Types of Student Accommodation Available in Melbourne

For students from various parts of the world, Australia is a very popular study destination — no matter whether they are studying for a Diploma of Business, a game design course or a specifically designed English course. Melbourne, arguably more than any other Australian city, has great appeal for students and many fine quality educational courses are provided by schools and colleges in Victoria’s capital city.

Why Melbourne?

Melbourne is a dynamic and vibrant city that is rich in culture and home to many activities for visitors and residents. With fine food, wine and coffee, various nightlife options and gorgeous parks and gardens, it’s not difficult to love Melbourne and appreciate its many offerings.

Added to this, the city of Melbourne has an effective transport network, including trains, trams and buses, which make it easy for travellers and visitors to commute.

What types of accommodation are available for students in Melbourne?

Shared and rental accommodation:

A popular option for students in Melbourne is to take up residency in a ‘share house’ or private rental. In a share house, a typical arrangement is for each person to have their own bedroom with the living areas, kitchen and bathroom being shared. The costs associated with such a living arrangement can vary markedly, depending on the location of the property, the number of residents and the quality of the accommodation.

Private rental accommodation is organised and secured through real estate agents with a variety of options available, most commonly houses and apartments. Once again, the costs of such a living arrangement vary according to the features of the property (number of bedrooms and bathrooms, storage space, car parking spaces and proximity to transport, shops, services and parks) and its location.

While a private rental arrangement can appeal to students because it offers greater independence, students should be prepared to sign a 12-month lease, pay a bond and give reference details. They should also be aware that all household tasks (cleaning, purchasing and preparing food and reasonable upkeep of the property) are their responsibilities as tenants.

In both shared and rental accommodation, additional expenses including electricity, gas and possibly food and telephone usage are divided between occupants.

Student hostel

A number of private student hostels exist that typically offer a furnished bedroom with shared bathroom, leisure and living areas. A number of hostels prepare meals for residents while kitchens are made available in others, allowing residents to prepare their own meals.

As with shared and private rentals, a private student hostel may require occupants to pay a bond (security deposit) that is returned at the end of the tenancy.

Homestay

A number of students that choose Australia as their study destination want to know what it’s like to live in an Australian home and recognise that living and interacting with native speakers can help them to improve their English.

In this type of accommodation arrangement, it’s typical that a student will have his or her own furnished bedroom and will share other living spaces with the homestay family. Meals for the student are included in the price that they pay for this type of accommodation and assistance with things such as learning the transport system is often provided by the homestay family.

A variety of accommodation options are available for students who choose to study in Melbourne. Many of these specifically cater for the needs of international students and provide them with a good level of assistance and support. This can be tremendously important when the student is so far from home and in a country in which their native language is not the primary language spoken.