37 Appendices Introduction Independence Thematic analysis Applicant Index Report 2026 All applicants were asked to select their preferred features in student accommodation. Figure 33: Preferred features in student accommodation (ranked in top 3) 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 24/7 security 24 % Modern and practical bedroom and kitchen 20 % 40% Social events 14 % Outdoor space 12 % Shared social spaces 12 % 45% 50% 11 % Additional amenities (such as gym/ fitness studio) 10 % Shared study spaces 10 % Cleaning service Near to university 50 % Bills included in rent 36 % Private ensuite bathroom 28 % Near to city centre 21 % Opportunity to meet people 21 % A double bed 16 % Wellbeing support 15 % Proximity to university is the key consideration for applicants when thinking about first ‑ year accommodation, with 24/7 security a distant second. Black applicants are more likely than White applicants to prioritise 24/7 security, suggesting a lower expectation of safety in accommodation. Belonging, equity and inclusion Back to contents There is no sign this year of a significant shift towards living with parents while studying. Even among UK applicants, just a quarter (24%) intend to live with parents. This year, applicants who intended to live away from home were asked to select their preferred tenancy length. Guidance was provided on the likely dates of 43 ‑ week and 38 ‑ week tenancies, and the flexible option was described as “A few days per week for lectures, or a few weeks around exams”. Standard tenancies of 51 or 43 weeks were preferred by most applicants. As expected, 51 ‑ week tenancies were more popular with international applicants and 43 ‑ week tenancies with UK applicants. Term ‑ time ‑ only contracts were preferred by only a small minority (8%). There is little appetite for flexible stays, although these may have been more relevant to those intending to live at home, who were not included in this question. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 51-weeks 26 % 43-weeks 39 % 38-weeks 18 % 40% Term-time only 8 % Flexible 3 % No preference 6 % Base=1447 (applicants intending to live away from home) Figure 32: Preferred tenancy length