Housing
Housing is much more than a roof over your head or somewhere to safely store your belongings. A positive home environment will help you adjust to your new life at university, contribute to your health and wellbeing, provide opportunities to expand your social circles and improve your chances of academic success.
Each year, approximately one third of the student population moves to Melbourne in order to commence their studies at the VCA. The majority of these students are from regional Victoria and interstate. A large number of international students also relocate to Melbourne each year from countries all around the world.
Please visit the University of Melbourne's Housing website here.
- How much you can afford to pay out each week?
- Have you got enough money for a bond as well as the first month’s rent?
- Travel time to and from VCA?
- Will you feel nervous on trains at night?
- How far you will have to walk to get public transport?
- How regular is the transport to and from college?
- Are you comfortable sharing with people you don't know?
- Do you have sufficient life skills to live independently?
- Do you prefer somewhere furnished or unfurnished?
- Would it would be better to pool your resources (with other tenants) to furnish a house?
- Do you prefer to pay into a kitty for food each week, or be responsible for your own?
- Is there a laundrette nearby, or a household washing machine?
- And finally…..
Vegetarian’s v meat eaters?
Studious tenants v socially minded tenants?
Do you need to be able to work, rehearse or have studio space at home?
Do you know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant or lodger?
It is important to get organised and start the search as soon as you know your course commencement date. Booking ahead into temporary accommodation, close to VCA, is likely to be the best option as you search (see lists further on).
Please note it is an extremely busy period in Melbourne with other Universities also recommencing and once you have made a decision you will need to act fast to secure your accommodation.
The VCA is very well serviced by public transport in all directions, and is close to Flinders Street Station, the main transport hub for trains that go to many destinations. Many students opt to live somewhere further away but close to a railway station. Remember if you live further away (outside Zone 1) you will be paying more for public transport.
Suburbs close to the VCA, or on a direct tram route VCA
Melbourne, South Melbourne, Southbank, South Yarra, Albert Park, St Kilda, Elwood, Carlton, Brunswick, East Brunswick and Prahran.
Other inner city suburbs
Popular places for students to live include Footscray, North Melbourne, Clifton Hill, Northcote, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Coburg, Richmond and Abbotsford.
A little further out again
Public Transport Zone One also includes: Williamstown, Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Thornbury, Preston, Fairfield, Kew, Hawthorn, Malvern, Armadale, Caulfield and Elsternwick.
The advantage of going a little further out is that the houses tend to be larger and have gardens. A number of students may wish to share a family-style house with up to 5/6 bedrooms. Sometimes this is cheaper than smaller inner city housing options.
The Melway’s Street Directory of Melbourne has a comprehensive street index, which makes it easy to find addresses. It also includes public transport routes and lists community services. Compact Melbourne is another directory, which is smaller in size and easier to carry around with you. It is published by http://www.ubd.com.au and retails at approximately AU$15.95. These directories can be found at most newsagencies and bookstores.
Online assistance
Whereis
www.whereis.com/whereis/home.jsp
Melway online
www.street-directory.com.au/
You’ll need to plan ahead for your living and educational expenses. If you have never done a budget before you can download a template from the University of Melbourne, to get you started.
www.services.unimelb.edu.au/finaid/planning/budget/index.html
Before you begin your accommodation search, it is crucial that you do some preliminary estimates to make sure that you will be able to cover the costs associated with living away from home. There are two major areas of expense to consider.
- Establishment costs
Bond (one month’s rent), one month of rent in advance, furniture, linen, utilities connection & bonds for electricity and gas, white goods, pots, crockery, internet/broadband connections. - Ongoing costs
Rent, utilities bills, food, cleaning products, transport, clothing, spending money, internet/broadband.
Having worked your way through the list of things to consider listed below you should have a good idea of what you require from your accommodation. Now you need to look at your housing options. Weigh up the various housing options listed below comparing it to your criteria i.e. budget, furnished/ unfurnished, proximity to College, public transport, studio and other lifestyle choices.
The legislation that covers landlords and tenants in Victoria is called the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). The purpose of the RTA is to define the rights and duties of landlords, tenants and residents of rented premises, rooming houses and caravan parks. If you have a tenancy agreement with your landlord, you will most likely be covered by the RTA. Tenancy Agreements or leases are legally binding agreements.
To find out about your rights and responsibilities pick up a copy of “Renting a home - A guide for tenants and landlords” from Student Services. This booklet is produced by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) and explains what tenants, landlords and agents must do to follow Victoria’s residential tenancy laws.
Consumer Affairs Victoria
Level 2, 452 Flinders Street,
Melbourne
Phone: 1300 55 81 81
Email: consumer@justice.vic.gov.au
Web:www.consumer.vic.gov.au/
The Tenants Union of Victoria aims to inform and educate tenants about their rights, to improve the status and conditions of tenants and to represent and speak for the collective interests of tenants in law and policy making.
The Tenants Union of Victoria provides advice, assistance and advocacy for tenants of private and public residential properties and residents of rooming houses and caravan parks in Victoria, Australia.
Bond Loan Scheme
If you don’t have enough money to cover your bond (usually equivalent to one month’s rent) you may be eligible for the Bond Loan Scheme through the Department of Housing
University of Melbourne Housing Bursaries
University of Melbourne Housing Bursaries of $60 per fortnight are available to help students in financial need who have to live away from home for their studies. The closing date for applications is generally in March . Please check on Melbourne University website for dates. Apply online only at: www.services.unimelb.edu.au/finaid/emergency/bursaries/housburs.html
University of Melbourne Short Term Loans
Loans up to $600 are available through Student Support Services at University of Melbourne. You can borrow a maximum of $600 between both institutions for short term loans. This can be organised through the SAS at the Faculty of the VCA.
Please contact SAS on (03) 9685 9419 or visit us in the VCA Hub (SAS offices are located opposite the Student Union).
University of Melbourne Longer Term Loans
Longer term loans for amounts up to $3000 are sometimes available through the University of Melbourne although you must have a guarantor.
Other helpful resources
Check out the University of Melbourne website for financial information and resources.
Pick up a copy of The Money Maze - A Guide to Student Finances from Student Services at VCA or University of Melbourne.