The cost of living is driving University of Edinburgh students to live at home and commute, according to the university’s Commuter Student Society.
Aidan, Co-president and Chair of the Commuter Student Society, told The Student: “The cost of living is a significant, if not primary, reason why students commute to university.”
He said that for himself and many of the society’s members, “financial barriers, particularly the exorbitant rent prices in Edinburgh, are a motivating factor for staying at home.”
It comes as the number of students planning to live at home whilst studying across the UK has risen by 39.8 per cent since 2017, according to UCAS.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, linked the growth in commuter students to the cost of living, telling the BBC: “Even if you receive the maximum maintenance loan rate, it may not be enough to cover both rent and other daily expenditures.”
In Scotland, students pay an average of £703 a month in rent, the second highest in the UK after London, according to a 2026 national survey.
In May, City of Edinburgh Council agreed to explore requiring new purpose-built student accommodation to include at least 35 per cent “affordable” bedspaces, with SNP councillor Danny Aston telling councillors rents had reached around £1,400 a month or more.
One Edinburgh student, Lara Reader, told the BBC in September that her monthly rent in private halls was £200 higher than her maintenance loan, and that working 20 hours a week to cover the gap contributed to her failing her first-year exams.
The University of Edinburgh told the BBC it offered good value across a range of price points, with entry-level rents well below the average.
Students applying for university accommodation must list five preferences, but one second-year student told The Student that fewer than five halls fell within their price range, and there was no way to flag this.
The university does not guarantee accommodation beyond first-year, meaning most continuing students must find housing in the city’s private rental market, with added costs such as bills making it hard to budget.
Aidan said living at home can come at a social cost, as commuting often prevents students from attending evening events and many friendships are formed in shared accommodation.
He called for more thoughtful scheduling of classes, extra consideration for participation grades, regular commuter-friendly activities, and more dedicated spaces for commuters to study during busy periods.
Illustration by Jianglin Jiang for The Student.
