Housing is the second-biggest factor in students' university choices in Canada: survey
The report finds that 34 per cent of students now live in their family home, driven overwhelmingly by cost pressures. Of those students, 55 per cent say they would move out before graduating if they could afford to, suggesting that staying at home is often a financial necessity rather than a lifestyle preference.
Students who remain at home also accept significantly longer commutes, with nearly half travelling more than 45 minutes to campus — a trade-off the report describes as increasingly common as rents near universities continue to rise.
More students increasingly preferring off-campus housing
While over half of students currently live in off-campus houses, preferences are changing.
Nearly 70 per cent of students say they would prefer apartment-style housing, either on or off campus, yet only about 27 per cent currently live in one. This mismatch highlights what the report calls a “mid-market gap” in student housing supply — functional, reasonably priced apartments designed specifically for students.
Interest in purpose-built off-campus student housing is strong, with 59 per cent of students expressing interest, particularly among those already renting off campus.
When it comes to shared housing, 42 per cent of students prefer to have just one roommate, while 27 per cent are willing to share with two roommates, 19 per cent with three others, and 12 per cent with four or more. International students have the strongest preference for minimal sharing.
Similarly, international and domestic local students are more likely not to want a shared bathroom than domestic students from another part of the country, with these domestic students also desiring larger shared units.
Just 17 per cent are willing to share a bathroom with three or more people, while 36 per cent will share with at most one person, and 13 per cent would not share at all. For 34 per cent, they would at most share with two people.
Students generally prefer fewer amenities if it means lower rents
When choosing housing, students overwhelmingly prioritize price and predictability over additional amenities and features. Fully inclusive rent — covering furnishings, utilities, and internet– costs more on average but results in significantly higher satisfaction and affordability perception. International students are more likely to prefer furnished units than domestic students.
In-suite laundry, air conditioning, and a full kitchen form a three-way tie for being the most valuable amenities provided within a unit. A quiet study lounge is at the very top of the preferences for shared in-building amenity spaces, followed closely by outdoor amenity spaces and a fitness gym. Social event programming, wellness room, and games room are dead last in such considerations.
If given a choice, if it meant a $50 per month reduction in rent, 59 per cent of students would be okay with not having an in-building fitness gym, as most campuses already offer complimentary or significantly discounted fitness gym access. An overwhelming majority (85 per cent) would rather not have an in-building games room to save $50 per month in rent.
As well, for cost reasons, an overwhelming majority of students (86 per cent) would rather have access to a kitchen than pay over $1,000 per month for a meal plan.
Housing affordability and supply now ranks as the second-most important factor in choosing a post-secondary institution — behind the program quality of the post-secondary institution, and just behind scholarships, campus social life, and proximity to family. The report also finds that students are evenly split on whether they plan to stay in their university city after graduation, with job opportunities and cost of living playing a decisive role.
16% of students own and use a bike
When it comes to transportation, just 16 per cent of students own and regularly use a bike, with students in Victoria standing out with its high percentage of 35 per cent due to a combination of its mild climate and bike-friendly infrastructure. Most other cities hover between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.
Just 28 per cent of students own and use a car, with varying degrees of car ownership reflecting a city’s infrastructure — the availability of alternatives, especially public transit — more than personal preference. For instance, 59 per cent of students in Kelowna own cars, while ownership in Vancouver is just 13 per cent. About a third of students indicate that nothing would convince them to avoid using a personal vehicle, while 57 per cent note that proximity to public transit and necessities, a world-class public transit network, or a campus shuttle bus service would persuade them to stop driving.
“Students are not a monolith,” the report concludes, urging developers and policymakers to recognize the diversity of student needs. It calls for targeted funding and policy support to accelerate the development of off-campus student housing, warning that without intervention, housing constraints will continue to shape educational outcomes and long-term workforce retention.
Studenthaus’ State of Canadian Student Living 2026 survey was conducted between September and December 2025 across 16 cities and 22 post-secondary institutions, making it one of the largest student housing studies ever conducted in Canada.
This includes major institutions such as the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver and the Okanagan, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Guelph, University of Toronto’s St. George and Mississauga campuses, McMaster University, McGill University, University of Ottawa, and Carleton University.
Within Canada’s most problematic urban regions for housing affordability and supply — which also happen to be areas of the country with the largest post-secondary institutions and the greatest number of international and non-local domestic students — building new additional purpose-built student housing is a growing strategy to help address local housing issues, and reduce the competition the influx of students bring to the general rental housing market. This has led to a rise in both on-campus and off-campus student housing projects in key markets.
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