Student Castle
Student Castle is a UK purpose-built student accommodation operator (founded 2010, London) running 30+ properties across 17 university cities on 39-51 week tenancies, serving individual students directly under owner Mapletree Investments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Student Castle does
Student Castle is a UK purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operator founded in 2010 and headquartered in London. The company owns and operates purpose-built student housing across 17 UK cities, including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Brighton, Birmingham, Durham, Sheffield, Nottingham, Liverpool, Lincoln, Leicester, Reading, Aberystwyth, and York, with a portfolio of more than 30 named property schemes offering rooms, ensuites, studios, and apartments on 39-51 week academic-year tenancies. Pricing ranges from approximately £85 per week for budget ensuites to £469 per week for premium London short-term stays, with all-inclusive bills covering utilities, 100Mbps broadband, WiFi, and contents insurance.
The underlying technology stack is a conventional property-operations platform: a public website with an Online Booking System (booking.studentcastle.co.uk), a Student Portal for residents to manage payments, maintenance requests, cleaner bookings, and document access, Adobe EchoSign for tenancy e-signature, and ancillary integrations with Ask4/Glide broadband, Circuit Laundry, and Howden contents insurance. A mobile app supports resident communication. No proprietary AI/ML models, data flywheel, or advanced analytics are evidenced; Google Analytics is the only disclosed analytics dependency.
Student Castle's business model is direct-to-consumer recurring rental revenue from individual students under fixed-term tenancy agreements, with rent instalments synchronized to UK student loan disbursements. Marketing is multi-channel, combining university Freshers' Fairs at 10+ named institutions, social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Youku), email campaigns, and a Refer a Friend programme (£150 per referral). The company is wholly owned by Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based global real estate investor that operates approximately 33,000 beds across 46 cities in the UK, US, Germany, and Canada; Student Castle sits alongside sister brand Capitol Students within that platform.
Student Castle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Student Castle
- Legal name
- Student Castle Property Management Services Limited
- Website
- https://studentcastle.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Student Castle is a UK purpose-built student accommodation operator (founded 2010, London) running 30+ properties across 17 university cities on 39-51 week tenancies, serving individual students directly under owner Mapletree Investments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Student Castle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Housing / Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)
- NAICS
- Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Providers & Operators (EDAIALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Off-Campus Purpose-Built Student Housing (PBSA) Management (BPAJAJAB), Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) – Short-Term Leases (THAMAGAB), Student & Academic Term Monthly Housing (THAMAFAH)
Keywords
Where Student Castle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices19 records
Markets served
Student Castle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Student Accommodation Rental: Recurring rental income from fixed-term tenancy/license agreements with students. Rent is paid in instalments aligned with university term dates and student loan payments. Tenancy lengths range from 39-51 weeks, corresponding with academic cycles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Sheffield Rockingham House - Room pricing ranging from £85-175 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Nottingham The Glasshouse - Room pricing ranging from £109-219 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Nottingham Bowman House - Studio pricing ranging from £165-189 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Nottingham Nottingham Square - Room pricing from £95-129 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Manchester Park View - Gold Ensuite at £185 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Manchester Oxney House & Gardens - Ensuite pricing from £185-225 per week |
| Subscription | Annual | Manchester Manchester House - Ensuite pricing from £205-239 per week |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer 2026 Short-Term Stays - Various properties from £99-469 per week |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Student Castle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Student Castle provides purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) across 17 UK university cities, letting furnished rooms, en-suite rooms, studios, and one-bedroom apartments on fixed-term tenancies of 39–51 weeks aligned to the academic calendar, plus short-term summer stays. Rent is all-inclusive, bundling utilities, 100Mbps broadband, contents insurance, gym access, and on-site amenities, with bookings completed online and managed through a Student Portal.
Product overview
Student Castle is a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operator providing furnished housing across 17 UK cities. Their portfolio consists of core accommodation offerings (rooms, ensuite rooms, studios, apartments) available via 39-51 week academic year tenancies, supported by a digital platform including the Student Portal for account management and an Online Booking System for reservations. Additional offerings include Short-Term/Summer Stays for flexible periods, a Refer a Friend Program for rewards, and free Dual Occupancy options at select properties. All properties include standard amenities (100Mbps WiFi, 24/7 gyms, common rooms, study areas, bike storage) and are backed by a mobile app for resident communication. The company operates under parent Mapletree Investments alongside sister brand Capitol Students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Capitol Students: Sister brand of Student Castle also managed by Mapletree, covered by ANUK/Unipol National Code for Larger Developments accreditation.
Products and services
- Student Accommodation Properties (PBSA)
- Short-Term Summer Stays
Quantifiable outcome
- GSL Index score of 82.2% significantly exceeding 73.3% industry average
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Student Castle
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Student Castle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature2 records
Student Castle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- Housing HandsupportingHousing Hand acts as an independent guarantor for international students who do not have a UK-based guarantor. Students can register with Housing Hand subject to meeting their terms and conditions, with Student Castle customers receiving an exclusive discounted rate.
- UniKitOutsupportingPreferred supplier for bedding and kitchen equipment. Student Castle receives affiliate commission (10% discount code 'CASTLE10' offered to customers). Students can purchase bedding and other items from UniKitOut through a partner link on the Student Castle website.
- Howden for StudentssupportingProvides complete personal contents insurance to protect residents and their belongings. Insurance is included in rent with additional cover available at extra cost.
- Ask4supportingInternet service provider at select properties. Students contact Ask4 directly for technical support at 0845 123 8710.
- GlidesupportingInternet service provider at select properties. Students contact Glide directly for technical support at 0333 123 0115.
- Circuit LaundrysupportingProvides laundry facilities at all properties. Operates card-based payment system with mobile app support for topping up laundry cards.
- AdobesupportingAdobe EchoSign electronic signature system used for signing lettings agreements. Students sign their rental agreements electronically through this platform.
- GooglesupportingGoogle Analytics cookies (_ga, _gat, _gid) used to collect information about how visitors use the Student Castle website. Data used to compile reports and help improve the site.
- ANUK/UnipolcoreStudent Castle is a member of ANUK/Unipol National Code for Larger Developments, the accreditation scheme setting standards for student accommodation in the UK.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Student Castle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CRM Students: UK PBSA operator with properties in cities including Exeter, Bath, Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds. Comparable on product offering, target market and academic-year tenancy structure.
- Downing Students: UK-focused PBSA developer and operator with thousands of beds in university cities including Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Bristol. Comparable as a UK PBSA operator serving university students with similar tenancy lengths and all-inclusive pricing.
- Greystar (UK operations): Global real estate and student housing operator with a significant UK PBSA portfolio, including the Chapter London brand. Comparable as a purpose-built student accommodation provider with on-site management and direct booking platform.
- Vita Student: Premium UK PBSA brand operating in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Edinburgh and Bristol. Comparable on product positioning (premium studios, all-inclusive amenities, social events) and direct-to-consumer booking model.
- Unite Students: The largest UK PBSA operator, listed on the London Stock Exchange, with ~70,000 beds across 25+ cities. Directly comparable as a UK purpose-built student accommodation provider serving the same university student segment.
- Homes for Students: UK PBSA and shared housing provider operating across multiple university cities with ensuite, studio and shared house products. Comparable on tenant profile, tenancy model and direct booking platform.
- iQ Student Accommodation: Major UK PBSA operator owned by Blackstone, operating more than 28,000 beds across ~30 UK university cities. Directly comparable on product offering (ensuites, studios), target market and all-inclusive pricing model.
- Urbanest: PBSA operator with a strong London footprint and presence in cities including Manchester and Leeds. Comparable on premium positioning, ensuite/studio product mix and direct-to-consumer booking experience.
- Fresh Student Living: UK PBSA operator with properties across multiple university cities, operated by UNITE-affiliated teams. Comparable as a direct competitor in the same UK city footprint and product category.
- Host Student (CBRE Global Investors / Ardent): UK-focused PBSA operator with properties across university cities. Comparable as a direct competitor offering PBSA to university students with similar amenity-led positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Student Castle social profiles
Digital presenceStudent Castle compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Student Castle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Student Castle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Student Castle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Student Castle 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 Castle
What does Student Castle do?
Student Castle provides purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) across 17 UK university cities, letting furnished rooms, en-suite rooms, studios, and one-bedroom apartments on fixed-term tenancies of 39–51 weeks aligned to the academic calendar, plus short-term summer stays. Rent is all-inclusive, bundling utilities, 100Mbps broadband, contents insurance, gym access, and on-site amenities, with bookings completed online and managed through a Student Portal.
Is Student Castle a public or private company?
Student Castle is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Student Castle founded?
Student Castle was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Student Castle based?
Student Castle is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Student Castle make money?
One revenue line is on record: student Accommodation Rental.
Who are Student Castle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CRM Students, Downing Students, Greystar (UK operations), Vita Student, Unite Students, Homes for Students, iQ Student Accommodation, Urbanest, Fresh Student Living and Host Student (CBRE Global Investors / Ardent).
Does Student Castle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Student Castle.
What industry is Student Castle in?
Student Castle's product category is Student Housing / Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIALAA, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Providers & Operators, with a secondary code of BPAJAJAB, Off-Campus Purpose-Built Student Housing (PBSA) Management. Its NAICS code is 72131 and its SIC code is 7000.