Are you preparing to move away from home to study somewhere in Tasmania? If so, then get ready for an exciting year or two. To begin with, you’ll need to find a place to live. Get this right, and your time as a student can be some of the best years of your life. You’ll meet new friends, find your tribe and start adulting. Hey, you might even grow as a person, as well as getting your qualification.
Study up on student accommodation
So whether you’re studying at the University of Tasmania, TasTAFE or a private Registered Training Organisation (RTO), you’ll find plenty of options for a roof over your head. Of course, you’ll need to do your homework – and the sooner the better.
Jump on the education institution website
A good place to start is by jumping on the website of the education institution where you’re planning to study; search for student accommodation on the home page. Here you’ll find all sorts of handy info on a range of accommodation options and costs.
On-site campus accommodation
You might like to live on-campus with other students who are similar in age. Often you’ll find a range of options that can include:
- Halls of residence or residential colleges
- University apartments
- TAFE residences
- Private student residential colleges
- Student living villages
Also, keep your ear out for any vacancies that might be come up ‘on-campus’ by talking with other students or reading the noticeboards, online and on-campus.
Student accommodation at the University of Tasmania and TasTAFE
You’ll find plenty of options for student accommodation at the University of Tasmania. Here are a few links to website where you can find more detail:
Hobart Accommodation Options
Residential Colleges
- Christ College
- John Fisher College
Private Colleges
Student Apartments
- University Apartments – Sandy Bay campus
- 42 Melville Street
- Hobart Apartments
Cradle Coast Campus
- Western Park apartments
Launceston Accommodation Options
- Inveresk Apartments
- Seafarer Accommodation
Student Accommodation at TasTAFE
- Alanvale Residence
- Clarence Residence
Share houses
Another great option is moving into a share house with two, three or maybe four people! You’ll have your own bedroom and share the kitchen, loungeroom, toilet and shower with other people in the house. Share houses vary in price (but usually it’s based on a weekly price for the room), and then you’ll share the cost of electricity, gas and so on (btw, if you’re used to taking long showers every day, that could be a problem…).
Home stay
Many visiting international students choose ‘home stay’ style accommodation. This option allows students to live with a family and experience the culture more intimately than living on-campus in a small room.
If you are travelling overseas to study, and you think you may feel lonely or homesick to begin with, then this is a safe and secure environment to choose.
Facebook pages and groups are a great way of seeing if there are houses in need of a housemate in the area.
Boarding with a family
Perhaps you (or your parents) know a family who live in the area of where you’ll be studying. Or you’ve seen an advertisement for this type of accommodation (it’s certainly worth exploring). This is a great way to ease into living and studying away from home; you’ll have your own personal space, and there’s a good chance many meals will be cooked for you. Having said that, you’ll need to step up with things like washing your clothes, tidying up after yourself, and helping out.
Open Day Events
If you get the opportunity to attend an Open Day event, make sure you visit the student accommodation facilities and talk with staff about your options. They’re friendly, know what it’s like for ‘newbies’ and can help steer you in the right direction. If you are attending a Virtual Open Day, look out for sessions about accommodation options that you can join online.
Studying on the mainland
Maybe you’re moving interstate for further study? If so, then you’ll find the same sort of challenges.
Once again, it’s a matter of digging around to find accommodation that suits your needs and budget (but don’t leave it too late to start looking – the best places are snapped up pretty quickly).
Higher Education Institutions (universities and non-university higher education providers)
A great starting point to find accommodation at university and non-university higher education providers around Australia is to jump on the Course Seeker website. From the Institutions tab:
- Choose a state or territory.
- Select your preferred higher education institution.
- Search for student accommodation.
With a bit of luck, you’ll find something that ticks all the boxes.
TAFE and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
Planning on studying at TAFE or another RTO somewhere in Australia? If so, then here’s a great website to jump on.
You can link to the website of TAFEs and RTOs from the My Skills website.
- Select Training Provider Search.
- Enter your location.
- Select the training provider you want.
- Scroll down to the contact details to locate the provider website.
- Search for student accommodation.
How did you go with that? (remember, often it’s useful to talk with someone in student accommodation services to get more detail).
Other Mainland Student Accommodation
Still looking for accommodation? You might like to try a web search to find student accommodation and housing in your preferred location. This should give you a list of accommodation type such as:
- Student living villages.
- Rooms available in student accommodation.
No luck? Then keep persisting. Somewhere there’s accommodation that is going to be perfect for your needs and budget. It’s worth calling places even if they are full, they might know if a vacancy is going to be available in the near future, or put you on the waitlist.
What to Think About
There’s a lot to get your head around when you’re about to move. When you research accommodation options, you may want to think about:
- Weekly cost of the accommodation
- Added costs like groceries, electricity and gas.
- Your total financial commitment and duration of your contract or lease
- Services and amenities provided
- What you need to supply
- Distance from campus
- Accessibility to transport
- Does the student accommodation fit with your lifestyle?
- Scholarships and bursaries to help with your accommodation
- Other factors that are important to you in making a choice about where to live while studying.
- What will help you to feel comfortable and happy while studying?
Like more info?
For more information, read the Good Universities Guide’s Study Info blog on Student Accommodation.
Key takeaway
Start searching for accommodation that suits your needs and budget early. Don’t leave it too late to start looking – the best places are snapped up pretty quickly.