The Student Housing Market caters to a very specific group of residents, but that niche can be broken down even further.
According to Jim Arbury, Vice President of Student Housing for the National Multi Housing Council, international students are a very desirable resident group who could bring greater diversity to a community.
“They are typically ‘serious’ students and pay their rent in advance,” Arbury says. “Assuming that they have a good experience living in your apartment community, they will be good ambassadors for other foreign students looking for a place to live and for future students who come from abroad.”
To connect with these students, Arbury suggests obtaining a list of foreign students who are entering the college or university as freshmen. Send them a letter, possibly in their language, Arbury adds, and meet with the various foreign student programs and clubs on campus to gain further insight. Arbury also suggests:
• including foreign students in marketing pictures;
• arranging for some of the foreign student clubs to hold their meetings at the
student housing community;
• and contacting various diplomatic offices and embassies and providing them with more information about the community.
If a student housing community is able to recruit international students, the work doesn’t end there.
“Contact each foreign student personally and see if there is anything they need,” Arbury says. “Help them solve communication problems with others in the community. Find out if you can help them in any way.”
To make international students feel more comfortable and welcome, try offering weekly one-hour English language courses and sponsoring diversity nights, Arbury says. Instead of always offering free pizza during certain activities, provide Indian, Chinese or Arabic food that caters to foreign tastes.
—NAA’s Lauren Boston