Triangle Shape
Circle ShapeHearth Shape

REPORT

European Student Living Monitor 2024

Country Highlights

Explore the Country Highlights section to discover key facts and notable aspects that highlight each country's unique situation

Respondents by countries:

Finland

711

Netherlands

741

Denmark

416

Sweden

534

Ireland

616

Austria

972

Spain

2,703

Italy

372

Germany

752

Iceland

293

United Kingdom

4,819

Belgium

178

Poland

212

Portugal

128

France

315

Other

397

Finland

711

Netherlands

741

Denmark

416

Sweden

534

Ireland

616

Austria

972

Spain

2,703

Italy

372

Germany

752

Iceland

293

United Kingdom

4,819

Belgium

178

Poland

212

Portugal

128

France

315

Other

397

At the Country Level

The research at the country level suggests some powerful findings about accommodation types, services and facilities which have the most positive impact on students.

The findings from Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands are of particular interest as these countries report the most positive impact of living environment on well-being.

The countries where mental health was reported as the best are Germany, Austria and Italy. The countries where respondents felt the greatest impact from their living environment are Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal are also the countries where respondents were most likely to recommend their accommodation

Country highlights

Explore country snapshots across Europe. For more in-depth reporting, visit our interactive open-source dashboard

The effects of different accommodation types

Consistently more positive living experience are reported by those staying in PBSA, who average an MHI-5 score of 58.1 as compared with other rented accommodation (55.4). This shows that student having agency to make the choice that best fits their needs, and preference is critical to having a positive impact on their living experience.

Those living at home have a much lower score of just 49.7, and if they ended up living at home due to lack of alternatives, the MHI-5 score drops to 45.1.

Download the Chart
Download the Chart

WHAT DO STUDENTS SAY

Living in PBSA: I moved from a more rural area of the UK, having access to a wide variety of new experiences and people has helped a lot with my mental well-being. The sense of independence and security from the accommodation has also helped. Male, Domestic, UK, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 7*

Living at home: Living with a family is never easy, many freedoms are missing and the desire for independence is felt. Female, Domestic, Italy, impact of accommodation on well-being score 5*

Respondents were asked to rate the impact of their living environment on their mental well-being on a scale from 0 to 10, where "0" represents a "very negative impact" and "10" represents a "very positive impact."

Achieving first choice accommodation

Those who didn’t get their first choice of accommodation are impacted negatively whereas those that did are much happier. There is almost an identical response across the two survey years, which highlights the stark difference between the happiness of those who obtain their first choice accommodation and those who do not.

Download the Chart

Those who didn’t get their first choice are affected differently based on the reasons for not obtaining their preferred accommodation. Where respondents couldn’t afford their first choice, mental health was worst at MHI-5 score of 49.2. Where universities did not offer any accommodation the scores were similar at 49.4.

Download the Chart

Being forced into a long commute due to affordability impacts living experience. Those commuting more than 1 hour are associated with MHI-5 scores of just 40.6. Further work should be done in this area to understand the impact on students, and whether these lower scores result in greater risk of dropping out of study programmes.

WHAT DO STUDENTS SAY

Got first choice: I used to have horrible housing during my bachelors. It took a big toll on my mental health and I was really burned out. My life now in Vienna is amazing! I absolutely am so grateful for my accommodation and its management it truly feels like home! - Female, International, Austria , impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 10*

Didn’t get first choice due to unavailability: It wasn’t my first choice of home and I’m always late for school and so exhausted when I come home that I can’t really relax because I have homework. - Female, Domestic, Poland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 5*

Didn’t get first choice due to affordability: I want to move out but I cannot afford it. I live far away from my friends. Male, domestic, Ireland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 3*

Respondents were asked to rate the impact of their living environment on their mental well-being, on a scale of 0 to 10, where "0" represents a "very negative impact" and "10" represents a "very positive impact."

Triangle Shape
Circle ShapeHearth Shape

Join us on our journey

Interested in getting involved or curious to learn more? Please contact our Research Manager, Arunima Dey at arunima@theclassfoundation.com

Sign up today