Education Realty Trust Announces Second Quarter 2009 Preliminary Preleasing Statistics

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 6, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Education Realty Trust, Inc.
(NYSE:EDR), a leader in the ownership, management and development of student
housing today announced it latest leasing results for the upcoming 2009 fall
lease term.

2009 Leasing

As of June 29, 2009, leasing for the combined wholly-owned portfolio on a same
community basis reflected approximately 82% of beds applied for and 75% leased
compared to 79% and 74%, respectively, at this time last year. Leasing on a same
community -- legacy portfolio basis reflected approximately 84% of beds applied
for and 78% leased compared to 84% and 79%, respectively, at this time last
year. Regarding the former Place portfolio, approximately 75% of the beds have
been applied for and 66% have been leased compared to 63% and 58%, respectively,
at this time last year. An application is defined as a signed student lease
except for the receipt of an executed parental guarantee or completion of
background verification.

The Company has included a detailed, property by property status report on fall
leasing for the same-community group, including EDR's legacy and former Place
portfolio.

The chart accompanying this release is available at
http://media.primezone.com/cache/9749/file/7071.pdf

About Education Realty Trust

Education Realty Trust (NYSE:EDR) is a self-administered, self-managed real
estate investment trust that owns, develops and manages high-quality student
housing communities throughout the United States. Led by a team with over 200
years of shared industry experience, EDR is one of America's largest owners and
operators of collegiate student housing. Its portfolio includes 63 communities
in 21 states with 37,152 owned and managed beds. For more information please
visit the Company's website at www.educationrealty.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements about EDR's business that are not historical facts are
"forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are based on current
expectations. You should not rely on EDR's forward-looking statements because
the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks and
uncertainties that could cause EDR's future results, performance, or
achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance, or
achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks are set forth
under the captions "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" and
under the caption "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations" (or similar captions) in EDR's annual
report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and as described in its
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and EDR undertakes
no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

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CONTACT: ICR, LLC
Brad Cohen
203-682-8211
bcohen@icrinc.com