Student Accommodation

How to get cheap student housing

Student Accommodation

After acceptance at university, students are usually advised to apply for a place in a hall of residence or other college accommodation, such as self-catering houses and apartments.

However, such accommodation is limited and in high demand, and many universities don’t provide student accommodation at all. You should write as soon as possible after acceptance to the accommodation or housing officer, whose job is to help students find suitable accommodation. There’s a huge (largely unfilled) demand for student accommodation (often from overseas students) in the major cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne, and many universities are looking at ways of providing more student accommodation.

The cost of accommodation in halls of residence ranges from around $90 per week for self-catering to around $280 for full board. Overseas students are usually given priority for housing, although you should investigate the availability and cost of local accommodation before accepting a place at a university. The Coordinating Committee for Overseas Students helps overseas students find accommodation.

A large number of students rent privately-owned apartments or houses, which are often shared with other students, although in many areas this kind of accommodation is difficult to find and expensive (from around $110 per week for a single room and from $170 for a double). Sharing a room with a fellow student costs from around $75 per week. Another alternative is to find lodgings where you rent a room in a private house with meals included. It’s generally recognised that students shouldn’t spend more than 30 per cent of their income on accommodation.

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