India is the top international source market for students attending university in Sheffield

The United Kingdom has always been one of the top student destinations with its highly-acclaimed academic institutions alongside countries like New Zealand, Australia, Spain, and Canada. In fact, many cities and towns in the UK are known to be exclusively university city for having a major university and many student accommodation, resulting in the population being made up of mostly international students.

Some of the well-known cities in the UK that attract students are London, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham. However, according to Casita’s recent data, Sheffield is a leading destination amongst UK cities targeted by students. It’s most likely due to the fact that Sheffield has one of the world-top 100 universities, The University of Sheffield, which is also a member of the prestigious Russell Group. It also has Sheffield Hallam University, which was named the University of the year according to the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide in 2020.

According to Casita’s data, the top international source market for students attending university in Sheffield is India. Data showed that 26 % of the overall bookings in Sheffield were from Indian students, while 13% were from Taiwanese students. Malaysia came third with a booking percentage of 8.60%.

Students from India are highly interested in the UK, especially Sheffield, due to the attractive scholarships offered by the University of Sheffield at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university offers subject-specific scholarships as well as merit-based scholarships worth around £7,000 per year. Sheffield Hallam University also offers scholarships for students coming from India, Indonesia and Thailand. Another factor that played into the surge in Indian students booking in Sheffield is the facilitation of applying for a student loan which makes it financially easier.

Overall, data showed that Sheffield is highly popular amongst students from Asia, especially students from China, Thailand, Taiwan and India. The city is among the top 20 most affordable UK university cities with discounts at every corner; therefore, it is popular amongst students on a budget. It also has a diverse community with students coming from more than 150 countries.

Futher examination of the overall booking percentage showed that most students prefer certain room types over others. Out of the overall booking percentage, 50.9% of the students booked an en-suite room, 38.60% booked a studio room, and only 1.37% booked a twin room.

Data collected from international students from India, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Egypt examined the average weekly price spent by students in Sheffield. Chinese students spent the most on their rooms, followed by Taiwanese, Thai students, and Indian students.

Casita’s confirmed bookings showed that Sheffield was the 4th on the list for average weekly spend on student accommodation in the UK.

Finally, as a student destination, Sheffield offers a vibrant social scene for students as well as many green spaces and chances for adventure. There is also a great cultural scene with the Walk of Fame outside the Town Hall as well as many iconic music festivals like Tramlines.

All of the above-highlighted findings are collected data from Casita and are not indicative of the wider student accommodations market.

You can read the full Sheffield Student Room 2021 report from Casita here.

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