What data did not reveal but students told us anyway
We asked the survey respondents to tell us in their own words how do their accommodation makes them feel. The following are certain areas and topics that we did not glean any notable findings from the quantitative data, but the student informed us about them in no uncertain terms.
The scores you see below are in response to the question: "Please rate the impact you believe your living environment has on your mental well-being,” with '0' representing a very negative impact and '10' representing a very positive impact."
Cleanliness
Unsurprisingly, cleanliness is a crucial factor.
For me, it is important that my apartment is clean and tidy so that I feel comfortable. A quiet atmosphere at night is also important to me. Female, international, Germany, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 7
A brighter and cleaner area would have made me feel better. Male, international, Belgium, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 6
My flatmate refused to clean up after themselves so the flat is disgusting, and I am the only one who cleans, and the company won't do anything about them, I've had to resort to living at home (50 mins away) due to how disgusting it is. Female, domestic, UK, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 1
Safety, Security and Peace
The feeling and assurance of being in a safe environment makes a difference to many. Further, while students do enjoy the social aspect, we found that many want a place that is peaceful.
I have a peaceful environment at my accommodation which allows me to "unplug" the switch of my everyday worries. Male, domestic, Portugal, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 9
It's nice that I live on campus, with people I get along with, in a high security environment. Female, international, Ireland impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 8
My dormitory is very close to the road, so it’s very noisy. I feel very exhausted from the noise. Female, international, Austria, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 5
We have had multiple break-ins in these buildings so any kind of noise makes me nervous. Female, domestic, Denmark, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 3
Location
Students are a lot more relaxed and happier if their accommodation is well located from their university, amenities and recreational options.
- The fact that living in this building saves me 2 hours of travel time and turns it into 5 minutes has had a great impact on my mental health. Female, domestic, Netherlands, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 10
- Being close to both the campus and having easy access to nature has greatly contributed to managing my emotional well-being during stressful times. Male, domestic, Finland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 8
- I’m a disabled person and live very far from campus so socializing and attending classes is hard. Non-binary, domestic, Iceland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 6
- Sometimes I feel trapped in a small studio far from all my friends that live in the city, i live on the outsides. Femle, international, France, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 6
- Its one of the furthest accommodations from Uni, and we are a few living out here, that lives the farthest apart. Makes it harder to join social activities outside of the casual stuff. Male, domestic, Denmark, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 4
- I live very far away from the city center which causes logical problems for returning back at home especially because the public transport is unreliable at night. Female, international, Italy, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 1
Nature and outdoors
Living experience of students is deeply impacted by having simply natural light in their rooms, and easy access to green spaces
I'm surrounded by nature and can go for walks in the forest, which helps my mental wellbeing. Female, international, Sweden, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 8
My room is very dark and there is no sun light. I believe that because of this I sometimes feel low energy. Male, international, Belgium, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 4
I like the access to the beautiful terrace and the view from my window. My space makes me happy and I dread the day I have to leave. Non-binary, international, Czech Republic, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 8
I live on the first floor, with an internal view. The sunlight almost never reaches my apartment, and all I see are the moody walls of the building. It's quite depressing when there is so much nature outside. Female, international, the Netherlands, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 1
I don't even have a window. No direct sunlight. Female, international, Austria, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 1
Privacy vs Communal Living
Among our survey respondents, many prefer to live alone as long as they have opportunities to socialise when they want to. For those in communal living, roommates tend to make or break their overall experience.
Being in a foreign country alone makes having other people around you less lonely there is shared fun facilities I have cool roommates whom I enjoy my days with , the building is only for students which is feels like a family. Female, international, Germany, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 9
Having a studio with a kitchen gives me the option of being alone and, at the same time, being in a residence, being able to be with friends. Female, domestic, Spain, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 8
Knowing that I have my own space to return to after a long/stressful day is really helpful on tougher days and I also really appreciate that I don't have to be "on" all the time. Female, international, Denmark, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 7
The school's dormitory arrangements take into account the diversity of nationalities, and I got on well with my flatmates, which helped me a lot. Male, international, UK, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 6
I am not on speaking terms with my roommate. Male, domestic, Portugal ,impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 3
Communal Kitchens
Communal kitchens are great for those who want to socialise and/or enjoy cooking. However, as they are a ‘core’ necessity, when not up to the mark (dirty and overcrowded), can negatively impact student experience.
I enjoy having a shared kitchen and meeting new people. Female, international, Ireland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 9
Community cooking allows me to explore my culinary skills. Male, domestic, France, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 10
The biggest pain-point for many students is the state of the kitchen ... While I have been living here, the kitchen is shared with between 230 and 350 people, which is far too many to ensure equal access and hygienic standards. Very often, the kitchen surfaces are left behind in a deplorable state, as are the tables in the kitchen. Male, international, Italy, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 2
The shared kitchen is very dirty, even though some of us try to keep it clean and talk about it with others, it's a mess. Female, domestic, Sweden, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 1
Rent
While qualitative data does not reflect strong corelations between rent and living experience/wellbeing, the student testimonials reveal how affordable/expensive rents (and deposits) have a strong impact on living experience.
I'm financially insecure but student housing is one of the cheapest places for me to live while I pursuit my academic path. Male, domestic, Iceland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 10
The fact that I live very close to the university and my rent is cheap makes my life easier to live, it has made a positive affect on my everyday life. Female, domestic, Denmark, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 9
My living environment is generally quiet and safe, which helps me feel comfortable and focus on my studies. However, thinking about the high rent sometimes affects my mood negatively. Female, international, Germany, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 7
The university requested a deposit of £987 a month into my lease, this is 3 months' worth of my rent. They requested this at the same time as my second month's rent was due. I am a student and this amount of money being used for a deposit had a huge impact. Female, international, Denmark, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 5
Even though I am very happy with the facilities and the location of where I live, it is not worth paying €1400 for. €1400 is €100 less than my stipend. Finances are one of the top issues of all students and this just adds to the problem.[…] I have been juggling jobs during the start of my PhD, but I cannot anymore as towards the end, the PhD. gets very hectic. I am happy with where I am, I just don’t think it is fair to ask students to shell out almost €1500 for a box room and a shared kitchen. Female, international, Ireland, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 4
Considering the type of apartment I live in and the area in which the residence is located, the cost of rent is objectively high, and this has often led me to make sacrifices. Male, international, Austria, accommodation on wellbeing score 3
I'm always worried about making rent and I do not know how sometimes and that gives me a lot of stress. Female, domestic, The Netherlands, impact of accommodation on wellbeing score 2
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