Student.com
Student.com is an online marketplace that connects international students with purpose-built student accommodation across multiple countries, having served over 2 million students since its 2011 founding. The platform aggregates property listings, partners with major universities, and earns revenue through transaction fees on confirmed bookings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Student.com does
Student.com operates an online marketplace that connects international students with purpose-built student accommodation across multiple countries. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Dubai with operational offices in London, the platform has cumulatively served more than 2 million students by aggregating listings from property managers and operators and routing demand via direct university partnerships. The company maintains operating entities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, China, and Hong Kong, and serves both inbound flows (e.g., Chinese students into Western universities) and outbound flows, with city-level presence in markets such as Houston and New York.
The platform's core product is a searchable, multi-language accommodation marketplace supported by three booking workflows (Enquire, Apply, and Instant Book) and value-added services including a Perfect Home Guarantee and a Price Match Promise. The technology stack is built on third-party infrastructure rather than proprietary AI: payments run through Stripe, Alipay, and WeChat Pay; authentication leverages Facebook, Google, WeChat, and Apple; analytics and attribution are handled by Mixpanel, AppsFlyer, Firebase, and Google Mobile Ads. A recently piloted 'smarter search' capability in Texas suggests incremental investment in search relevance. University partnerships with NYU, McGill, Georgia Tech, Boston University, ASU, the University of Florida, Emory, ONCAMPUS, and API form a key institutional distribution channel, complemented by SEO-driven organic acquisition.
Student.com's revenue model is transaction-based, generating fees from property managers on confirmed bookings, with the take rate likely applied to first-month rent or contracted booking value. The company employs between 101 and 250 people and has raised over $70 million in disclosed funding across rounds between 2016 and 2018, with no publicly reported primary capital event since. Founder and CEO Luke Nolan remains in place, supported by a leadership team covering legal, EMEA operations, and sales/marketing. The combination of a mature marketplace, multi-region footprint, and absent recent capital signals a steady-state operational posture rather than an aggressive growth phase.
Student.com firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Student.com
- Legal name
- Student.com Ventures Limited
- Website
- https://student.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Student.com is an online marketplace that connects international students with purpose-built student accommodation across multiple countries, having served over 2 million students since its 2011 founding. The platform aggregates property listings, partners with major universities, and earns revenue through transaction fees on confirmed bookings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Student.com industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Housing Marketplace
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (Aggregators) (EDAIALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (THAMAGAJ), International Student Housing Placement & Management (BPAJAJAL), Student & Academic Term Monthly Housing (THAMAFAH), Student & Intern Short-Term Housing Marketplaces (THAMALAJ)
Keywords
Where Student.com is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Student.com business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Transaction Fee from Property Managers: Student.com charges property managers/advertisers a transaction fee for bookings facilitated through the platform. The fee is deducted from the first rent instalment when a student moves in. The company retains the transaction fee even if a student cancels within the permitted cancellation period.
- Payment Processing Services: The platform processes rental payments via third-party providers (Stripe, Alipay, WeChat). While Student.com does not retain payment information after transfer, the payment processing service facilitates the financial transactions between students and property managers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free for students - revenue generated from property managers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Student.com product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Student.com operates a global online marketplace that connects students seeking housing with property owners, managers, and landlords. The platform enables students to search, compare, and book off-campus student accommodation near universities across multiple countries, with three booking pathways (Enquire, Apply, Instant Book) and integrated payment processing. Property owners can list their student housing to reach a global audience of domestic and international students.
Product overview
Student.com operates a unified marketplace platform for student housing that connects students seeking accommodation with property owners and managers worldwide. The core product is the Student.com Marketplace, which encompasses three distinct booking pathways: Enquire (for indirect inquiries), Apply (for formal applications with payment handling), and Instant Book (for fully online booking with digital contract signing). Property owners can list their properties through the Property Listing Service. The platform is augmented by trust features including the Perfect Home Guarantee (partner vetting) and Price Match Promise, plus integrated customer support via WhatsApp, live chat, phone, and email. The platform aggregates listings across cities in North America (US and Canada), UK, and other regions, organized by university proximity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student.com Marketplace
- Property Listing Service
- Perfect Home Guarantee
- Price Match Promise
Quantifiable outcome
- 10+ years of operation serving the student housing market
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Student.com
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Student.com technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature3 records
Student.com partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- McGill UniversitycoreUniversity partnership where McGill University is featured as a college partner on Student.com, providing students with direct access to housing options near the university campus.
- Arizona State UniversitycoreUniversity partnership with Arizona State University featured on the platform as a college partner, enabling students to find accommodation near the university.
- New York UniversitycorePartnership with NYU featured as a key university partner, with dedicated housing listings for NYU students.
- Georgia Tech UniversitycoreUniversity partnership with Georgia Tech featured as a college partner, providing housing search capabilities for students.
- University of FloridacorePartnership with University of Florida for student housing referrals, featured prominently on the platform.
- Emory UniversitycoreUniversity partner providing housing search integration for Emory University students.
- Boston UniversitycorePartnership with Boston University featured as a college partner, enabling students to find nearby accommodation.
- ONCAMPUSminorEducational pathway program partner featured on Student.com's college partners section.
- Academic Programs InternationalminorStudy abroad program partner featured on Student.com's college partners section.
- StripecorePayment processing provider enabling secure rental payments through the platform. Processes payments and handles refunds in accordance with Stripe's policies.
- AlipaycorePayment processing provider for international students, particularly those from China, enabling rental payments through the platform.
- WeChatcoreIntegrated for third-party login functionality and payment processing for Chinese students using the platform.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Student.com competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HousingAnywhere: HousingAnywhere is a European-headquartered marketplace for student and young professional housing, allowing tenants to book rooms and apartments directly from landlords. It is a direct competitor to Student.com across European university cities and increasingly in global destinations, with a similar transaction-fee model and target customer base.
- AmberStudent: Amber (formerly AmberStudent) is a global student housing marketplace connecting students with verified properties near universities. It directly competes with Student.com on inventory aggregation, university partnerships, and booking flows across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, and has raised significant venture capital to scale aggressively.
- Casita: Casita is a student accommodation marketplace offering a curated inventory of student housing in major UK and European cities with flexible booking and concierge services. It overlaps directly with Student.com's UK and European supply, target demographic (international and domestic students), and booking-comparison value proposition.
- UniAcco: UniAcco operates a global student accommodation platform helping international students find housing, with concierge and loan support. It is highly comparable to Student.com in serving cross-border student mobility with a marketplace plus high-touch service model across the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, and Australia.
- Uhomes: Uhomes is an online marketplace specializing in student housing near US and Canadian universities, offering verified listings, virtual tours, and price comparison. It targets the same North American international student segment as Student.com and competes for university partnerships and property manager inventory.
- University Living: University Living is a student housing marketplace and advisory platform with a global presence including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. It competes directly with Student.com by aggregating PBSA and private student housing and offering personalized booking support to international students.
Emerging players
- Spotahome: Spotahome is a mid-to-long-term rental marketplace with verified listings, virtual tours, and online booking across Europe and Latin America. While broader than student-only housing, it overlaps meaningfully with Student.com's longer-stay student and intern segment and competes for the same landlord and tenant supply-demand pool.
- Quest Student Housing: Quest Student Housing is a specialist student accommodation provider and aggregator in the UK and other markets, offering purpose-built and private housing with booking support. It is comparable to Student.com as an aggregator for international students and competes for property manager partnerships in overlapping university cities.
Broad incumbents
- Unilodge: Unilodge is a large Australian student accommodation operator and manager with properties across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. While primarily an operator rather than a marketplace, it competes with Student.com in the Australia/Asia-Pacific student housing segment as both an inventory supplier and a direct competitor for student bookings.
- Airbnb: Airbnb is the dominant short-term and long-term stay marketplace globally and increasingly serves student and intern extended-stay demand, including semester-length bookings. It competes with Student.com at the edges, particularly for flexible-duration student stays in cities with thinner dedicated PBSA supply, and dwarfs it in scale and brand awareness.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights2 records
Customer concentration
Student.com social profiles
Digital presenceStudent.com compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Student.com financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Student.com leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Student.com funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Student.com M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Student.com
What does Student.com do?
Student.com operates a global online marketplace that connects students seeking housing with property owners, managers, and landlords. The platform enables students to search, compare, and book off-campus student accommodation near universities across multiple countries, with three booking pathways (Enquire, Apply, Instant Book) and integrated payment processing. Property owners can list their student housing to reach a global audience of domestic and international students.
Is Student.com a public or private company?
Student.com is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Student.com founded?
Student.com was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Student.com based?
Student.com is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Student.com make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transaction Fee from Property Managers are the primary driver. The others are payment Processing Services.
Who are Student.com's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HousingAnywhere, AmberStudent, Casita, UniAcco, Uhomes and University Living. Emerging players are Spotahome and Quest Student Housing. Broad incumbents are Unilodge and Airbnb.
Does Student.com have an API?
No public API is recorded for Student.com.
What industry is Student.com in?
Student.com's product category is Student Housing Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIALAE, Private Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (Aggregators), with a secondary code of THAMAGAJ, Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 7000.