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Posted April 23, 2026

More than a room: building postgraduate communities through student accommodation

More than a room

Postgraduate study is not simply an extension of undergraduate life. It is a different academic, social and emotional experience shaped by higher expectations, greater independence and competing pressures such as work, caring responsibilities and finances. Yet across the sector, the postgraduate experience is still too often designed using undergraduate assumptions, particularly when it comes to accommodation and community.

Drawing on qualitative postgraduate research that I conducted with students at Nottingham Trent University, alongside insight from Wonkhe, CUBO and the wider higher education sector, this article argues that student accommodation is not just where postgraduate students live. It is one of the most effective ways to build belonging, wellbeing and engagement.

Postgraduate students are sometimes described as the “forgotten ones” of higher education: a growing population whose needs are less visible and less clearly understood. Research consistently shows that postgraduates balance study alongside work, caring responsibilities or financial pressure; often arrive at university at different points in the year, frequently alone; are more likely to live off-campus or in private housing; and prioritise purpose, autonomy and wellbeing over traditional notions of “student life”.

My research found that time poverty and competing demands significantly reduce opportunities to build community, even among students who actively want to engage. The issue is rarely a lack of motivation. Instead, it is the absence of structures and spaces that genuinely fit postgraduate lives.

In this context, accommodation takes on heightened importance. It is often a postgraduate student’s most consistent point of contact with their institution, and sector research shows it to be one of the most important non-academic spaces where students form connection, particularly when course-based communities are weak, which is often the case at postgraduate level.

Postgraduate students in my study who felt a strong sense of belonging linked this to everyday, informal experiences: shared kitchens and communal spaces, regular low-pressure interaction with peers, and feeling recognised as a postgraduate rather than an “older fresher”. By contrast, students living alone or off-campus were far more likely to describe isolation, disengagement and poorer wellbeing, despite high academic commitment.

A consistent message from postgraduate students was that being included in undergraduate spaces is not the same as being catered for. Events labelled as “Freshers” or shaped around undergraduate culture were frequently described as excluding rather than welcoming. At the same time, students strongly resisted the assumption that postgraduate provision should only be quiet, serious or purely career-focused.

As one participant put it: “People assume we’re older and just want coffee mornings or employability events, but that’s not true. We want to socialise too, just not surrounded by drunk freshers.” What postgraduate students consistently valued instead were purposeful, optional opportunities to connect: spaces to meet peers, network and decompress without pressure to participate.

This nuance is reflected in residence life research from CUBO and the wider sector. High-performing postgraduate accommodation typically offers flexible social and study spaces, events that prioritise connection over alcohol-centric culture, opportunities to meet peers at similar stages of life or study, and genuine autonomy over how and when students engage.

International postgraduate students emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups within the research. Despite a strong desire to connect, they were significantly less likely to feel part of any community. Barriers included uncertainty around services, cultural and practical challenges, and a lack of visible entry points into social networks. Where belonging was absent, students were more likely to report isolation and stress.

Well-designed accommodation communities play a crucial protective role here, particularly when opportunities for connection are inclusive, clearly signposted and communicated from the outset. An inclusive approach benefits all postgraduate students, but it is especially transformative for those navigating a new country, culture and education system.

As postgraduate education continues to expand, universities and accommodation providers must move beyond undergraduate-centric models of student life. The evidence is clear: community is not a “nice to have” for postgraduate students, it is fundamental to wellbeing, engagement and success. When accommodation is designed with this in mind, it becomes far more than a room. It becomes the foundation of a postgraduate student’s experience.

Are you looking for student accommodation? Check out our student accommodation providers. 

Ellis Noble-LoweAuthor’s bio: Ellis Noble-Lowe is the Resident Engagement Manager at UPP.

Ellis leads engagement initiatives that enhance the student experience across UPP’s university partnerships. Her role focuses on building inclusive, connected communities and creating meaningful experiences for residents through social programmes that promote wellbeing, celebrate diversity and most of all create a well-rounded university experience for residents.

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