By Saffron Geyle
Housing access, affordability concerns, and unkept promises of secure accommodation for postgraduate students were all included in PARSA’s Room for Change Report released in May of this year. PARSA acknowledged the significant compromises that students are making to secure accommodation, oftentimes resulting in their education being less of a priority.
In a media release, PARSA’s president Tristan Yip announced that the results from the report “present a call for urgent action”.
“Our students, some of the brightest minds in Australia, are grappling with skyrocketing housing costs, substandard living conditions, and ever-shrinking access to affordable accommodation”, Yip said.
Canberra has recorded the highest rental rate in the country,with three suburbs exhibiting a 20% increase in rental prices. For on-campus accommodation, residences such as Bruce Hall, John XXII College and Burgmann College exhibit rental prices that are costing students approximately $1000 per fortnight. Other residential colleges such as Wright Hall and Ursula Hall fall not far behind.
PARSA provided six recommendations to the ANU, following surveys conducted amongst postgraduate students regarding rental prices. PARSA recommended that the ANU secure accommodation for first-year postgraduate students, make on-campus options more affordable and accessible, and be family-friendly.
Securing Accomodation for First-Year Postgraduate Students
PARSA reported that 59% of students are forced to seek accommodation during the commencement of the study year. Additionally, 32% of students will still be in search of accommodation up to two months later. It was reported in the survey results that approximately 74 students were still seeking accommodation after those two months.
It was also reported that students unable to secure accommodation upon arrival must resort to insecure accommodation options such as Airbnbs, hostels, inns and motels. Some of this demographic experience homelessness, as reported by nine respondents. Their given reasons for being unable to secure accommodation vary from lack of supply, unaffordable prices, and difficult application processes.
It was stated in the report that there are certain disadvantaged cohorts under these circumstances. These include students with English as a second language, students from overseas, students with dependents, and students with disabilities. 49.5% of the respondents were overseas students, and half were ESL students. One student reported that 38 out of 40 applications from this demographic had been unsuccessful. 12.6% of respondents reported being dissatisfied with the accessibility of their environments, representing 89 students in total.
PARSA stated that consequently, “they do not have a local rental history or referee reports, the documents demanded by landlords and agents. Typically, their applications end up at the bottom of the pile”.
In the report, PARSA called on the university to develop policies that lessen these accommodation stresses and challenges faced by postgraduate students. The report stated that the university has previously promised to guarantee accommodation for first-year postgraduate students. It further claimed that this promise was not upheld, leading PARSA to request that this be rectified, along with the creation of a policy document that explores ways postgraduate students can be supported in the off-campus market.
Off-Campus Living
Half of the respondents also reported that they have lived off-campus for most of their time at ANU. Challenges faced by students in the off-campus housing market included difficulty in finding accommodation close to the ANU, rent bidding, and dealing with exploitative landlords. The PARSA survey revealed that 41% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction and frustration with lack of off-campus housing. In addition, 31.97% of respondents indicated being very dissatisfied with the application process, and 27.2% found dealing with rental agents and landlords to be problematic.
With 16% of students reporting having felt at risk of homelessness, PARSA flagged this in its report to the ANU as a student welfare issue. 64% of students also reported that they felt support services were either insufficient or unknown to them.
A survey respondent spoke on the difficulties of sourcing off-campus housing whilst having dependents.
“The efforts of seeking off-campus accommodation in Canberra for a couple with a young child were exhausting. Accommodation in Canberra is not friendly for international students with babies/young children. My partner and I took 3-4 months to look for one.”
On-Campus Living
The data collected revealed that postgraduates exhibit general satisfaction with most aspects of on-campus living, with a low 10-12% of students expressing dissatisfaction.
In comparison, 19% of off-campus students expressed dissatisfaction. It was reported that approximately one third of on-campus respondents (32.92%) reported dissatisfaction with the price of on-campus rent. PARSA acknowledged the university’s lack of control over the availability of housing, but emphasised the need for on-campus accommodation that works in favour of students.
PARSA stated that residential halls and colleges on campus had been partially privatised in a 2016 concession agreement that saw changes in how on-campus rent was determined. It reported that rather than being determined by the ANU in accordance with student needs, the rents have been indexed to inflation to remain attractive to stakeholders. It was also reported that the ANU holds the largest concession agreement in the country.
In other complaints, it was reported that students have been dissatisfied by the application process for on-campus living. 23.6% registered dissatisfaction with the lengthy wait in these processes, and 14.5% reported dissatisfaction with the application form itself. 11.2% also reported being dissatisfied with the accessibility of their environment.
Affordability
Affordability has been a great concern for postgraduate students, with many experiencing high stress levels, impacted lifestyles and affected studies. Over 60% of students reported experiencing stress over these issues, with 25% reporting frequent stress frequently. Data collected also reports that approximately 80% of students have to readjust their lives in response to housing insecurity, with most reducing their social lives and increasing work hours. For 10% of respondents, this has resulted in a reduced study load.
Reportedly, postgraduate students get by financially with assistance from families (32.76%), scholarships and grants (16.78%), and paid employment (25%). An additional reported 38% of students work a full-time week, with 9% working more than a full-time week whilst undergoing studies.
Approximately 7% of total respondents received government support on this matter, and 21% of students reported that they did not feel that they were given enough assistance.
One respondent concluded that, “As a full-time student and part-time worker, I feel the rent for on-campus accommodations seems to be high when compared with other universities. A little reduction in these rates would give self-supporting students a chance to make ends meet.”
A spokesperson from the ANU released a statement to Observer, stating “the residential experience team are dedicated to making living on campus as positive an experience as possible, and welcome feedback from the ANU community”.
“The updated 2024 student accommodation guarantee includes a full year offer for all undergraduate and postgraduate students commencing in Semester 1 2024. We have a range of accommodation options for postgraduate students, including Toad Hall, Graduate House, Ursula Hall (Laurus Wing) and our newest residence Yukeembruk.”
The statement also advised that the university is actively “looking into creating additional family-friendly accommodation options”.
There are also financial support services offered to students studying at the ANU. ANUSA provides various services given individual circumstances, such as grocery, assistance, and medical grants. The SURF bursary is also provided to students experiencing extreme financial hardship.
In a media release, PARSA stated that the report urges the ANU to guarantee “all postgraduate and research students have access to affordable, safe and accessible accommodation for the entirety of their studies”.
President Tristan Yip also emphasised the importance of nurturing the studies of postgraduate students at the ANU.
“We need to ensure that our postgraduate students, who contribute so much to academia and society, have access to affordable, safe and nurturing spaces.”
Support services:
ANU Counselling 02 6125 2442
ANU 24/7 Wellbeing & Support: 24/7 1300 050 327 or 0488 884 170
ANU Security: 02 6125 5549
ANU Accommodation Services: +61 2 6125 1100
Graphics by Will Novak
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