Accommodation support

Help is available to assist with the costs of living on-campus.

For eligible students, the Residential Costs Option can pay the entirety of your residential college or university accommodation fees. It doesn’t cover bonds or other types of refundable fees.

If you live:

  • in a residential college, it pays all fees which includes food but does not include social events
  • in university accommodation, it pays all fees which does not include food or social events.

You’re not eligible if you live in a share house, privately renting, or at home.

Residential colleges may offer their own scholarships to assist with costs of living on campus. Each college will list any scholarships it offers on its website.

University accommodation providers also offer scholarships. If a provider does have financial support, we encourage you to check out their website for more information or contact Stop 1.

The Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (ICAS) assists with relocation and/or accommodation costs.

ICAS provides an allowance of either:

  • $2,000 per year for 4 years for students who relocate to Melbourne from within Victoria
  • $4,000 per year for 4 years for student who relocate to Melbourne from outside Victoria.

Read more on information and eligibility requirements.

The Indigenous Accommodation Grant contributes $10,000 for a maximum of one year. The University pays it directly to your university accommodation or residential college.

This scholarship is only for students who are ineligible for ABSTUDY. You will need to ask Services Australia for a letter stating your ineligibility.

You can still apply for the grant while you’re waiting for the letter. The grant will be paid once you’ve provided it to us.

You can get the grant for multiple years, but you need to reapply each year with updated documents.

This grant can only be paid to:

  • one of the ten residential colleges, or
  • Little Hall, Lisa Bellear House, University apartments, UniLodge Lincoln Square, or The Lofts at Melbourne Connect.

If you live in a different student accommodation, at home or in a share house, you’re not eligible for this grant.