Poland Keen students of the Polish scene – Xior Student Housing

Why has Xior turned its attention to the Polish student accommodation market in recent years? How promising a market is it?

Tomasz Paszkowski MRICS, investment manager, Xior Student Housing: Poland has become an increasingly attractive market for Xior due to its strong fundamentals and the growth potential in the PBSA sector. With almost 1.3 mln students, Poland has the sixth-largest student population in Europe, yet its private student housing provision remains underdeveloped, with a private bed provision rate of around 1-2 pct — significantly lower than the 7–9 pct seen in more mature Western European markets. This gap presents a clear opportunity for growth.

Additionally, the share of international students in Poland — a key demographic for PBSA — has been rising steadily and is now approaching 10 pct. Although still below the more than 15 pct seen in Western Europe, this trend supports the long-term demand for high-quality student accommodation.

As a relatively young market, Poland’s existing PBSA stock mainly comprises modern, large-scale developments with appealing communal areas and high design standards. These assets not only meet the expectations of today’s students but also offer attractive returns for investors. Moreover, the awareness and acceptance of private student housing among students and their families are growing, particularly for developments that combine the privacy of single rooms with communal amenities such as gyms, study areas and social space. This evolving demand perfectly aligns with Xior’s offering and long-term strategy.

When and how did Xior enter the Polish PBSA market?

Xior entered the Polish PBSA market in May 2022 through the acquisition of a portfolio of student housing assets from Basecamp Group. The transaction included properties across several key student cities in Europe, with three assets located in Poland: two in Łódź (offering a total of 1,255 beds) and one in Katowice (733 beds). The deal was fully completed in April 2024 with the takeover of the Polish operations team, now operating under the name Xior Student Operations Poland. The team is managed locally by Tomasz Korzeniewski (operations), Tomasz Paszkowski (acquisitions), Witold Syrwid (finance) and Piotr Brodzik (development), ensuring strong market expertise and operational continuity.

Also, in June 2022, Xior formed a JV with Solida Capital to develop a new PBSA project in Warsaw – Wenedów. This purpose-built residence, offering 404 modern student rooms, is scheduled to open ahead of the 2025/2026 academic year.

Xior’s presence in Poland was further strengthened in July 2024 with the acquisition of LivinnX in Kraków, adding another 673 beds to its portfolio. In 2025, the company continued its expansion with the purchase of two additional modern schemes: one in Warsaw (117 units) and another in Wrocław (775 units). These three acquisitions within just 12 months demonstrate Xior’s long-term commitment to the Polish market and its ambition to become a leading PBSA investor and operator in the country.

Are you planning more corporate acquisitions or property purchases? Which cities will you be focusing on?

We are continuously monitoring the market and analysing opportunities for both operational properties and development projects, with a current preference for operational properties. In all the countries that Xior is active in, we target the main student cities, as is the case in Poland. There is enough demand to expand in the cities we already have a presence in, but there are also some additional interesting markets – such as the Tricity area and Poznań.

How large is your Polish portfolio now and by how much are you planning to expand it in the years ahead?

Our current portfolio comprises almost 4,000 beds across seven buildings located in Warsaw (2), Łódź (2), Kraków, Wrocław and Katowice. As mentioned above, we are continuously monitoring the market for potential acquisitions. We have strong confidence in the Polish market and remain open to discussions with investors and developers to further grow our portfolio in the future.