Cost and shortage of student housing set to rise

Problems finding or affording accommodation could be worsened by growing numbers of students travelling farther to college.

Despite restriction of the availability of grants to study away from home, analysis of official figures reveals the proportion of grant recipients qualifying for those higher funding supports is on the rise.

While 47% of those who got a grant in 2012 were on higher rates because they studied at least 45km from home, it went up to 50% in 2013 and to 52% in the past college year.