One in five international students in Scotland experience homelessness
More than one in five international students in Scotland have experienced homelessness during their studies, according to a new survey.
An NUS Scotland survey of 1,281 international students found they are significantly more likely to experience homelessness than home students.
International students are almost twice as likely to experience homelessness as home students, with 21% of international students having experienced homelessness since starting their studies, compared to 12% of home students.
International students struggle to secure housing more than home students because many do not have a UK based guarantor, which is required by most landlords to secure a tenancy. They are also more often targeted by housing scams, in which fraudsters pose as landlords and demand they pay a deposit in advance. When the student arrives in the country, they find the property they believe they had secured does not exist.
The survey also found that:
- 10% of international students have used foodbanks
- 29% have considered leaving their course because of financial difficulties
- 49% have skipped a meal
- 42% have gone without heating
- 29% have been unable to pay their rent in full
- 36% have been unable to pay their energy bills
NUS Scotland called on universities to ensure that international students always have access to safe, affordable housing by introducing a Student Housing Guarantee. They also asked universities to widen the eligibility criteria for their hardship funds, as international students are often excluded from applying for them despite struggling financially at a similar rate to home students.
NUS Scotland President, Ellie Gomersall, said: ‘The rates of homelessness in international students are unacceptable.
‘Scotland prides itself on having a world-class education system, but this is being undermined by the way we treat those coming to learn from other countries.
‘International students are expected to pay extortionate fees but have no support once they arrive in Scotland, facing homelessness and skipping meals just to get by.
‘It is time for the Scottish Government and institutions to act.
‘Universities can support international students by introducing a Student Housing Guarantee that ensures that there is a bed guaranteed to every international student from the moment they arrive in Scotland. They must also extend their hardship and discretionary funding so that international students can apply for them.
‘The Scottish Government should use their devolved powers to cap how much universities can charge international students.’
Vanessa Mabonso Nzolo, President of Aberdeen University Students’ Association and a recently graduated international-EU student, said: ‘There is a misconception that all international students are extremely wealthy, but this survey proves this is not the case. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting international students disproportionately in the current economy as visa fees, exchange rates, and budgeting has become increasingly more difficult.
‘International students are far more at risk of experiencing homelessness.
‘We have heard of international students who have been unable to secure housing and are forced to live in hostels whilst at university. Others have to live in expensive hotels, blowing their budget for the whole term in a number of weeks. We have even heard of up to eight international students sharing a one-bedroom Airbnb because that is all they could afford.’
In addition to this news, devastating figures have been unveiled by research from the Museum of Homelessness as they discovered that over 1,000 homeless people nationwide died last year.
Image: Chris Robert