Universities should treat student homelessness and housing insecurity as a distinct, intersectional challenge that requires coordinated, person-centered support, an analysis published Oct. 27 argues.
Scope and why it matters
The 2025 National Student Accommodation Survey found that 7% of students reported experiencing homelessness while enrolled and that 36% had considered withdrawing from university because of rent costs. Those figures, the analysis says, underline a link between housing instability and students’ likelihood of continuing their studies.
For the purpose of the discussion, student homelessness is defined broadly to include students with no secure, safe or suitable accommodation — from rough sleeping and sofa surfing to temporary accommodation and imminent eviction — as well as housing insecurity that impairs participation in university life.
Intersectional needs require tailored responses
Student homelessness is rarely a single-issue problem. It commonly intersects with:
- family breakdown or estrangement
- domestic abuse
- care-experience and foster-care histories
- financial hardship
- mental health challenges
- immigration or uncertain immigration status
- caring responsibilities
Because students who are recorded under the same administrative label may have very different needs and strengths, the piece argues universities should avoid one-size-fits-all responses and instead design systems that make individual circumstances visible.
What universities can do
The analysis describes several institutional approaches intended to improve identification and support for at-risk students. Among them:
- build stronger, integrated casework systems that link retention teams, attendance monitoring, mental health and well-being services and disability support with academic staff;
- use personal academic tutoring to ensure students are known to staff who can escalate housing and welfare concerns; and
- coordinate across campus services so interventions are tailored to each student’s situation rather than driven solely by administrative categories.
Those practices, the article says, can help universities respond with greater insight and care and reduce barriers that push students toward withdrawal.
Retention, visibility and policy
The piece frames student homelessness as a retention and equity issue for higher education institutions. By making individual stories visible through joined-up systems, universities are better positioned to offer timely financial, housing and welfare interventions that support continuation and academic success.
Campus leaders, student services and academic staff are identified as key actors in redesigning support pathways so that students facing housing insecurity receive coordinated, person-centred help rather than fragmented responses.
The analysis does not prescribe a single model but highlights existing campus practices intended to improve outcomes, and it urges institutions to adapt integrated approaches to local contexts and student populations.
