Accessibility Dynamics in the Financialisation of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation in South Africa: A Literature Review

The growing trend towards purpose-built student accommodation has been a global response to the need to attract private finance to the student housing supply gap. Therefore, this study seeks to synthesise global literature regarding the financialisation of student housing to fill the knowledge gap regarding accessibility dynamics, drivers, barriers, and prospects for partnership. Thirty-one studies were selected from the Google Scholar database and used Atlas Ti to analyse content. The findings of this paper identify the need for institutions to reduce their financial burdens as a critical driver for attracting private sector investment. Furthermore, international student enrolment and cross-border investor appetite influence investment finance accessibility across various markets. The study also found that partnership with the government often provides risk mitigation for PBSA providers. This study is particularly relevant given the growing demand for purpose-built student accommodation and the need to draw relevant lessons from more developed markets for the South African context.