More new students are choosing to live at home while attending university this year than at any point in the last nine years, according to new data.

Over 81,000 UK 18-year-olds indicated in their accepted university applications that they intended to live at home this year, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas). That figure represents just over one in three students in that category. In 2017, the proportion was closer to one in five.

The figures vary across the UK, with 48% of applicants in Scotland intending to live at home compared with 20% in Wales, but the trend is rising across the board.

Students say the rising cost of living is a major influence on their decisions about what to do after school or college.

For friends Beatrice and Amelia, from St Helens, Merseyside, the cost of accommodation was a significant factor in their decision to live at home while studying. Both are heading to university in September but neither will be moving into student accommodation.

Fellow student Jessica, who is also set to study at Liverpool John Moores University, says she feels she will miss out. She would have loved to live on campus and enjoy student life, but says the price of renting is "ridiculous" and "insane".

"I have a part-time job as everything is so expensive, and then commuting is going to kill a lot of my free time as well," she says. "It is a bit sad really when you think about it."

She adds, however, that staying at home means she will still be able to enjoy her parents' home-cooked meals.

Earlier this year, reports followed the daily journey of one first-year student who said she was saving over £7,000 on accommodation by commuting 90 minutes into Manchester each day from home.

A record number of UK 18-year-olds have been accepted into university this year. At the same time, student rents have risen sharply in recent years, alongside other living costs.

The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) said last year that students needed £61,000 over the course of a three-year degree in order to maintain a "minimum socially acceptable standard of living" — excluding tuition fees.

Its report found that in 2024 the cost of renting in university-owned accommodation ranged from £108 per week for 40-to-44-week contracts in Northern Ireland, to £338 a week for the shortest contracts in London, where rent accounts for nearly half — 46% — of students' total costs. In most areas, weekly rents fell between £140 and £180, with private halls typically being more expensive.

Many students are eligible for a maintenance loan to help cover accommodation costs, but student unions say the average annual price of a campus room is increasing far faster than loan support. Hepi says most young full-time students now work in paid employment during term time to bridge the gap between their maintenance loan income and the actual cost of living.

For some, the situation is prompting a rethink about what university looks like altogether.

The Open University, which offers distance learning and online courses, says more teenagers than ever are enrolling with it. Almost 3,400 students aged 18 and 19 joined the university last year, making up 9.5% of new starters, compared with 5.7% six years ago. Traditionally, the institution has been popular with mature students who wish to continue working while studying from home.

Its vice-chancellor, Prof Dave Phoenix, says the trend points to a shift in how younger people are thinking about university. He adds that studying online "means they can avoid moving costs and high accommodation bills and, for others, it means keeping a job."

However, a report by Prof William Whyte of the University of Oxford argues that the value of on-campus life extends far beyond the price of accommodation and plays an important role in personal development and the broader university experience.

"The question isn't simply where students live. It's what they gain from living and learning together as part of a university community," he says.

"Currently, we have no real policy on accommodation for the overwhelming majority of students who want to leave home for study. It's time for a serious debate about the role accommodation plays in the university — and how we will pay for it."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said the government recognises that too many students are facing financial hardship. The spokesperson said the government is increasing maximum maintenance loans and reintroducing maintenance grants to help with living costs, and is working with universities and local councils to improve access to student housing.