Collegiate AC

What Collegiate AC does

Collegiate AC is a privately-held UK-headquartered purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) provider, operating since 2011 across 22 UK cities and four European countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy) under the Collegiate Group umbrella. The company lets ensuite rooms, studios, and shared apartments to undergraduate, postgraduate, and international students on annual 51-week tenancies, with an all-inclusive rent model bundling utilities, high-speed internet, contents insurance, and council tax exemption. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring weekly rent (with optional 4-instalment billing aligned to UK student loan dates), supplemented by short-stay bookings (minimum 7 nights via the AY Short Stay module) and ancillary services including UniKitOut move-in packs and optional cleaning. The company serves its customer base through a direct-to-consumer model combining a StarRez-powered online booking portal, on-site accommodation teams, university partnerships, and event-driven marketing timed to the UCAS application and clearing calendar. Operational technology consists of third-party platforms — StarRez for property management and booking, a proprietary mobile app (Collegiate Student Assistance App) for wellbeing support, and secure entry/concierge infrastructure on-site — with compliance and trust built on National Code, Propertymark, ARLA, ISO, and RoSPA certifications. No AI/ML capabilities, public funding history, or disclosed financials are present in the source data, and the company remains privately held with no known institutional investor disclosure.

Name

Collegiate AC

Legal name

Collegiate AC Ltd

Website

https://collegiate-ac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Collegiate AC is a private UK student accommodation provider operating 25+ purpose-built properties across 22 UK cities and four European countries, renting all-inclusive ensuite and studio rooms to undergraduate, postgraduate, and international students on annual and short-stay tenancies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Accommodation Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Program Housing (Study Abroad, Language Schools, Field Schools) (THAMAGAE), Guest, Visitor & Conference Housing Services (Summer/Break Housing) (EDAEAFAN), Off-Campus Shared Student Houses (Room-by-Room) (THAMAGAC), Student/Academic Serviced Residences (THAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Student accommodation
• Purpose-built student housing
• Student residence leasing
• Student property management
• Accommodation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Student Accommodation Rent: All-inclusive rental payments covering room accommodation, utilities (electric, gas, water on fair usage allowance), high-speed internet, council tax exemption for students, and contents insurance. Rent can be paid in full upfront or in four instalments with proof of UK-based guarantor or 5% upfront fee.
2. Short Stay Bookings: Flexible short-stay accommodation bookings with minimum 7-night stays available at properties across UK cities. Room types include Bronze Ensuite, Bronze Studio, Gold Studio, Silver Ensuite, Classic Ensuite, and Premium Studio options.
3. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from lifestyle packs and cleaning services, including bedding, kitchen, bathroom packs pre-ordered through UniKitOut partnership, and optional room cleaning services (weekly, monthly, ad hoc, end-of-tenancy)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Collegiate AC operates purpose-built student accommodation across 22 UK cities and four European countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy), offering all-inclusive furnished rooms, ensuites, studios, and apartments. Revenue is generated primarily through annual and short-stay rental payments bundled with utilities, high-speed internet, contents insurance, and access to on-site support, social spaces, and resident events. Supplementary services include lifestyle packs, cleaning, the Collegiate Student Assistance mental wellbeing app, and a StarRez-powered self-service booking portal.

Product overview

Collegiate AC operates a portfolio of purpose-built student accommodation properties across the UK (23 cities), Spain, Portugal, and Italy, offered as a unified accommodation service with all-inclusive rent. The product suite comprises the core accommodation offering (rooms, ensuites, studios, apartments), supplemented by the StarRez-powered booking portal for reservations and account management, the AY Short Stay module for flexible short-term bookings, the Collegiate Student Assistance App for mental health support, Lifestyle Packs & Cleaning Services via UniKitOut partnership, Gallagher contents insurance, the Collegiate Student Experience Programme of events and wellbeing initiatives, and a 4-instalment payment plan for rent flexibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AY Short Stay: Short-term stay accommodation booking option for students

Products and services

• Student Accommodation (UK & EU) Purpose-built student accommodation providing furnished rooms, ensuites, studios, and apartments across 22 UK cities plus Madrid, Valencia, Lisbon, and Milan. All-inclusive rent covers utilities, high-speed Wi-Fi, contents insurance, and council tax exemption, with access to on-site concierge teams, social spaces, fitness suites, and resident events.
• AY Short Stay Flexible short-term student accommodation booking product offering a minimum 7-night stay across UK properties including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Chester, Derby, Exeter, Gloucester, Ipswich, Leicester, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Winchester.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mental Health First Aid trained site teams available at all properties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StarRezcoreTechnology or IntegrationStarRez provides the property management and booking portal technology powering Collegiate's online booking systems (ukportal.collegiate-ac.com and euportal.collegiate-ac.com), enabling room selection, payments, and account management for students.
• GallaghercoreTechnology or IntegrationGallagher provides contents insurance designed specifically for student accommodation, included free in Collegiate rents and covering risks students may encounter while living away from home. Students access details via Gallagher Collegiate Hub.
• UniKitOutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniKitOut partnership offers Collegiate students 10% discount (code COLLEGIATE10) on pre-ordered bedding, kitchen packs, bathroom packs and other student essentials delivered on arrival, making move-in easier especially for international students.
• MHFAE (Mental Health First Aid England)coreOthersSite teams are Mental Health First Aid trained by MHFAE, providing mental health support to students and ensuring wellbeing-focused accommodation environment.
• UK UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollegiate maintains strong links with all universities in all cities where properties are located, ensuring accommodation aligns with student needs and university requirements.
• CNA HardycoreOthersProfessional Indemnity Insurance policy underwritten by CNA Hardy (policy number 10611107) providing coverage for services Collegiate provides.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Student Roost: UK PBSA provider operating ~25,000 beds across 25+ cities including Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Newcastle, and Portsmouth — overlapping significantly with Collegiate's portfolio. Backed by GIC, offers comparable room types and all-inclusive pricing.
• Vita Student: Premium UK and Spain PBSA operator (owned by Brookfield) targeting international and postgraduate students with design-led studio apartments. Competitor in UK cities and overlapping directly with Collegiate's Madrid/Valencia operations.
• Nido Student Living: Pure-play European PBSA operator (Spain-focused with Lisbon presence) competing directly with Collegiate in Madrid, Valencia, and Lisbon. Comparable premium ensuite/studio offering for international students.
• Yugo: Global student housing operator with significant UK and European presence (Dublin, Madrid, London, Bristol). Targets Gen Z with wellbeing and experience-led positioning, directly comparable to Collegiate's MHFA and Student Assistance App proposition.
• Scape Student Living: Australian-founded PBSA operator with UK and Ireland presence. Targets international students with branded ensuite and studio product in cities including London, Dublin, and Birmingham — overlapping Collegiate's premium and international segments.
• Unite Students: UK's largest listed PBSA operator (~70,000 beds) providing purpose-built student accommodation across major university cities. Direct competitor to Collegiate AC in nearly every UK city where it operates, with similar all-inclusive rental model and university partnerships.
• The Student Housing Company: European PBSA operator with presence in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany — directly mirroring Collegiate's continental footprint. Comparable ensuite and studio product targeted at international and exchange students.
• iQ Student Accommodation: Major UK and Ireland PBSA provider with ~30,000 beds. Owned by Blackstone, iQ competes head-to-head with Collegiate in cities like London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, offering similar ensuite/studio room types and on-site amenity programs.
• Host Student Housing (Homes for Students): UK PBSA platform with ~50,000 beds managed/owned, providing comparable ensuite and studio offerings in cities including Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, and Newcastle. Direct competitor with similar multi-city footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Greystar Europe: World's largest student housing and multifamily operator with major UK and European PBSA presence (e.g., iQ brand, Chapter London). Operates at much greater scale but competes in the same university cities and customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/collegiate_uk
• Facebookfacebook.com/CollegiateAC
• Instagraminstagram.com/collegiateukstudent

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Collegiate AC