Why Should You Rent a Student Accommodation Near Melbourne University?
Australia is perfect for international students, offering top-quality education, a friendly culture, lively student cities, and stunning natural landscapes. A total of 717,587 international students studied in Australia in 2024. So, if you are an international student looking to learn at the University of Melbourne, finding student accommodation near Melbourne University becomes a necessary task.
As the Melbourne rental market is different from the domestic market, applying for student accommodation within the University of Melbourne might be difficult. Thus, renting an apartment off-campus is a better option. But what to do once you decide to rent a student accommodation Melbourne?
This guide will help you through the process of renting a place near the University of Melbourne.
Areas to Stay near the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne has seven campuses: Parkville, Southbank, Burnley, Creswick, Dookie, Werribee and Shepparton.
Parkville, being the main campus, has the largest number of majors and faculties, and 95% of the students of the University of Melbourne study on this campus.
From the location of the University of Melbourne’s main campus, you can choose to rent an apartment in the following areas in terms of schooling, living, accessibility and safety.
#1. Parkville
Parkville is the location of the University of Melbourne’s main campus. It is very convenient to go to school; you can either walk or cycle to school. In addition to the University of Melbourne, there are RMIT and Monash University Parkville campuses in the area. The residential area has a large number of international students and is generally safe and secure. There are a number of museums and zoos in the area. It is close to the Melbourne CBD, but rental prices are relatively cheaper than in the City. The only drawback is that the rental flats are generally small.
#2. The City (Melbourne CBD)
The City is the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD), also known as Melbourne CBD. It is a very busy and bustling area, which is very convenient for living, eating and shopping. There is a wide choice of flats for rent in this area, with a wide range of first-class facilities and amenities.
The transport accessibility index also has five stars. The transport hub is located here, and you can take a bus to any place in Melbourne or the City. You can get to any place in Melbourne from the City. And you can enjoy the free tram service. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the City to the University of Melbourne and only 5 minutes by tram.
#3. Carlton
Carlton is not far from the University of Melbourne; it takes at most 15 minutes to walk to the school, or you can choose to ride a bike to school. There is no railway station, so it is not as convenient as the City, but it is very convenient to go to Melbourne University. Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Thai, American fast food and Chinese food are all available for tenants who like to explore the culinary scene.
#4. North Melbourne
North Melbourne (North Melbourne) is close to the City’s residents. Its own transport is not particularly convenient, but it is not far from the University of Melbourne; you can choose the tram and BUS to go to school, which is about 20 minutes from the school. The area has hospitals, small supermarkets and other basic settings in the surrounding area, and life is quite convenient. The environment is beautiful, with large green areas and woods. Rental properties are mainly houses and flats with good value for money. The average rent for the same type of house is more than A$100 cheaper than in the City!
Rental Price Trends near the University of Melbourne
This year, Melbourne’s rental prices have been on the rise. The reason is that the Central Bank of Australia (RBA) announced an increase in mortgage interest rates, and landlords chose to raise rents in order to reduce the pressure on their own mortgages.
In order to avoid being pitched by unscrupulous landlords and agents during your search, it is essential to understand the current rental price trends in the Melbourne market.
Currently, the Melbourne rental market is seeing these five trends:
- The closer you are to schools and Melbourne City, the higher the rental price.
- Different areas of Melbourne vary in environment, facilities, transport, and security. Generally, areas with better quality have higher rental prices.
- The distance between the house and the station, supermarket and shopping centre will also affect the price.
- The newness of the housing, whether furnished or unfurnished, can also lead to different prices, and the newer the housing is, and the more appliances it has, the higher the rent will be.
- February and July each year are the start of the university season, and the price of renting an apartment will increase significantly.
In terms of the price of the rental area suitable for international students of the University of Melbourne is as follows:
City> Parkville> Carlton> North Melbourne
How to Rent an Apartment in Melbourne?
There are two ways to rent an apartment in Melbourne:
1. Individual Renting
It means that the homeowner rents out the property personally to the tenant. It could be a sublet or in-sharing. When you rent individually, it is important to distinguish between a genuine landlord and a second landlord. A second landlord is someone who rents from the owner or agent and sublets the property to others, making money from the price difference.
Common channels you can use to find genuine landlords are:
- com
- Notice boards in schools
- International students’ posting bars
- WeChat groups
- Xiaohongshu and other platforms.
2. Agency Rental
This means that the landlord gives the property to an agent to handle the rental. Usually, they rent the entire house, and you can share it with friends. Since Australia has strict laws governing rental agents, renting through a licensed agent offers tenants strong protection, and in case of unforeseen issues, you can seek help from the agent.
Process
The process of renting an apartment through a regular agent includes the following steps:
- View the property
After the original tenant has moved out, the agent will set a fixed time to view the property, or in some cases, you can make an appointment with the agent to agree on a viewing time.
- Fill out a rental application
When you are happy with the condition of the property and decide to apply to rent it, you can either ask the agent for a rental application form or submit an application through an online platform.
- Sign the rent agreement and pay the deposit
After the application is approved, the agent will send you the rental agreement and the payment method for the deposit and rent by email. Usually, it takes 1~3 days to complete the signing of the tenancy agreement and the payment of the deposit and rent.
- Occupancy check
After signing the contract, you just need to take the lease to the corresponding apartment building to see the property manager to update your information and make an appointment to move in.
Tips
- Apply when you see a good property
The Melbourne rental market is very competitive, especially during the Melbourne school season (February and July), where one listing often faces competition from dozens or even hundreds of tenants.
- Ensure your application is authentic
You need to fill out an application form. The more complete and authentic your application is, the more you can prove your identity and sincerity to the agent and landlord.
- Attend the viewing on time
Viewing is not a process where the tenant chooses the property unilaterally; it is also a process where the agent and the landlord select the tenant. As the competition for renting in Australia is fierce, good properties often receive more applications from tenants, so impressing the landlord and agent is more conducive to the success of the application.
- Choose the off-season to apply
During the Melbourne school season in February and July, competition for rental accommodation is fierce. It is more difficult to successfully apply for an apartment than in other months. Therefore, in order to increase the success rate of application, you can choose to miss the Melbourne rental peak period to find a room and make an application.
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