Prestigious Scottish university faces student accommodation crisis

Earlier this month, the University of St Andrews acknowledged receiving direct requests for help from more than 130 homeless students. The Campaign for Affordable Student Housing (CASH) reported 400 students who identified themselves as still homeless.

In an Aug. 4 response to students regarding the housing crisis, the university cited “external factors” beyond its control as the cause of the shortage of available housing.

These factors include a recently imposed cap on multi-occupancy homes in St Andrews and the significant conversion of student rentals to Airbnbs, following the Private Housing Act in 2017 which increased tenant rights, and the recent OpenChampionship.

New students at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbor walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year.

The acceptance of a much larger number of students in 2020 and 2021 following the pandemic-induced decision by the UK and Scottish Governments to award A-Level exam results and above through grades assessed by the teachers was also cited as a factor.

CASH said it held the university primarily responsible for the housing crisis, citing the demolition of Albany Park in 2018 and the postponed construction date for a new hall, now scheduled for completion in 2026.

The organization also cites St Andrews’ acceptance of 40% more postgraduate students in 2020 as a key issue – students whose admission was not mandated by the government.

The university has publicly announced that it is providing alternative housing for people in need. In 2020, the first year the new class of students exceeded the capacity of existing residences, St Andrews partnered with purpose-built student accommodation provider Mears Student Life to provide students with rooms in The Old Mill , student housing. in Dundee.

Although the university has described The Old Mill as being located “near Dundee”, the residence’s webpage also states that it takes almost an hour to travel from the hall to St Andrews via public transport. common.

And although the university has assured students they will be housed in ‘dedicated blocks at St Andrews’, the page also says Old Mill students will have access to unions and libraries at the universities of Dundee and England. Abertay – an acknowledgment of the level of separation between The Old Mill and St Andrews facilities.

A total of 96% of those placed at The Old Mill in their first year told CASH that this sense of separation “had a serious negative impact on their mental health” and affected their studies.

“Many fly around the world to study at St Andrews,” CASH said in a statement. “They didn’t choose Dundee and for many students, especially those with disabilities or practicing, this offer is simply not an option.”

Despite the university’s claims there is plenty of accommodation available in Dundee for those who need it, it is believed that many requests for student accommodation at The Old Mill have been ignored or even rejected.

One parent said: ‘Our daughter has taken the university’s suggestion to apply for the extra Dundee dorms. [But] she didn’t hear anything and we are three weeks away from the start of the school year. Other parents tell us they were refused a place in Dundee and applied in mid-July.

Panicked parents are forced to look for other options, including long-term Airbnb rentals, hotel stays or even buying houses in or around St Andrews.

‘We decided we were ready to buy property just to keep it at school,’ writes the parent of a third-year student, who is about to fly to St Andrews and pay cash a property to provide accommodation for her daughter.

But for the majority of parents, such options do not seem financially feasible.

“We were hoping to find something for no more than £700 a month but it’s proving almost impossible,” says Chris Reilly, the mother of a second year student who has been house hunting since March. “We feel pretty well hopeless.”

In light of the crisis, many parents are being forced to consider postponing or withdrawing their students despite non-refundable tuition payments made months ago, and are expressing disappointment at the lack of transparency in the university regarding the housing shortage.

A frustrated mother said: ‘When we visited the college in 2019 we were assured that accommodation was very available and that the university is very focused on student needs and concerns. We found the opposite.

“The university has not only misled incoming students about housing, it is denying the extent of the crisis.”

A spokesperson for the University of St Andrews said: ‘We greatly sympathize with the stress students have reported looking for flats in a housing environment that is more pressured than ever. At St Andrews this year, this is linked to a greater lack of properties available on the rental market for reasons entirely beyond the university’s control. Many of these factors are common to universities across the country.

“We will continue to prioritize new freshmen to ensure they have accommodation in time for the start of the semester. The University of St Andrews guarantees an offer of accommodation to all first year undergraduate students who have applied.

“St Andrews currently has more university-run accommodation per capita than almost any other university in the UK. Over 40% of our students live in halls of residence.”

A Universities Scotland spokesperson said: “We agree with NUS Scotland that every student should have a safe and affordable place to live. We will continue to work with NUS Scotland to achieve this and are fully engaged in the Scottish Government’s review of purpose-built student accommodation.

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