Frequently Asked Questions

You are eligible to apply if you currently have an offer to study at The University of Melbourne or are intending to apply to study at The University of Melbourne. University Accommodation is available exclusively to those studying full-time at The University of Melbourne. This includes both undergraduate, postgraduate, study abroad and exchange students.

Only students participating in single semester Study Abroad or Exchange programs, or students graduating mid-year, are eligible to apply for the Semester 1 Application Term.

Students under the age of 18 are eligible to apply for University Accommodation. However, you may not be able to see all locations on your application – The Lofts at Melbourne Connect are exclusively for postgraduate students.

If you are an international student under the age of 18, you must ensure your accommodation is arranged prior to your arrival in Australia, as a condition of your Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) and Confirmation of Enrolment (COE). If you are currently a student at Trinity college foundation studies or Hawthorn Melbourne on a packaged offer and become eligible for a University of Melbourne course, you will need to have University of Melbourne approved accommodation. For any further questions please contact the University's Under 18 International Supervision team.

Please note that International U18 may be placed on the same floor as other age groups. However, it is mandated that International U18 students will only be placed alongside other U18 students and strictly never with any students who are over 18.

All of our accommodation options offer private bedrooms including a study desk, so you have somewhere private to rest, relax and study. There are Studios and Shared Apartments available in university accommodation. If you would like to share common areas like a kitchen, bathrooms and lounge area with a small number of other students a shared apartment would be ideal. If you would instead prefer greater privacy, a studio apartment contains a private bathroom and kitchen.  Our residences for undergraduates have ample common facilities and amenities in the building which may include gyms, lounges, cinemas , study areas and large communal kitchens where you can meet other students and socialise.

Both Little Hall and Lisa Bellear House are excellent options for undergraduate students. The website features interactive virtual tours for a selection of rooms and is a useful resource to familiarise yourself with the style and features of rooms in University Accommodation.

Still need help deciding which university accommodation option is right for you? Take our find your fit survey to be matched to a residence based on your needs, expectations and budget.

Some of our University Accommodation locations are postgraduate only; such as The Lofts so you will not be able to choose these locations as part of your application.

Trinity Foundation Studies students are not yet students at the University of Melbourne and are unable to move to University Accommodation until they receive an offer to study from the University. If you are looking for accommodation during your time at Trinity, you will need to follow the school's processes to apply for accommodation. For further information, please visit the Trinity website.

UMELBP students are not yet students at the University of Melbourne and are unable to move to University Accommodation until they receive an offer to study from the University. Once students successfully complete the program, they may apply for Student Accommodation.

The Hansen Scholarship is awarded to 20 students each year, providing financial support to students who experience barriers to accessing higher education. Recipients of the Hansen Scholarship also receive a supported place at Little Hall. The Hansen Scholarship is not available to International students.

There are a range of scholarships available to University of Melbourne students that may assist with the cost of your accommodation. You can view and filter available scholarships on our University Scholarships website.

Narrm Scholarship recipients from a regional or remote area in Australia who gain a place at participating University Accommodation (apartment-style) providers or residential colleges could be eligible for a separate accommodation allowance. This allowance will reduce your accommodation fees by $20,000 per year, providing you further support and ensuring you get the most out of living and studying at Melbourne. For full details visit Narrm Scholarship accommodation allowance.

The Sisson Family Scholarship has a total value of $97,000 and is offered to enrolling domestic students who reside and completed Year 12 at a Government school in Mildura or Murray Plains Districts, intend to study a Bachelor of Biomedicine or a Bachelor of Science, and are experiencing disadvantaged circumstance.

The Melbourne University Accommodation Scholarship is offered to domestic students who are enrolling in an undergraduate degree, are residing at University Accommodation and are experiencing disadvantaged circumstances. The Melbourne University Accommodation Scholarship provides an accommodation allowance of $12,500 per year for three years. The allowance is paid directly to the accommodation provider.

The Housing Bursary scholarship is designed to assist students who are relocating to attend the University. An allowance of $2,500 for one year, paid in quarterly instalments in April, June, September and November.

Once you have applied for a residential place at International House, you can apply for an International House scholarship. A range of scholarships available to new and existing students. See here for more information.

Wilam Hall provides generous fee-remission bursaries to students who are experiencing financial hardship, with approximately one third of Wilam Hall's students receiving some form of financial assistance from the College. A range of bursaries available to new and existing students, see here for more information.

If you are enrolling through the Access Melbourne program and have applied to stay at Wilam Hall, a Hansen Access Residential College Scholarship can help you to access the residential college experience. Students will be supported for the duration of their stay at Wilam Hall (up to 3 years) with Residential College Fee Remission valued at $20,000 per annum. Preference is given to students who were shortlisted for the Hansen Scholarship but were ultimately unsuccessful and have applied to reside at Wilam Hall.

The Indigenous Accommodation Grant is offered to Indigenous students who are residing at University Accommodation or Residential College and are ineligible for government accommodation funding or other forms of financial support.

These scholarships are provided by the Australian Government and available to students of Australian Indigenous descent. The Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship (ICES) is awarded to assist with education, teaching and training costs and the Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (ICAS) is awarded to assist with relocation and/or accommodation costs.

• Lisa Bellear House, Little Hall, and The Lofts are self-catered, meaning you will need to provide your own food. All the apartments include a shared or private kitchen.
• International House and Wilam Hall (formerly Medley Hall) are fully catered (include all meals).

Our University Accommodation options do not generally provide dedicated parking for residents. However, the University does provide public parking that is available to students. Additionally, there is public parking close to the Parkville. You can use a site like Parkopedia to try and locate suitable parking during your stay.

All our University Accommodation residences are conveniently located close to the Parkville campus and feature an array of common facilities and amenities available exclusively for residents including gyms, entertainment areas, rooftop terraces, fully-equipped communal kitchens, basketball courts, music rooms, cinemas and more.

The University of Melbourne is committed to ensure University Accommodation provides a safe and secure environment for all residences. The University has trained security officers patrolling our campuses 24-hours a day. These officers are responsible for the safety of the University community and its property. University grounds and buildings are monitored by CCTV. There is also a free escort service available to all students anywhere on campus to get you home safely. There is a team of dedicated Residential Assistants at each residence who are available to assist you 24/7.

All of our University accommodation options are DDA compliant and contain diassability accessible apartments at each location. You can apply for University Accommodation using our online application portal and add any accessibility requirements on the application. Once you apply, you will be contacted by one of our accommodation locations. At this point, please mention you have specific requirements for your accommodation, and they will work with you to accommodate this.

On the final page of the application process you will be asked to nominate if you would like to move in early. You can use this section to select when you would like to move into your accommodation. Please note, it is not always possible to accommodate early move in requests.

Unfortunately, all of our University accommodation residences are located close to the Parkville campus which is separate from the Southbank campus. However, most of our University Accommodation residences are located next to ample public transport facilities that make it easy to travel between your accommodation and the Southbank campus. Southbank Campus is approximately 3 km from Parkville and takes 15 minutes by public transport. We usually have a group of residents living in University Accommodation studying primarily at the Southbank campus.

The names for rooms on our University accommodation represent different styles of apartment. For example, the 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom apartment at Little Hall is a multi-share apartment containing 4 private bedrooms with 2 shared bathrooms and a communal kitchen, dining and living area. Similarly, a 3 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom apartment contains 3 private bedrooms, with 3 private bathrooms and a communal kitchen, dining and living area. You can take a virtual tour of any of these room types and view your potential living spaces before you book or arrive.

Our residences for undergraduates have ample common facilities and amenities in the building  which may include gyms, lounges, cinemas, study areas and large communal kitchens where you can meet other students and socialise.

The student accommodation website features interactive  virtual tours for a selection of rooms and is a useful resource to familiarise yourself with the style and features of the rooms.

Each bedroom is fully furnished and comes with a king single bed (Studio apartments feature a double bed). The level of furnishing in the entire apartment can be viewed in the virtual tour mentioned above.

Kitchen and bed packs are available for purchase at cost (details will be provided once you have applied for a place and in your arrival emails) prior moving in. If you decide to do this, you won’t need to bring your own.

Here is a list of essentials to consider bringing with you:

• Computer
• Crockery
• Headphones
• Chargers
• Tea towels
• Stationary
• Textbooks
• Pillows
• Sheet sets
• Quilt and quilt cover
• Coat hangers
• Clothing
• Storage Bins
• Cleaning items
• Adapters
• Umbrella and/or rain jacket
• First aid kit
• Personal Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo/ conditioner
• Deodorant
• Hand soap
• Towels and facecloths
• Bathmat
• Laundry bag
• Toilet paper
• Medication
• Decorative items
• Pots and pans
• Cooking utensils
• Chopping boards
• Cutlery

Residents living in University accommodation enjoy access to a regular program of events and activities including, academic skill workshops, social events, career training and sporting competitions. Residents are also connected to a range of University support services. You can find out more about our Residential Life program on our University Accommodation website. Residents will have access to a team of dedicated staff and residential advisors, with a focus on supporting you as you grow your independence.

University Accommodation provides a similar experience to residential colleges in that both offer a regular schedule of academic and residential enrichment programs and resources for residents. However, there are some key differences:

• Colleges typically offer dormitory-style accommodation - with students living in similar room types. In contrast, University Accommodation offers a broader range of room and apartment types to select from.
• Residential colleges are usually catered, and meals are provided for residents. University Accommodation is self-catered, meaning you will need to prepare your meals. Most apartments feature either shared or private kitchens and most buildings have ample communal cooking and dining facilities.
• Colleges offer a tutorial program specifically tailored to your chosen subjects at University, whereas University Accommodation's academic support is more focused on study skills.
• For Residential Colleges, you have to pay the fees for each semester upfront. For Apartment style University accommodation, fees during the semester / year are charged on a fortnightly basis during your stay.
• Residential Colleges offer accommodation contracts for 48 weeks, whereas for University Accommodation the contract duration is 52 weeks.

No. Applying for entry to the Residential Colleges is separate to your university accommodation application. The colleges have a combined application and admission process, which you can find more information about at the colleges’ website. Please note the college selection process will usually require you to present further information about your suitability for college such as: CV, school results, references, and a personal essay, often followed up with an interview. For Wilam Hall and International House you may also apply directly to the college.

The University of Melbourne has an Accommodation Offer for all commencing students who are new to Melbourne, subject to availability.

The Accommodation Offer is available to all students who are:

• commencing full time studies at the University of Melbourne;
• at either undergraduate or postgraduate level;
• either full degree students or participating in exchange or inbound study abroad program

When allocating your application, the University considers your accommodation preferences, but cannot guarantee your preferred choice. In addition to your nominated preferences, a range of factors determine which residence you are allocated to. These may include room availability, intended length of stay, existing residence demographics, residence eligibility requirements such as age and degree level or other obligations. If you do not wish to accept the offer, you may decline and we will organise another offer, which may be for a different residence, depending on room availability.

Your offer of accommodation will be emailed to you. Detailed instructions and further information will be provided to you in your offer email. If you are unsure of what you need to do, you can contact the residence that sent your offer directly and they will answer any questions about the acceptance process.

All of our University Accommodation residences provide free unlimited internet and utilities. Your utilities (water, gas, electricity) and internet are included in the weekly rates shown on our University accommodation website.

All fees are explained in your Accommodation Agreement and Residential Handbook. You will pay a deposit to secure your room. This is usually equivalent to 4-weeks fees. This amount is refunded to you at the end of your stay. You may be required to pay a cleaning fee upon departure of your room - this fee is payable when you arrive. Other fees may include an early departure fee, if you terminate your agreement before your agreement end date and a room relocation fee may apply if you decide to change your room/apartment. You may also be charged a replacement fee if you lose your key or swipe card.

You can access Residential Handbooks for each location on our application portal.

All rates advertised on our University Accommodation website are per-person, per-week. For example, at Little Hall a 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom is priced at $502 per-week. This means, each student living in this apartment will pay $502 per-week.

^{*Varies on room type and length of stay}

One payment covers everything - rent, utilities, amenities and unlimited internet. University Accommodation residences feature a suite of facilities for residents including gyms, rooftop terraces, meeting rooms, game rooms, music rehearsal studios, sporting and laundry facilities, dedicated study spaces, 24/7 staffing, a year-round program of events and much more. For full details, please check the accommodation website

No, the application fees is non-refundable.