Cost of Living

Living Cost

You are advised to set aside $12000 - $15000 per year for accommodation, daily travel, books and material for your course and general living expenses. This does not include tuition fees.

There are several types of accommodation

Home stay

Local families provide accommodation in their homes for international students. this may be ‘full board home stay’- which the householder provide all meals or ‘part board home stay’- in which student provides and prepare his/her own meals – using facilities in their home in which he/she is living.

In either full board or part board home stay you will have a bed room with linen provided, a place to study (which may be in the bed room ) , and access to a bathroom , kitchen and other facilities in the home.

Each home stay family is different. There may be a number of family members living in the home.

Alternatively, the home stay provider might be a couple or a single person. Household may be all male or all female. Most Australian household include a pet.

Some households will not accept indoor smoking.

Share or Flat (apartment):

A student may rent a room in a house or flat but live independently of the other residents and may pay a basic rent plus a share of the cost of electricity gas and water.

Student House:

Student share a house but may live quite independently of each other. The owner does not live at the house, but will visit regularly.

Hostel: This is a private, off – campus hostel which students may use. They offer a choice of short term or long term accommodation. Private and shared rooms are available. In all accommodation there are a few rules basic and generally accepted rules:

1) Students will be expected to pay for their own telephone calls

2) If a student is to move from the accommodation provider wishes the student to move from the accommodation , it is common courtesy for either the student or the householder to give two weeks notice of their intension.

3) Student may be responsible for tidying their own room and are expected to treat all facilities home with care.

Most student find accommodation in near by their university and travel to the university’s by using public transport (train, tram or bus). Not all types of accommodation are available at any particular time, so students may have limited choice of accommodation. Accommodation can be booked prior to arrival. Two weeks advance notice is required before you depart for Australia . further details can be obtained from the international student office of your university or institute.

Cost of accommodation:

1) full board home stay from $185 per week

2) Part board home stay from $110 per week (plus share of gas, electricity etc)

3) Share house from $110 per week. (plus share of gas ,electricity etc)

4) Student houses from $100 per week. (plus share of gas , electricity etc) 5) Hostel approx $150-$260 per week (Long term is cheaper than short-term. There may be an applicant fee).