When you arrive in Australia, we can provide you with accommodation information from the local community at no charge.

You can book short term arrival accommodation or homestay accommodation, or get help to find rental accommodation. We also provide you with information about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, and about signing a lease.

To make life easier for you, we strongly suggest you live within one hour travel time of your campus.

Homestay accommodation

Some students find living with a local family a great way to learn about the Australian lifestyle. Your homestay host family (usually a couple with or without children, a mother or father with children or a single woman or man) provides meals but you pay for your own travel, entertainment, phone calls and other personal needs.

Chisholm uses the services of Australian Homestay Network to source appropriate accommodation. Students over 18 years of age need to arrange homestay directly through them.

Short-term arrival accommodation

We can help to arrange short term hostel or budget hotel accommodation if you plan to organise your own long-term accommodation after you arrive in Melbourne. Costs range from $70 to $100 per night.

An accommodation placement fee of $100 is payable to Chisholm and not refundable. We are not liable for this service, which is operated by private businesses.

Private rental and shared housing

In Australia renting is a formal and legal agreement, signed by you and a registered real estate agent.

It gives you rights and responsibilities. You can choose to live in a share house where each person has their own room and shares other areas (kitchen, living areas, bathroom and laundry). Often share house expenses include all bills. People who live in the share house usually make their own individual food arrangements but might also buy and prepare food together.

The cost of a share house depends on the number of people sharing and the type of property. Most rental properties are unfurnished. A month’s rent of approximately $865 up to $2,500 is required in advance.

You also need to pay a bond (equivalent of up to six weeks’ rent), furnishings, gas, electricity and telephone connections.

Please note: These costs are a guide only

FedlivingFedliving at Berwick

Chisholm Institute has an arrangement with Federation University that enables Chisholm international students to apply for Fedliving accommodation.  

For detailed information on the accommodation, costs and application requirements, please refer to the Fedliving accommodation options.

The residences are located on Federation University’s Berwick campus and are just a short walk (across Clyde Road) to our Berwick Campus

This accommodation is ideal for students undertaking their course at Berwick but could also be considered for those undertaking their studies at Dandenong campus too.  Travel time by car from Berwick to Dandenong is 15 minutes, and by train and foot approximately 50 minutes each way.