Yugo Tops Out $193m PBSA Block in Perth’s South-East
A $193-million student accommodation project in the WA capital has reached a milestone, topping out ahead of completion in time for semester two next year.
The Yugo Perth University Campus PBSA project is being developed by Exal Group and will be managed by the global student housing brand Yugo.
The 916-bed, three-tower asset will include retail spaces and recreational facilities such as a gym, basketball half-court, theatre, games room, rooftop gardens, study hall, and study rooms.
Ground-floor retail tenancies will include a convenience store, food court, cafe, restaurant and educational support facilities.
Room options will be single ensuites, studio apartments, and two and three-bedroom share apartments.
The 7200sq m site’s first two towers are due to open for the second semester of 2026, with the third tower in 2027.
The development at 7 Keaney Place, Waterford, next to Canning College and Curtin University, is about 12km south-east of the CBD by road.
The project is Exal Group’s first student accommodation project in Perth and will become among the largest PBSA properties in the city.
Exal Group managing director Bay Yeo said that as a former international student at Curtin University, he’d enjoyed “watching the project progress in what feels like my backyard”.
“Yugo Perth University Campus will be a safe, convenient, and fun place to live for students from Curtin University, Canning College and other higher education institutions, providing a home away from home for many people within an education precinct.”
Yugo also operates properties in Adelaide, Perth City on Stirling Street, and Melbourne, serving over 160,000 students a year across more than 120 cities in 14 countries.
Yugo Australia managing director Tim Klitscher said there was an urgent need for more student accommodation in Perth, near important institutions, and that “Western Australia is a priority for Yugo as international student numbers grow”.
The Federal Government this month confirmed 2026 international student allocations for public universities, which emphasised that student growth must be supported by new, fit-for-purpose accommodation.
The 2026 National Planning Level of 295,000 international student places is 25,000 more than in 2025.
Also this month, Scape, Australia’s largest purpose-built student accommodation operator, revealed plans to expand into on-campus management.
Scape chief executive Anouk Darling told The Urban Developer the Government’s policy recognised that student accommodation was central to Australia’s global education competitiveness.
“By linking international student growth to new, compliant housing, universities are being encouraged to partner with trusted private operators who can deliver at scale,” Darling said.
