Rise in 'commuter students' due to living costs
The number of UK university students planning to live at home has risen significantly due to high living costs, with Ucas data showing a 39.8% increase from 2017 to 2026. Students like Bethany Fearne and Ez Spring cite financial savings and the ability to maintain family ties and employment as primary reasons for commuting. Experts note that while this trend preserves support networks, it may limit immersion in traditional campus life, prompting some universities to adapt their schedules and accommodation offerings.
- ▪Ucas figures indicate that 748,060 people intended to live at home during their university course in 2026, up from 535,090 in 2017.
- ▪Nick Hillman from the Higher Education Policy Institute identifies rent, which can reach £1,000 a month, as the single biggest cost driving students to commute.
- ▪More than 81,000 UK 18-year-olds stated in their accepted applications this year that they intended to live at home.
- ▪Some universities are responding to the commuter trend by reducing on-campus attendance to three days a week and providing hotel-style accommodation.
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| Publication time | Thu, 24 Sep 2026 05:05:35 GMT |
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Rise in 'commuter students' due to living costsImage source, Oliver Whitfield-Miocic/BBCImage caption, Bethany Fearne, a law student, said she was still involved in university activities such as the Colour Run despite living at homeByOliver Whitfield-Miocic, Reporting fromin Canterbury and Hsin-Yi Lo, South EastPublished1 minute agoAttending university has traditionally been a rite of passage that involves moving away from home and transitioning into an independent life. However, the reality is different for a growing number of students who say they will instead be staying at home and travelling to their seminars due to the cost of living.
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