Planning to study in Canberra? Great choice! If you’re ready to take the leap, you might be wondering how to go about sorting your accommodation.
Luckily, Canberra is home to plenty of excellent student accommodation, so you’ll have no trouble finding an amazing place to live. In fact, Canberra has more dedicated student accommodation per capita than any major city in Australia! Read on to find out everything you need to know about finding your new home in Canberra.
Accommodation guarantee
Thankfully, there’s no need to worry about finding accommodation in Canberra! If you’re attending the University of Canberra (UC) or Australian National University (ANU), you’ll be able to take advantage of their accommodation guarantees!
These agreements mean both domestic and international students are guaranteed accommodation for their first year at both institutions. For 2025, ANU has extended this offer to all new and continuing students. UC has also extended the guarantee to continuing international students.
If you’re studying at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), you can access modern, purpose-built student accommodation at Watson Campus.
Finding your new home in Canberra
Proximity to campus
You’ll be spending a lot of your time on campus, so it’s usually a good idea to try to find a place to live that’s nearby.
Along with on-campus accommodation, you could also explore nearby suburbs, such as:
- Bruce, Kaleen and Belconnen near UC and Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Bruce campus
- Turner, O’Connor and Braddon near ANU
- Watson and Dickson near ACU
- Reid and Campbell near the University of NSW (UNSW) Canberra
- Barton and Griffith near Charles Sturt University
Public transport
Another handy tip is to find a place that’s easy to get to and from by public transport and/or bicycle, so you can get wherever you need to go.
Canberra’s public transport network is operated by Transport Canberra and consists of both buses and light rail.
Canberra is well known as a bike-friendly city, with designated bike lanes on most main roads and a network of over 400km of bike paths. Cycling is a popular option for students – it’s cheap and healthy! And with bikes also permitted on buses and light rail, getting around Canberra on two wheels is a breeze.
Use the Transport Canberra journey planner to see how long it will take you to get around from your new home to different places, like your university, the city centre and nearby shops.
Student hubs
Canberra is a student city, which means there are plenty of awesome student-friendly suburbs to check out.
What makes these areas stand out as “student suburbs” is the high number of students living there, the amount of student accommodation, and the proximity to campuses. They also tend to be areas with student-centric businesses – think quick lunches perfect for your budget and busy class schedule, and spots with student discounts.
While you’ll find a vibrant student population in almost every corner of the city, some of the most well-known student suburbs are Canberra City, Braddon, Acton, Kaleen, Campbell, and Belconnen.
Do some research on these suburbs before committing to living there. Each will come with its benefits. For example, Belconnen is home to a large shopping centre, so it’s busy, but you’ll have the convenience of grocery and homeware stores, cinemas and eateries at your doorstep. Meanwhile, Kaleen is more suburban and quiet with plenty of green space, but you will need to travel for essentials and entertainment.
Accommodation types
It’s also a good idea to think about which accommodation types will suit you best.
Student accommodation
Purpose-built student accommodation can be a fantastic choice for students who want to take the hassle out of finding somewhere to live, especially with the accommodation guarantee offered by ANU and UC. This can be accommodation run by a private provider or through your university, and also includes residential colleges. Residences are available at different price points depending on their size and inclusions – from rooms in multi-share apartments to private studios and units.
Student accommodation may cost a little more than some options, but your room rate usually covers utilities like electricity and internet. You can also decide whether you want catered options, which include meals. You’ll likely even have access to some cool shared spaces to hang with your classmates, like lounges and study rooms.
You can find out more about student accommodation options on your institution’s website.
Private rentals
If you’re excited to strike out on your own, you could look at renting your own place.
This is usually a more expensive option, especially if you plan to live alone, as you’ll need to cover all ongoing expenses like rent, utilities and other bills yourself. You’ll also need to consider up-front costs, like bond (security deposit) and the cost of furnishing your new place.
Be prepared to commit time and effort to secure a rental property – give yourself enough time and make sure you have somewhere to stay in the meantime.
When searching for rental properties, you should be wary of properties that sound too good to be true. Always view a property in person or have someone you trust do so for you.
You can find private rentals on sites like Realestate.com.au, Zango, Allhomes and Domain.
Share housing
Shared living is a popular choice for students. In this arrangement, you pay a portion of the rent for a home in exchange for a room. Not only can this save you money on bills and other expenses, but it’s a great way to meet new people in Canberra.
Good places to find rooms for rent in Australia include Flatmates.com.au or Gumtree.
Homestay
If you want to experience life with a real Australian family or just prefer the comforts of home, a homestay might be a fantastic choice. In a homestay, you’re matched with a family and live with them in their home. You’ll pay a weekly rate, which will cover accommodation and bills and may even include some meals.
Visit the Australian Homestay Network to learn more about homestay options in Canberra.
