International

Accommodation

What is right for you?

Before you start looking for accommodation it is best to be clear on what you require. What is important to you? Ask yourself such questions to assist you in designing a living environment to support you in your goals.

Location

• Do you want to live on or off-campus? If off-campus, do you wish to live closer to the University or the city?
• Do you rely on public transport? If so, consider living on-campus, or off-campus in suburbs between La Trobe and the city on major public transport routes such as a tram or train line.
• Will you look for part time work? Think of where you will look for work and how you will get to your workplace.
• Are you in a group of students? University flats and whole vacant properties off-campus might suit your needs.
• Will you need to connect utilities? If you rent a whole vacant property off-campus or a University flat, you will need to do so. Check to see that there is an inexpensive form of heating for those cold winter months. Gas heating is generally the cheapest.

Facilities

• What sort of space are you looking for? The layout of the house/flat etc. is important, particularly if you are sharing with others.
• Do you wish to have your own room? Do you need a quiet place for study, strong light for design drawings, access to a computer, an area to practice musical instruments?
• Are you willing to share bathroom and kitchen facilities? If not, a one bedroom apartment off-campus may be your only option. These can prove expensive.
• Do you want meals provided? If so, do you have any special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, halal or kosher food? At Bundoora, Glenn College is the only fully catered option on-campus. Off-campus, the only choice would be full board. In some share households people share food and cooking, but others buy all their food separately
• Will you need furniture? All on-campus rooms are furnished, but most off-campus rooms are completely unfurnished. If you don't want to organise furniture, full board or a room in a family home may be your only options.

Legal Questions

• How long do you require accommodation? If it is for less than six months you will probably have difficulty gaining a lease on a whole vacant property. Off-campus, look for full board, a room in a family home or share accommodation.
• Are you willing to sign a lease? If not, your options are limited to full board, rooms in family homes and some share accommodation. If you run into difficulty with off-campus rental accommodation you have little protection without a lease. Standard leases, condition reports and other tenancy information are available at the La Trobe Accommodation Services Office. You can also contact Consumer Affairs Victoria or the Tenants Union of Victoria.
• Bills. If your name is on a utility bill (eg. electricity, phone, gas) you are legally responsible for its payment. It is advisable to ensure all co-tenants share the responsibility and have their names on all the bills.

Furniture

• If you are planning to live off-campus, you will probably need to purchase furniture. Prices vary widely, depending upon what you are prepared to spend. To find cheap furniture you can go to secondhand shops or markets (such as Melbourne’s Camberwell Market on a Sunday). Garage sales are listed in local newspapers and the EG (in the Age newspaper on Fridays). Or you can download our list of nearby shops (PDF 119kb) selling new and secondhand furniture not far from the La Trobe Bundoora campus.
• The Trading Post is a weekly newspaper advertising secondhand goods, usually sold privately. It is published on Thursdays.

For further information regarding housing options, please visit the La Trobe Accommodation Services Office website.

Content Approved by: Director, La Trobe International
Page maintained by: Communications Coordinator (Web)
Last Updated: 3 July, 2008