Helping the next student cohort thrive – applying insights from the latest Applicant Index

By Becca Hayhurst our Head of Resident Experience & Wellbeing 

This year’s Applicant Index gives a useful snapshot of the students preparing for higher education. It shows a cohort that is still ambitious and excited about university, but also practical about what they need to succeed. 

Applicants still value the independence, growth, community and life experience university can offer. But financial pressure, paid work, wellbeing, confidence and belonging are shaping how they think about the move into university life. 

 Demand for university remains strong, but the support students need to settle in and thrive matters more than ever. 

Students still believe in the value of university 

Despite ongoing public debate about the cost and value of higher education, most still expect to live away from home rather than commute, showing they are not judging university on cost alone. They still see it as a place to build independence, confidence, relationships and future opportunities. 

But that belief also raises expectations. If students are making a personal and financial investment, they need to feel settled, supported and able to make the most of university from the start. 

The move into student living is a critical moment. At Unite Students, Prepare to Stay helps students get ready before they arrive, with useful information, property guides and in-app community engagement. This is followed by a Six-Week Welcome programme, helping students settle, connect and feel at home from day one. 

Arrival and transition need to be treated as a shared priority by the sector. Those early weeks can shape confidence, belonging and engagement. 

Paid work is now part of mainstream student life 

One of the clearest findings from this year’s Index is that paid work is now a normal part of student life. 87% of applicants expect to work during term time, with around a third expecting to work more than 16 hours a week. 

This reflects a realistic and adaptable cohort. Students are weighing up study, cost of living and employability, and many see work as a way to build skills and confidence as well as earn money. 

But this has a real impact on student life. When students are balancing lectures, assignments, work, travel, social life and wellbeing, their time and energy are stretched. That can make it harder to engage, build relationships and access support. 

The debate is not whether students should work, but how universities and accommodation providers can make student life easier to manage alongside those realities. 

For Unite Students, that means practical support that removes friction from daily life. Our award-winning app, used by over 46,000 residents every month, helps them connect with flat mates, find events, and access property and wellbeing support quickly. Our 24/7 support, on-site teams and wellbeing services make help easy to find when it is needed. 

The rise of the working student should prompt a bigger conversation for the sector about flexibility, communication and support. Students may have less time, but they are likely to expect more responsive, clear and easy-to-access services. 

Confidence has softened, making support more important 

The Applicant Index also points to softer confidence in several areas, including wellbeing, learning and resilience. More than a third of applicants say they missed school learning because of their mental health, and 16% expect some disruption to their university studies. 

This does not point to a lack of ambition. It shows a cohort that may need more support to stay confident and manage the pressures of university life. 

For the sector, this matters for continuation, attainment and the overall student experience. Students may arrive excited and motivated, but some will be unsure about their wellbeing, academic readiness or ability to live independently. 

Support needs to be visible, easy to access and joined up. Students do not always ask for help early, and they do not always need it during office hours. 

Our Support to Stay framework gives resident wellbeing a clear structure, backed by a dedicated wellbeing team and 24/7 student support, 365 days a year. We also offer access to a student wellbeing helpline, recognising that students need help at different times and in different ways. 

Belonging is central to student success 

Belonging is one of the strongest themes in this year’s findings. The majority (76%) of applicants expect to feel welcome, and many (65%) expect to feel they will belong.  

Yet 26% say they feel lonely all or most of the time, and some groups, including care-experienced and estranged applicants, LGBTQ+ students, disabled students and neurodivergent students, report lower confidence and greater need for support. 

There is both optimism and vulnerability in this data. Students want connection, community and inclusion, but not everyone arrives confident they will find it. 

That is why belonging cannot be treated as a nice-to-have. It is fundamental to student success. It takes more than events, it’s creating spaces where students feel safe, included and able to take part in ways that suit them. It also means paying attention to those who may face extra barriers to connection. 

Our Resident Ambassador programme helps incoming residents build peer-to-peer connections through student-led events and early opportunities to meet others. Initiatives such as Ask for Angela, help reinforce a culture of safety and support across our buildings. 

Our commitment also extends beyond day-to-day operations. Through the Unite Foundation, we have donated more than £18 million to support scholarships, community building, research and advocacy for care-experienced and estranged students in higher education. 

For the wider sector, belonging needs to be designed into the student experience from the start, through inclusive support, clear information, visible communities and strong partnership working. 

Where do we go from here? 

These insights only matter if it leads to action – the shaping of services, training, communication and support. 

For higher education and student accommodation partners, that means focusing not just on access, but on transition, belonging and the conditions that help students thrive.  

By working together across the sector, we can help the next cohort get off to the best possible start – and give them the confidence to succeed.