Corporate Housing for International Students
Posted on Monday, July 21 2025
Over the past few years, Canada has become an increasingly popular destination for international students at colleges and universities: The total number of international students is now at about 1,000,000 across the country.
And while recent legislation is reducing the annual number of student visas by about 10%, popular locations like Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto continue to attract large numbers of students from all over the world, with more than 25,000 international students at the University of Toronto alone.
Housing needs for international students
While in many ways, international students are just like their Canadian counterparts, they have slightly different needs when it comes to their housing. International students require housing that is:
- • Reliable and ‘as advertised’, since most international students have to choose their accommodation before they’ve arrived in their new city
- • Close to campus and public transportation, since very few international students have access to a car of their own
- • In a walkable location for things like groceries and other supplies
- • In a safe neighbourhood, so that returning from late-night classes or study sessions isn’t considered risky
- • Quiet and secure – many international students, even undergrads, prefer not to be in ‘party’ houses
- • Acceptable to parents, who may be a big part of the process
- • Flexible stay lengths, to accommodate academic schedules or short-term changes
- • Furnished options, since most international students won’t have their own furniture and won’t want to make a significant investment
- • Speedy, reliable wifi for daily schoolwork
- • Responsive property management, to smoothly handle arrivals and departures
Why corporate housing can be a great resource for international students
Many colleges and universities offer furnished on-campus accommodation for international students, often with meal plans, and these can be a good option for new students. However, many schools don’t guarantee on-campus accommodation, or only guarantee it for the first year of study. And on-campus housing can require sharing a room, bathroom, kitchen and other facilities with strangers, which can be overwhelming in combination with adapting to a whole new country.
Many international students prefer to live off-campus so they can get out of the university ‘bubble’ and experience more of the local culture. They also choose off-campus housing if they anticipate hosting friends and family from their home country and need privacy and space to do this.
This is where corporate housing can be a good option. Accredited, recognized corporate housing, especially in larger cities, delivers a variety of benefits, including:
