Need somewhere to live next year while studying? The new Accommodation Guide from Study Work Grow has the answers you’re looking for. 

What’s inside the Student Accommodation Guide?

If a student is moving out to study next year, the questions come fast. Where will they live? What will it cost? What happens if the money runs out halfway through the year?

The answers are scattered across dozens of university pages, provider websites, and government sites, and most of them assume you already know the language. This guide pulls all of it into one clear, up-to-date PDF, so students and families can compare their options properly instead of guessing.

This 4th edition digital PDF is designed for students commencing study in 2027, and it includes:

• Accommodation basics in plain English, including an honest look at whether moving out is the right call at all.
• A moving out flowchart that helps a student work out if they are ready in about a minute.
• What to check before committing, covering budget, location, inclusions and facilities, safety and security, accessibility, and contract terms.
• Four accommodation types compared, from university accommodation and residential colleges through to private student providers and private rental or share houses.
• The nine universities across Australia and New Zealand that currently offer guaranteed or priority accommodation, so students know where a room can be locked in early.
• The real cost of moving out, including the hidden ones: bonds, levies, application fees, parking permits, professional cleaning, and late payment fees.
• Scholarships and 12 government payments across Australia and New Zealand that can help cover rent and relocation.
• Four print-ready resources: a budget template, savings tracker, packing checklists, and an important information sheet.

It is packed with everything a student needs to find somewhere safe and affordable to live, and a lot more.

Why students and schools use this guide

Accommodation is often the first big financial decision a young person makes, and the one families feel least ready for. Rooms fill early. This guide gives everyone the same starting point. Careers advisors can run a session straight from it, parents can ask better questions, and students can work out what they can genuinely afford before they fall in love with a place they cannot keep.

As with all Study Work Grow guides, we are upfront. Moving out is not right for everyone, and the guide says so clearly, including why staying at home is also a perfectly good choice.

Every accommodation option, side by side

Students rarely compare their options properly, because the options are never presented in the same place. This guide fixes that.

Each type gets the same treatment: what is included, why you might choose it, what to watch for, and where to find out more.

• University accommodation – studios, twin rooms, self-contained flats, and dorms, usually with internet, utilities, furniture, and security included.
• Residential colleges – tight-knit communities with extras like academic tutoring, alumni networks, and leadership opportunities.
• Private student providers – seven named providers to explore, for students who want a student-only space without living on campus.
• Private rental and share houses – the most freedom and often the lowest rent, with the most work and the most extra bills.

The guide also links students straight into our Accommodation Database and Scholarship Database so they can go from reading to searching in one click.

What’s new in the 2026 edition?

This is Edition 4 of the Accommodation Guide, and it is written for students commencing study in 2027.

Every provider list, scholarship, and government payment in this edition was verified directly with the organisations at the time we made it available. That includes the current list of universities offering guaranteed or priority accommodation, the current student accommodation providers, and the financial support available in both Australia and New Zealand.

Fees, entry requirements, and application processes can change at short notice, so we always recommend confirming with the provider before applying. The guide points students to the official source every time.

Who the Accommodation Guide is for

The guide was written with three readers in mind:

• Careers Advisors, Guidance Counsellors and Educators (School Licensed Edition) who need a sharable resource that is accurate, current, and licensed for use across their whole school community.
• Parents and Carers (Personal Edition) who want to understand the options, the costs, and the paperwork before their teenager signs anything.
• Year 11 and 12 students (Personal Edition) who are moving out next year and want to get it right the first time.

Whichever option you choose, you will get a download link in your browser and in a follow-up email, so you can grab it again whenever you need it.

Careers Advisors please note:

The School Licensed Edition is approved for sharing within your school community. You can email it to staff, post it on your intranet, or add it to a school-access careers page without breaching the licence. If your school runs more than one campus, choose the Two Campus or Three Campus option to cover them all. Basics and Ponder Member Schools do not need to purchase this – you can log in and download it from the Education Dashboard as it is already included in your membership.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can we share this with our whole school? Yes, but only the School Licensed Edition is approved for that purpose. It can be shared within a single school community, including with enrolled students and their parents. Multi-campus schools can choose the Two or Three Campus licence.

Does the guide cover New Zealand? Yes. Guaranteed and priority accommodation, financial support, and rental search sites are covered for both Australia and New Zealand, including six New Zealand government payments students may be eligible for.

What if a provider changes its fees or process after I download the guide? Providers sometimes update fees, dates, or requirements after publication. We recommend confirming with the provider before applying, and the guide links to the official sources so it is quick to check.

What format is the guide, and what devices does it work on? It is a high-quality A4 PDF, optimised for reading on screen and for printing. It opens in any free PDF reader on a computer, tablet, or phone.

Ready to help students find somewhere to live?

Choose the Personal (for families or individual students) or School Licensed Edition (for all school-based use cases) and download the guide today. Your download link appears straight away and lands in your inbox as well.