Adelaide’s Student Housing Crunch Spurs Rare Portfolio Opportunity

Colliers and Cushman & Wakefield present 225-bed offering amid surging demand and zero stamp duty advantage.

Australia’s student accommodation sector is facing a critical supply squeeze, and nowhere is that more evident than in Adelaide.

With a student-to-bed ratio of 6:1 and no new purpose-built student housing delivered since 2022, the city is now the focus of investor attention as a stabilised 225-bed portfolio hits the market.

The offering includes 107 student beds across 14 freehold properties—currently 98.6% occupied—alongside 118 leasehold beds operated by Student Rooms, a well-established platform.

Being brought to market by Colliers Jordan Schmidt and Justin Hazell in conjunction with Conal Newland and Louise Burke from Cushman & Wakefield, the portfolio is forecast to generate over $2 million in net annualised income, presenting a rare opportunity for institutional and private investors seeking scale in a high-demand market.

Adelaide’s appeal as an education hub continues to grow. The city was recently ranked ninth in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2025 Global Liveability Index, and the merger between the University of Adelaide and UniSA is expected to attract an additional 6,000 international students by 2034. Yet, despite this growth, new accommodation supply has stalled.

“Adelaide currently has a student-to-bed ratio of 6:1, with approximately 46,700 students and just 7,664 beds,” said Justin Hazell, National Director at Colliers. “This portfolio offers immediate scale in a market where new development is constrained, and demand is growing.”

The properties are strategically located near Adelaide’s core education precinct, including the University of Adelaide, UniSA, Flinders University, and TAFE SA. Most tenants are enrolled at UniSA or the University of Adelaide, both of which continue to attract strong international enrolments.

“Investor sentiment towards Adelaide remains robust,” said Louise Burke, Director, Alternatives Capital Markets, Victoria at Cushman & Wakefield.

“The city offers a unique combination of affordability, liveability and education excellence. The absence of stamp duty on commercial property, including student accommodation, adds further appeal for investors seeking efficient capital deployment in a high-growth market.”

The portfolio is being offered via an Expressions of Interest campaign closing at 3pm (ACST) on Thursday, 4th September 2025.

With international student numbers set to rise and development pipelines stalled, Adelaide’s student housing market is poised for a reset. For investors, this may be one of the few chances to gain meaningful exposure to a sector that’s increasingly defensive and increasingly in demand.