Top tips for choosing student accommodation in Australia

Did you know?

Where you live has been proven to have significant impacts on our emotional and physical well-being. So, finding the best option is an extremely important (and stressful!) task for students who decide to move abroad!

If you are contemplating whether student accommodation is the right place for you, or the housing search is just too much adulting and confusion - Look no further! Here are 4 questions that will help you decide whether student accommodation is the perfect fit for you.

1. What is the most important thing for me in terms of living space?

• People have different priorities when it comes to where you live. Do you value your privacy or need company (because the spiders in Australia are just too much)? Are you looking to meet new people and make friends, or a place to rest and study in between work and school?
• There is no right or wrong answer - everyone is different. But knowing your priorities will help you make up your mind in the most logical way.

Choose student accommodation if…

• The social aspect of living space is on the top of your list!
• These accommodations usually host a lot of events for residents to meet each other, and people who live here tend to be non-locals, either from different cities or countries. Hence, making friends is a lot easier not only because of organized events, but also the fact that you guys have a lot in common!

DON'T choose student accommodation if…

• Noise and shared living space is unnegotiable for you - maybe consider looking into renting by yourself or looking on flatmates.com.au, domain.com.au, realestate.com.au, Facebook groups and other platforms for private rentals.
• Neighbors and housemates are really a hit or miss: Parties can get pretty loud (and unfortunately, noise complaints often won't do it). Waiting for bathrooms, dirty common areas and smoking are things you might have to deal with!

2. How much am I willing to pay?

• Now that you have your priorities set, come up with a budget for your weekly rent!
• Depending on what utilities are included, whether the buildings are renovated, if you have housemates, how close it is to public transport……, prices can range from $200 ~ $800!
• Student accommodation is definitely more expensive compared to private rentals.
• A very common way is to sign a shorter lease for student accommodation, (e.g.Semester 1 only) and move out with friends you've met after the contract ends. Keep a lookout for potential tidy, easy-going housemates in your friend group!

3. Do I want to deal with maintenance issues myself?

• One big convenience for student accommodation is that usually, you don't have to directly deal with maintenance issues in regards to your housing. Whether it be a leaking sink, broken lock, clogged shower or a collapsing wardrobe, the accommodation usually fixes the issues upon submitting a request.
• If you decide to rent privately, you might have to deal with these issues directly with your landlord or contact trade companies yourself, and the rent you pay most likely will not cover the costs.

4. Do I want to live closer to campus?

• Student accommodations are definitely located closer to campus - This could save a lot of time and commuting money on a day-to-day basis. And it adds up!
• So, you could think about how many days a week you are going on campus for classes, and whether you're willing to pay a premium price for convenience.

Choose student accommodation if…

• You have to go on campus very often throughout the week
• Say you're on campus 4 days a week: this would be 8 trips to and fro. This means that If you live far from campus, where every trip is an hour, you lose 8 hours of extra time a week to work, rest, study or hang out with friends!

DON'T choose student accommodation if…

• You only have a few days on campus, or you want to prioritise working in a different area (such as the city)
• If you work more days than you study, and the location at which you work is a different suburb or city, living close to campus is probably not worth it. This is also why most residents at student accommodations are first or second year students!

Your choices should reflect your priorities - including where you decide to live. Spend some time to really think about these questions, and you'll know if student accommodation is the right place for you!