University of Gloucestershire students describe why they live at home

University of Gloucestershire students have described why they chose to live at home while studying, as the university expands support for commuters. Their decisions involve accommodation costs, family ties and the prospect of moving away. The university estimates that around a third of its students live at home, making access to campus life a practical issue for a substantial part of its community.

The university’s estimate concerns its students overall. Its announcement gives no student count or calculation behind the figure. In a report published on 28 September, the BBC interviewed two students about their arrangements and spoke to the university’s director of student experience about the support available.

Staying close to home

Ofelia Bines, a communications and media student who grew up in Gloucester, told the BBC she wanted to leave the city one day but was not ready to do so. Paying for accommodation while continuing to study nearby did not make sense to her. ‘I know I’m better off financially compared to a lot of people living in halls,’ she said.

Bines also said being close to family was important and that she did not want to leave her dog behind. Many of the people she went to school with had stayed in the local area for university, she told the BBC. Her account shows how the choice can involve more than a calculation of rent against travel costs.

Barker said living at home had not stopped her from becoming more independent or meeting people. She described getting to know other students through lectures, including people who also commute. These are the two students’ experiences, rather than evidence that every commuter faces the same choices or has the same opportunities to take part.

What the university offers commuters

The university says it developed its commuter support after discussing with local students how to make living at home easier while helping them feel connected to university life. It lists discounted cross-county bus travel, parking options, campus lockers and places where students can study, eat, socialise or relax.

Students with longer journeys can use a room at Pittville Student Village for up to three nights a week, according to the university’s announcement. Stewart Dove, its director of student experience, told the BBC the flexible accommodation means students can live at home while having an option to stay close to campus during part of the week.

Dove said it was ‘sad’ that people were having to make decisions around the cost of living. He said commuting could help students manage the cost of university, keep a part-time job or stay near family and friends. The support package addresses some of the practical demands of attending campus while living elsewhere; the university has not provided a count showing how many students use each option.

A wider pattern, measured in different ways

UCAS reported that 89,510 UK 18-year-olds who secured a university or college place in 2025 said they intended to live at home. That was 31% of accepted applicants in that age group, compared with 22% a decade earlier. Those figures record intentions at application, rather than where students ultimately lived during term.

The UCAS figures also show that plans to stay at home differ considerably by background. Among accepted UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged areas, 52% indicated that they intended to do so, compared with 17.9% from the most advantaged areas. UCAS chief executive Jo Saxton said home could be the right choice for some students, including those with caring or family responsibilities, while it might limit course choices or the wider university experience for others.

A separate 2026 accommodation survey by Save the Student found that 13% of its respondents lived with parents or guardians during term time. Among respondents, 13% said a housing shortage had forced them to live at home and commute. These survey responses concern the students who took part; they cannot establish why Bines, Barker or other Gloucestershire students made their decisions.

Save the Student also reported average monthly rent of £575 among survey respondents who paid rent, and 61% said they struggled with rent at least some of the time. The figures give context for the financial pressures students may consider when choosing accommodation. Neither the survey nor the Gloucestershire interviews establish a single reason for the university’s estimated share of students living at home.