Student.com
Student.com is a globally-oriented accommodation marketplace focused specifically on students. Since its founding in 2011 (originally as Overseas Student Living) it has grown to support students seeking housing in dozens of countries and hundreds of cities. The platform claims multiple million beds listed, and helps match students with landlords or accommodation providers via a searchable website, supportive booking consultants, and room-/studio-type listings.
The service emphasises vetted listings, “perfect home guarantee,” instant-booking options and a free support service for students to navigate complex rental markets.
For the student user
When students use Student.com, they can search by city, neighbourhood, university or property type (shared room, private studio, ensuite, etc). Listings typically include details such as included bills/utilities, lease length, start date aligned with academic terms, and amenities tailored for student living. For example, the Canada-site includes a dedicated page for Ottawa student housing listings.
Students engage with booking consultants who help review their profile, communicate with property providers, and guide them through documentation, payment and move-in. The service is free for the student, with the platform earning commissions from property providers rather than charging students a listing fee.
For accommodation providers & landlords
For property managers and student accommodations, Student.com offers access to a global student-search audience and a brand-recognised student-market channel. Providers list their inventory (rooms/studios) and Student.com supports marketing, booking funnel and communication with prospective student tenants. This reduces the barrier for providers to reach international students and handle administrative processes in multiple languages and time zones.
Strengths and considerations
Strengths:
- Highly student-centric: built for the student housing segment globally, with support systems tailored to new arrivals, international students and non-local renters.
- Free to students: the platform does not charge students directly to browse and book – cost is borne via accommodation provider commissions.
- International-friendly: Listings often include helpful support (multiple languages, move-in guidance, starting before term, etc).
- Brand recognition and global footprint: in many countries the site is widely used and trusted as a recognised student housing channel.
Considerations / limitations:
- In Canadian markets, especially outside major student-city hubs, listing volume may be more limited than national/local-only portals focused solely on Canada.
- The global focus means some listings may follow non-Canadian lease norms (lease lengths, utilities, rights) – local students or international students in Canada should carefully check local leasing terms, tenant rights and whether the listing conforms to provincial regulations.
- As with all listing platforms, quality of individual listings can vary—some may be less up-to-date or have fewer amenities than shown; always verify by viewing property, reading the lease and checking reviews.
Use-case summary
If you are a student (domestic or international) looking for accommodation and possibly moving to or already in Canada, Student.com offers a strong starting point, especially if you are comfortable with global-market channels, and may need additional support or international move-in logistics. If you are an accommodation provider or student-housing operator, listing via Student.com gives you access to a global student audience and management support for bookings across borders. In either case, for Canadian usage it may be wise to use Student.com alongside local Canadian student housing portals to ensure full market coverage.
Final remarks
Overall, Student.com stands out as a specialist platform for student accommodation with multi-country reach, dedicated student support and a business model designed for international student mobility. Its applicability in Canada is confirmed via city-pages (such as Ottawa), but users should still check local fit, listing depth and market specifics when using it for Canadian cities.

