Student accommodation projects


High quality accommodation is key to attracting today's students. We help universities, operators and lenders to deliver these expensive projects and we play a vital role in shaping the transactions.

Universities must provide affordable, high quality student accommodation to attract students from across the world. Other demands on their capital make collaborative partnerships with private sector accommodation specialists an attractive option for organisations looking to expand, refresh or outsource management of their accommodation offering. Borrowing restrictions may mean that the project has to be structured off the university’s balance sheet. Funders and investors also view student accommodation as an attractive asset class. All these factors have made public-private partnerships very common in the sector.

We have the expertise and track-record needed to help universities, operators and funders deliver successful projects. 

Our experience


Our dedicated team of specialist student accommodation and project finance lawyers have acted on over 60 projects in the sector over the past 15 years.

We've advised on many of the largest and most complex transactions in the sector. We're acknowledged as a market-leader working with universities, operators and lenders. Our experience includes:  

  • Advising universities on all necessary procurement documentation

  • Advising bidders on maximising their chances of success

  • Advising on optimal funding solutions, whether bank debt, income strips or bonds (wrapped or unwrapped)

  • Being at the forefront of adapting documentation for student accommodation transactions to reflect market demands and finding creative solutions to deliver projects

  • Providing strategic advice to a major London-based university in relation to its student accommodation offering

  • Devising and implementing a contract structure enabling a major student accommodation project to be delivered without the need for an OJEU procurement process

  • Advising a funder on its entry into the market and its first three funded student accommodation projects

Did you know?

1500+ Rooms

Recently advised University of Exeter on two student accommodation projects with University Partnerships Programme, delivering 1582 rooms. 

1st

Advised Uliving on its successful bid for University of Gloucestershire's project using a bond wrapped by IUK - a sector first.

£200million

Advised Aviva who funded over £200million to University Partnerships Programme on the University of Reading’s project for over 5,000 rooms.

What our clients say about us?

“This was a landmark capital project for the University and we therefore needed to appoint lawyers who had significant experience in the sector, were “commercial” in their advice and encouraged us to be brave in our decisions. We were delighted with the Mills & Reeve team.”

Stephen Willis, CFO

University of Hull

“Head and shoulders above its competitors.”

Chambers

Our clients


Our clients include:

  • University of Exeter
  • UCL
  • University of Hull
  • Uliving
  • Aviva Commercial Finance

Get in touch

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Our expertise

Aerospace and defence projects
Detention projects
Health and care projects
Student accommodation projects

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Related sectors & services

Government Public procurement Commercial Projects and PPP