Global Student Accommodation (GSA), the largest student housing provider in Ireland, is considering a potential recapitalisation or partial sale of its Irish assets, which are collectively valued at approximately €500 million. The portfolio comprises around 2,000 student beds across five Dublin properties, all operated under the Yugo brand, which was launched by GSA to modernise its global operations.
To oversee the process, GSA has appointed Eastdil Secured, a prominent real estate investment banking firm. Industry sources suggest the deal could attract major institutional investors, particularly pension funds and private equity firms that have shown increasing interest in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), a resilient and high-demand asset class.
This potential transaction would be one of the most significant moves in Ireland’s student accommodation market to date. It comes at a time when demand for student housing remains strong, fueled by the continued growth in international student numbers and a severe lack of new developments in the pipeline.
Market watchers are closely monitoring the deal, which could set a new benchmark for asset pricing in the PBSA sector and spark further activity among competitors in what remains a relatively underdeveloped segment of the Irish real estate market.