Tag: Barrier

  • Removing the rent guarantor barrier to safe and stable accommodation

    Removing the rent guarantor barrier to safe and stable accommodation

    Universities talk about widening participation – but how many ensure every student has a home to go to, so they really can participate?

    Rent guarantor requirements are a routine part of student housing, yet they exclude those without family support. It’s time for the sector to take responsibility for removing this barrier.

    Most students will need a rent guarantor to secure university halls or private housing.

    Imagine how much harder that is if you can’t turn to family members for that support – often the case for young people that have experience of the care system or are estranged from their parents.

    Young people in this position can face sofa surfing, dangerous housing situations and dropping out of university. According to NUS research in 2024, 14 per cent of low-income students are reconsidering university due to accommodation costs – with guarantor requirements cited as a major barrier.

    Lack of information is a compounding issue. Students without easy access to a guarantor might not even know they need one until the moment they go to sign a new contract with peers – often with whom they have not shared their status and only known for a matter of weeks.

    Getting things clear

    At the Unite Foundation, we encourage all universities to include clear information about rent guarantors on their housing webpages and on any other pages specifically for students like care leavers, estranged, or international students. It’s vital that any student without UK family to rely on knows what a rent guarantor is before having to suddenly find one or miss out on a home at university.

    In Summer 2025, we commissioned a student-led audit of over 180 university websites. 60% included clear information about rent guarantors. This is positive progress, up from 45% in 2024 and 36% in 2022 when we started this work. But that’s still 40% of university websites that don’t provide clear information about this key element of the university accommodation journey.

    Impact of Renters Rights Act

    When the Renters Rights Act comes into force in 2026, it will shift the challenge faced by students unable to secure a guarantor.

    Despite lobbying by NUS for the abolition of guarantor requirements entirely, the Act will not stop landlords from requiring a guarantor, but it will limit upfront rent payments to a maximum of one month’s rent.

    Whilst a positive step for the majority of students, the unintended consequence may be to prevent students who are unable to source a guarantor from making a large advance rent payment instead. Paying large advances causes its own set of issues for students, but is often seen as the lesser of two evils compared to homelessness.

    It’s anticipated that the legislation may stimulate an increased market for commercial guarantor providers. Commercial providers – companies which act as guarantor for a fee – can be a valuable service, but it is a varied market that sits outside Financial Conduct Authority regulation.

    Emerging fees can be between 4 and 15 per cent of annual rent if paying upfront, and up to 20 per cent if paying monthly. Disadvantaged students paying an unregulated premium to access a routine tenancy would be a perverse outcome of measures intended to strengthen tenant rights.

    What are the alternatives?

    The Unite Foundation has launched our Blueprint for a #HomeAtUniversity – a guide to support universities in ensuring a safe and stable home for care experienced and estranged students. We set out six areas through which universities and PBSA providers can use housing as a widening participation tool. And removing the rent guarantor barrier is one of these.

    We know that the context of each university is different, and there are different ways to approach removing the rent guarantor barrier.

    Universities like Imperial and Cardiff offer their own guarantor schemes. Some university halls don’t require a guarantor at all. Other universities cover the cost of a commercial guarantor provider, through a negotiated partnership between provider and university.

    And it’s great to see Unite Students, our founder and long-term champion, pilot an approach enabling their university partners to step into the role of guarantor for care-experienced and estranged students, at zero cost or risk.

    Availability of safe, affordable accommodation is at the heart of many current social policy debates and like wise is fundamental to the sustainability and accessibility of higher education.

    There are significant structural issues at a national level in ensuring a home at university for all students – including lack of coordination between universities and local authorities and the level of student maintenance loan. At the Unite Foundation, we do not believe that practice in universities and PBSA providers should replace systemic change. But we also believe that whilst we wait for that change, there is more impact that accommodation providers at university can make.

    At the Unite Foundation we are here to help with case studies and peer support webinars sharing what is happening on the ground in the sector. If you deliver an intervention evidenced to support a safe and stable home at university for care experienced and estranged students, or if you want to learn more about what your university could be doing, please get in touch.

    A safe and stable #HomeAtUniversity isn’t a luxury — it’s a prerequisite for participation, success, and equity in higher education.

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  • Policy uncertainty emerges as top barrier to student mobility 

    Policy uncertainty emerges as top barrier to student mobility 

    While affordability remains the greatest obstacle for students, IDP Education’s new Emerging Futures survey has revealed the growing impact of sudden and unclear policy changes shaping students’ international study decisions.  

    “Students and families are prepared to make sacrifices to afford their international education dreams. They can adjust budgets, seek scholarships and rely on part-time work. But they cannot plan for uncertainty,” said IDP chief partnerships officer Simon Emmett.  

    “When the rules change, without warning or clarity, trust falls away. Students hesitate, delay, or choose to study elsewhere.” 

    Drawing on the views of nearly 8,000 international students from 134 countries between July and August 2025, the results highlighted the critical importance of study destinations communicating policy changes to sustain trust among students.  

    The US and UK were rated the lowest for providing clear guidance on visas and arrivals processes, while New Zealand was identified as the top communicator in this respect.  

    What’s more, the UK saw the steepest rise in students withdrawing from plans to study there, indicating recent policy changes including plans to shorten the Graduate Route and increase compliance metrics for universities are creating uncertainty among international students. 

    Of the students who said they were pivoting away from major study destinations, over half (51%) indicated tuition fees had become unaffordable and one in five said it was too difficult to obtain a visa.  

    In markets such as Malaysia, the Philippines and the UAE, students reported delaying or redirecting applications almost immediately after unclear announcements by major destinations, the report said. 

    Meanwhile Canada’s share of withdrawals was shown to have eased, indicating messaging is helping to rebuild stability, the authors suggested, though Canadian study permit issuance has fallen dramatically in 2025.

    Without that stability, even the most attractive destinations risk losing trust

    Simon Emmett, IDP

    Despite policy disruptions in Australia over recent years, the country remained the most popular first-choice destination globally, ranked highly for value for money, graduate employment opportunities and post-study work pathways.  

    At the same time, many respondents flagged sensitivities to recent visa and enrolment changes, highlighting the need for consistent and transparent messaging to maintain Australia’s competitiveness, according to IDP.  

    The US saw the largest decline in popularity, dropping to third place behind Australia and the UK. 

    NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw said the findings should serve as a “wake-up call” that policy uncertainty has real human and economic costs, emphasising the need for “clear and consistent” communication from institutions and policymakers.  

    “Students are paying close attention to how the US administration handles student visas and post-study experiential learning opportunities like Optional Practical Training,” said Aw. 

    Visa restrictions and policy hostility have rocked the US under Trump’s second presidency, with global visa appointments suspended for nearly a month this summer, as well as thousands of student visa revocations and travel restrictions on 12 nations.  

    Post-study work opportunities are increasingly fragile in the US with government plans to overhaul the H-1B skilled worker visa to favour better paid jobs and OPT coming under increased scrutiny from policymakers. 

    Emmett highlighted the knock-on effect of these policy shocks, with student journeys being disrupted “not by ambition, but by uncertainty”. 

    “Countries that provide predictability will win the confidence of students and their families. Without that stability, even the most attractive destinations risk losing trust,” he said. 

    Despite financial and political challenges, demand for global study remained strong, with half of all prospective students intending to apply within six months, and a further 29% within a year. 

    South Asia emerged as the main driver of intent, with more than 60% of students surveyed from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh preparing near-term applications, though this region was also the most sensitive to abrupt or confusing policy shifts.  

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  • Cost Remains Primary Barrier to Study Abroad

    Cost Remains Primary Barrier to Study Abroad

    Three in four U.S. students say they hope or plan to study abroad, but a lack of financial resources may hinder those dreams, according to a 2025 Terra Dotta survey.

    The survey, which included responses from 275 college students, found that 80 percent of students said insufficient funds would prevent them from studying abroad. Of respondents who have studied abroad or committed to a program abroad, two in five students said they expect to pay over $10,000 for their experiences.

    Terra Dotta’s report also noted students want more clarity from their institution about financial aid opportunities to address study abroad expenses.

    Methodology

    Terra Dotta’s survey included 275 respondents from two- and four-year colleges and universities, both public and private. The study was fielded in February. A majority of respondents had plans to study abroad or had studied abroad previously.

    Barriers to access: Study abroad is linked to personal and professional development for participants. A 2024 survey of students from Terra Dotta found that those who studied abroad said the experience helped them identify adaptability and resilience, cross-cultural communication, and problem-solving in new situations as the benefits most useful for their future careers.

    However, not every student is able to participate due to financial burdens; among students who don’t plan to study abroad, 48 percent attributed their decision to financial concerns. Cost of attendance is one of the top reasons college students leave higher education, and it can also be a barrier to student participation in on-campus events. A 2024 Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab found that 17 percent of students would get more involved in campus activities and events if attendance or participation were less expensive.

    Other reasons a student might choose not to study abroad include safety concerns (40 percent), geopolitical issues (28 percent) and worried parents (25 percent). Three-quarters of respondents indicated the wars in Ukraine and Gaza impacted their interest in going abroad.

    Academic requirements and a lack of alignment are other challenges for students. Eighteen percent of students said they wouldn’t study abroad due to their major program requirements, and 16 percent think greater alignment between their field of study and study abroad would make the experience more accessible.

    Seventeen percent of respondents said they don’t know anything about study abroad or haven’t heard of opportunities, “indicating an opportunity for [colleges] to reach more students,” according to the report.

    Footing the bill: When asked to add up tuition, housing, airfare and other expenses, 83 percent of respondents said they plan to spend or spent more than $5,000 on study abroad, and 11 percent said the experience costs roughly $15,000.

    Twelve percent of respondents said study abroad experiences were included in their tuition, so they expect to pay nothing additional. Approximately one in five students said they’d pay for study abroad experiences themselves, a 20 percent change from the previous year, according to the report.

    Student respondents indicated they want their institution to take on a larger role in addressing the cost of study abroad; one-third of respondents said colleges could make study abroad experiences more accessible by providing more education on financial aid for such programs. If respondents could give their campus advice on improving study abroad experiences, two-thirds said they’d like easier access to financial aid.

    Other trends: In addition to the barriers to study abroad, Terra Dotta’s report explored student interests and development related to the experience.

    The U.K. is the most popular study abroad destination for respondents (41 percent), mirroring an emerging trend among U.S. students indicating interest in U.K. undergraduate education. Australia (32 percent), Spain (26 percent), Italy (21 percent) and Ireland (21 percent) were other popular destinations. Only 1 percent of students said they planned to travel to China to study.

    Three in five respondents said they think study abroad is at least somewhat important for their personal growth, and about a third said experiencing personal growth is one of the top reasons they plan to study abroad.

    Of students who had completed a study abroad experience (n=170), a majority said it impacted their worldview by exposing them to new ideas. Students said they were most surprised by social norms and etiquette (47 percent), as well as dining and food customs (24 percent) and the local educational system and values (24 percent).

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