When to book student accommodation: what the enquiry data shows

Enquiries by month

The pattern is a slow build from September, a steep climb through November and December, a huge spike in January and a second, smaller wave in February as late registrations and second-round placements land. From March to August, enquiries fall to about 1-2% of the year each month.

January is the crunch month

January 2026 alone saw 26,882 enquiries, 51% of the year. Add December and February and the three months around the start of the academic year account for almost four out of every five enquiries. That is when results come out, when university res offers and rejections land, and when NSFAS funding decisions arrive, so a large number of students all start looking in the same few weeks.

In practice that means more people asking about the same rooms, slower replies from busy landlords and less room to negotiate. We cannot see how quickly individual rooms fill, but the demand is clearly concentrated.

How far ahead students book

We also looked at the move-in date students ask for when they enquire. The earlier in the season they enquire, the further ahead they are planning:

• Enquiries sent in late October asked to move in a median of 93 days later, mostly for January or February.
• In late November, the median lead time was 63 days.
• On 1 January, it was 31 days: students were looking for a room for the following month.
• In late July, the median was 34 days, but the spread was wide: many wanted to move in for the second semester in August, while about a third were already asking about January or February 2027.

So when should you book?

If you know which city you will study in, start in October and aim to have a room secured by the end of November. By then only about 12% of the year's enquiries have been sent, so you are ahead of the rush and landlords have time to reply properly and arrange viewings.

If you are waiting on a university res decision, do not wait passively. Shortlist two or three private options in October and November so that you can move quickly if the res offer does not come. Read how to apply for university res and res vs digs to plan both routes.

If you are looking in January, it is not too late, but be ready: have your documents, deposit and guarantor details prepared, reply to landlords the same day and watch for scams, which thrive on students under time pressure.

Looking mid-year? From March to August demand is at its lowest, which is a good time to find a room for the second semester or to lock in next year early.

Does this differ by city?

Our enquiry records do not yet include the city in a way we can publish, so this edition shows the national pattern. The academic calendar is similar across South African universities, so the January peak applies everywhere. For what rooms cost in each city, see the student rent index.

This season so far

September 2026 is already running ahead of last year: 997 enquiries in the first 20 days, against 1,166 for the whole of September 2025. If that trend holds, the 2027 rush will start earlier again. Start your search now on DigsConnect.