally critical.
This brings us to the core issue: the cost of studying abroad.Expenses typically include tuition, living costs, and accommodation, with the latter being the most volatile due to reliance on university housing supply and local rental market dynamics.
1. Current State of University Accommodation in the UK
Let’s examine the accommodation landscape in British universities.Factors like prolonged planning approval processes, inflation-driven price hikes, and expensive land costs have led to severe shortages. Projections indicate a national student housing deficit of 621,373 units by 2026.
In 2023/2024, only 15,000 Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) units were in the planning pipeline nationwide—a 28% decline from the previous year.In the 2020/2021 academic year, London universities hosted 370,000 students, yet only 97,000 PBSA units received approval.This forces most students to seek off-campus housing.
2. Skyrocketing Rents in the UK
Is off-campus housing a stress-free solution?Any student who has endured the UK rental market knows it’s a nightmare.Projections suggest Greater London’s population will exceed 10 million by 2035, necessitating 66,000 new homes annually to bridge the housing gap.
Consequently, UK home prices and rents continue to climb, with London leading the surge.Rents have become unbearable!
London’s average home price has risen 9.62% annually over 55 years, while the rental market has grown for 17 consecutive quarters—including a 6.1% year-on-year increase in London rents.The twin pressures of limited university housing and broader shortages keep off-campus rents elevated, inflating study costs.
3. Cost Breakdown for Studying in London
We’ve received numerous messages like this:
“Studying in the UK is insanely expensive this year! The dollar’s volatility and inflated pound have multiplied costs!”But where there’s a problem, there’s a solution.Enter the "buy-to-let" strategy—a game-changer for parents and students.
The logic is simple:
Self-occupancy: Eliminate high rents by owning your home.
Rental income: Offset living expenses through tenant payments.
Capital gains: Sell the property later to recoup costs via appreciation.
Let’s crunch the numbers for UCL:
1. Tuition
Undergraduate: £29,800–£53,400
Postgraduate: £33,000–£65,500
2. Student Accommodation
Many inexperienced students prefer university dorms for convenience.At UCL, en-suite rooms are moderately competitive, but roommate assignments are random—often pairing students with Indian housemates (no offense intended!).For solo living, studios are available but harder to secure.At other universities with subpar housing, issues arise:
Shared bathrooms/kitchens
Summer relocation hassles/storage fees
Cramped, privacy-lacking spaces
Imagine returning to a mess like this:
Terrifying, right?
Even if you avoid dormitory chaos, off-campus rents are staggering.
Zoopla data shows a one-bedroom apartment near UCL’s WC1 campus costs £3,263/month (via Foxtons).
3. Living Expenses
In high-cost London, monthly expenses average £1,050.90 (~¥9,500 RMB), or £12,610 annually (~¥113,000 RMB). For a three-year UCL bachelor’s degree, total costs could reach £2–3 million—enough to buy a London property outright! Investing that sum in real estate offers comfort, savings, and rental income, with potential resale profits down the line.
4. Advantages of "Buy-to-Let"
Benefits include:
Covering 4+ years of tuition with rental income and capital gains
Owning a tangible asset in a global financial hub
Post-graduation rental income if returning home
Diversifying assets and hedging risks while securing future living options
Intrigued by the "buy-to-let" strategy?
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If you have any questions about buying a property in the UK, please feel free to contact us directly.
