Dearer than the average mortgage... the cost of student accommodation goes through the roof

By ANDY BEAVEN, NEWS AND FEATURE WRITER Published: 18:13, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 18:13, 22 August 2026 Students in Scotland heading off to university for the first time face record fees to stay in halls of residence. After above-inflation rent hikes, it now costs almost £400 a week – around twice the price of a typical mortgage – to stay in some university accommodation. Analysis by The Scottish Mail on Sunday shows the price of some university halls has risen by up to 6.5 per cent since last year – and has never been more expensive. Our research also highlights wildly varying fees across the country. Although halls of residence usually cost more than renting a flat, they are often favoured by first-year students for safety and security as well as a way of making friends in a new town or city. The most expensive is at Holland House in Edinburgh University’s Pollock Halls, where a large en suite single room costs £390 a week. However, it also includes breakfast and dinner, which removes the burden of students having to cook for themselves but significantly ramps up the price. Meanwhile, at St Andrews University, a single en suite room at Whitehorn Hall with meals included costs £341 per week. Last night the National Union of Students warned that universities were profiting at the expense of undergraduates. Some halls of residence cost as much as £390 per week after universities raised student rent as much as 6.5 per cent  NUS Scotland president Justine Pedussel said: ‘It is infuriating but sadly unsurprising to see rent rises like this. Institutions need to take their duty of care seriously and rethink these hikes.  'Year after year we have seen above-inflation rent rises despite universities, landlords, and the Scottish Government knowing students are desperately struggling to make ends meet.’ In Edinburgh, university chiefs raised this year’s rents by 6.5 per cent.  As well as the £390-a-week room in Holland House, students can choose a single en suite room in Chancellors Court, with meals included, for £349 a week. In comparison, the average mortgage repayment in Scotland is between £800 and £1,000 a month. If they are prepared to share a bathroom, Edinburgh students can choose a single room with catering in Baird House or Turner House for £297 a week. At St Andrews, rents this year have risen by 5 per cent. The priciest rooms are in Whitehorn Hall, but cheaper options include a self-catering single room with shared bathroom at Fife Park halls costing £177 per week. At Glasgow University, halls are self-catered, ranging from £239 a week for a Premium Studio room at Havannah House, to £168 for a single study-bedroom with shared bathroom in Cairncross House. On offer at the University of Dundee is a premier en suite room in the Belmont Residence for £239 a week – or a smaller room with en suite shower and toilet at West Park Villas for £179 a week. At the University of Aberdeen, options range from a single en suite room in a shared flat in New Carnegie Court for £191 per week to a single room in a flat in Fyfe House with shared bathroom facilities costing £111 per week. The most economical halls are at the University of Stirling where a single study-bedroom with shared shower at Polwarth House costs £109 per week. NUS Scotland research shows that around a quarter of students live in halls and a third find it hard to fund accommodation. Ms Pedussel said: ‘For most students, housing costs exceed half their yearly budget. The government should start drawing up plans for a student housing bill to bring rents under control.’ The University of Edinburgh said the decision to increase rents was ‘never taken lightly’ and that ‘extended payment plans, financial support and budget management advice’ were available, while St Andrews insisted its rents were ‘excellent value for money’.