AmberStudent
AmberStudent is a cross-border student accommodation marketplace founded in 2016, connecting over 1 million students with 2 million+ beds across 800 universities in 7 countries via a commission-based booking platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What AmberStudent does
AmberStudent is a cross-border student accommodation marketplace founded in 2016 and headquartered in Pune, India. The platform connects international and domestic students with verified housing options — including purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), co-living spaces, and private rentals — across more than 250 cities and 800 universities in seven countries: India, the UK, Australia, the United States, Canada, Ireland, and additional European markets. The company has scaled to a catalog of over 2 million beds and reports serving more than 1 million students cumulatively, supported by 8,200+ reviews that function as trust signals on the platform.
The product is structured as a two-sided marketplace. Students search, compare, and book accommodation through the Amber platform, while property partners — including institutional operators, independent landlords, and co-living brands — list inventory and receive qualified demand. Discovery and matching appear to be driven by search filters and listing content rather than disclosed AI or ML systems based on available information; the company's competitive differentiators center on geographic coverage, supply breadth, and operational support (e.g., lease management, payment facilitation) rather than algorithmic differentiation.
AmberStudent monetizes via marketplace commissions on completed bookings, the standard model for accommodation platforms. The company has raised approximately $21M in total funding across rounds in 2021 (Velocity), 2022 (Klub), and a Series A in February 2024 led by Gaja Capital. Headcount stands at 501-1,000 employees, consistent with active investment in geographic expansion, supply acquisition, and customer support across multiple regions. The company is led by founder Saurabh Goel.
AmberStudent firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AmberStudent
- Legal name
- AmberStudent
- Website
- https://amberstudent.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- AmberStudent is a cross-border student accommodation marketplace founded in 2016, connecting over 1 million students with 2 million+ beds across 800 universities in 7 countries via a commission-based booking platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AmberStudent industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Accommodation Marketplace
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (Aggregators) (EDAIALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Accommodation-Focused OTAs (Hotels & Alternative Stays) (THAKAAAB), Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (THAMAGAJ)
Keywords
Where AmberStudent is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
AmberStudent business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Transaction/Booking Commission: Amber charges commissions on completed accommodation bookings. The platform facilitates the booking process and earns revenue when students secure their accommodations through the platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Property rental pricing varies by location, room type, and amenities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
AmberStudent product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AmberStudent operates a digital marketplace that connects international and domestic students with verified off-campus student accommodation near universities across 250+ global cities in 7+ countries. The platform enables students to search, compare, and book studios, en-suites, private rooms, and shared apartments, with services including instant booking, 24/7 student support, paperwork handling, virtual tours, and pay-in-installment options.
Product overview
AmberStudent operates as a unified digital accommodation marketplace designed specifically for international students. The core platform (Amber Student Accommodation Platform) provides a comprehensive search and booking system for verified student housing across 250+ global cities. The product portfolio includes native iOS/Android mobile apps for on-the-go access, a referral program, the Amberscholar scholarship program, university and property owner partnership programs, and group booking functionality. The platform features property listings across 7 countries (UK, USA, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, France, Singapore) with over 2 million beds and 800+ university partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Amber Student Accommodation Platform Core digital marketplace platform enabling students to search, compare, and book verified student housing (studios, en-suites, private rooms, shared apartments) near universities across 250+ global cities in 7+ countries.
- Amber Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications enabling students to search, browse, and book student accommodations on-the-go, with in-app promotional cashback offers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1M+ students have trusted the platform for accommodation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use AmberStudent
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
AmberStudent technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
AmberStudent partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- 800+ Universities WorldwidecoreExtensive university partnership network spanning UK, Australia, US, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Spain, New Zealand, France, and Singapore. Universities include University College London, King's College London, London School of Economics, University of Birmingham, University of Manchester, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and many more. Amber offers dedicated university partnership pages and referral mechanisms.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
AmberStudent competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Unite Students: UK-listed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) owner-operator with ~70,000 beds. Comparable as supply-side incumbent competing for the same student tenant; differs by owning inventory directly rather than aggregating it.
- Yugo: Global student housing operator with properties across UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Australia and the US. Many Yugo properties are listed on Amber, but Yugo is also a direct digital-booking competitor.
- Booking.com: General-purpose global accommodation OTA that lists many of the same student-suitable properties. Adjacent competitor at the broad-stay-search stage; lacks student-specific trust features but has unmatched brand reach.
- Greystar Real Estate Partners (incl. Scape): Largest global student housing operator, including Scape Australia. Vertically integrated competitor that both supplies inventory to marketplaces like Amber and competes via direct booking channels.
Direct peers
- Student.com: One of the original global student accommodation marketplaces, offering verified listings across major study destinations. Direct competitor to Amber in the same cross-border student housing category with very similar operating model.
- Casita: Student accommodation marketplace targeting international students in the UK and Ireland with a verified-listing and booking platform model. Highly comparable to Amber in value proposition and core geographies.
- HousingAnywhere: European-headquartered marketplace for student and young-professional accommodation. Closely comparable to Amber on model (booking platform for international students) and overlapping geographies (NL, DE, ES, FR, IT).
- Uniplaces: Online marketplace connecting international students with mid-to-long-term accommodation across Europe. Direct peer to Amber with focus on verified listings, university partnerships, and cross-border student flows.
- University Living: India-based student accommodation marketplace with global ambitions, serving international and domestic students. Comparable to Amber in operating model, India headquarters, and cross-border student focus.
Emerging players
- Spotahome: Online marketplace for mid-to-long-term rentals with verified listings and virtual tours. Comparable model to Amber (verified inventory + remote booking) but addresses a broader (not student-specific) audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AmberStudent social profiles
Digital presenceAmberStudent financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AmberStudent leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AmberStudent funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AmberStudent 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 AmberStudent
What does AmberStudent do?
AmberStudent operates a digital marketplace that connects international and domestic students with verified off-campus student accommodation near universities across 250+ global cities in 7+ countries. The platform enables students to search, compare, and book studios, en-suites, private rooms, and shared apartments, with services including instant booking, 24/7 student support, paperwork handling, virtual tours, and pay-in-installment options.
Is AmberStudent a public or private company?
AmberStudent is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was AmberStudent founded?
AmberStudent was founded in 2018. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is AmberStudent based?
AmberStudent is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does AmberStudent make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction/Booking Commission.
Who are AmberStudent's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Unite Students, Yugo, Booking.com and Greystar Real Estate Partners (incl. Scape). Direct peers are Student.com, Casita, HousingAnywhere, Uniplaces and University Living. Spotahome is listed as an emerging player.
Does AmberStudent have an API?
No public API is recorded for AmberStudent.
What industry is AmberStudent in?
AmberStudent's product category is Student Accommodation Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIALAE, Private Student Housing Marketplaces & Booking Platforms (Aggregators), with a secondary code of THAKAAAB, Accommodation-Focused OTAs (Hotels & Alternative Stays). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 6531.