How to Apply FAQs
You must have applied to become a full or part-time student or be already enrolled at the University of Newcastle.
You must be aged 18 or turning 18 in the calendar year in which you will live on campus.
No. Applications to live on campus are made on an annual basis.
Yes! Depending on when you are turning 18 one of the following will apply
If you are turning 18 on or before 30 April 2026 you can select to live across all residences and living environments.
If you are turning 18 on or after 1 May 2026 you will be allocated a room within one of our Quiet Living residences so please review options within these areas when making your accommodation application. You will be able to request a room move once you turn 18 however this will be subject to availability and room move fees apply.
Our residents that are 17 years old will be invited to attend monthly meetings with Student Living from January 2026 until you turn 18. The purpose of these meetings is to check in with you and support you through the first months of your time living on campus.
Please note: these meetings are not optional.
When completing an application your parents or legal guardian will be asked to sign your accommodation agreement. If you would like your parent or legal guardian to have access to enquire about your account please complete our Authorisation Form.
Please note: International Applicants must be over the age of 18 at the time of accepting an accommodation offer.
There are a variety of contract terms on offer, including:
- Long Stay – 17 January - 29 November 2026
- Standard Stay (with Midyear Session hold) – 17 January - 29 November 2026 (11 May - 7 August 2026)
- Semester 1 – 17 January - 10 May 2026
Returning residents contract start date: 22 January 2026
All dates are subject to change. Please note: not all room types or locations will be available across the different contract terms. For an overview of availabilities, see here.
Student Living accommodation terms are best suited for students taking up studies in line with the University’s semester dates.
However, if you are studying outside of these dates and you need accommodation please email us at studentliving@newcastle.edu.au with your preferred move-in date and we will send you further instructions about completing an application.
Student Living will not be able to assess future room availabilities immediately, but we will endeavour to provide an update or offer suitable accommodation options three to four weeks prior to your preferred check in date.
Early Termination
Once you have accepted your accommodation offer you can cancel your booking at any time up to to 21 days before the contract commencement date, for any reason and Student Living will refund all fees paid except for the non-refundable application fee and a termination administration fee. To cancel your accommodation booking please e-mail studentliving@newcastle.edu.au as soon as possible to avoid standard termination fees and charges.
Standard Termination
The standard termination process requires a minimum of 21 days’ notice. Room fees will continue to be charged throughout this notice period. At the conclusion of the notice period, a Termination Administration Fee will be applied. The fee amount charged depends on how far in advance the termination occurs (when you provide the completed termination form) compared to the end of your contract term:
≤ 28 days before contract end date – $250
29–56 days before contract end date – $500
57+ days before contract end date – $750
Yes, if possible. Demand for on campus accommodation is high so we encourage applications to be lodged as soon as possible, even if it means you have not yet received your University offer.
Yes, you can. Applications will be made through the accommodation portal with further information accessible via your agent or University partner.
There is on campus accommodation at the Callaghan campus in Newcastle. This can suit students at both Callaghan and Newcastle City campuses, as there is a free shuttle service between campuses. There is also on campus accommodation at Ourimbah campus on the Central Coast. This can suit students at both Ourimbah and Gosford campuses, as there is a free shuttle between these campuses.
Yes you can! When applying, select the Single Semester contract option.
You must be enrolled to study (full or part time) at the University of Newcastle in the year of study you wish to apply and live on campus. If you are deferring a study offer, please apply again at the end of that year for the following year's accommodation.
Yes, you can. If you have a medical condition or disability, we will do our very best to support you. Ensure you tick the medical disclosure box during your application process and the team will be in touch to help you further.
Yes, if you would like to change your preferences or any other details you can do so by going back into the accommodation portal.
If you're experiencing issues, please email studentliving@newcastle.edu.au.
Yes, you can. There is a free shuttle bus that runs between Callaghan and our Newcastle City campus every 30 minutes during peak teaching periods and a bus stop right outside Barahineban and across from North Residence.
No, you can only make ONE application with the option to nominate up to four different room preferences.
Student Living cannot guarantee that you will be allocated together but we try to accommodate these requests, subject to availability.
Roommate Requests.
If you want to share a room/bed with a friend/partner, you will both need to complete your applications and pay your nonrefundable Application Fee. If you have selected a room/bed that is dual occupancy you will be asked to nominate your roommate in the application. Dual occupancy means you will be sharing a bedroom with your nominated person and is available in Barahineban or in one bedroom options in North, South, East and West residences. All other room types are single occupancy meaning you will have your own bedroom.
Housemate Requests.
If you wish to nominate a person to live in a share apartment with (not sharing a bedroom) then you will be asked to provide this information after you have received and accepted an offer to live on campus. Please ensure the person you are seeking to live with has also received and accepted an offer for the same residence before submitting your request. More information regarding the housemate request process will be provided when offers have been sent.
Applications do not have an official closing date and we will continue to take applications throughout the year until our residences are full. When we are full, we’ll begin a waiting list. Some people find their study or personal options change and they may withdraw their application at various times before University starts or during semester. When this happens, we will begin to allocate rooms to those on our waiting list.
If it is the first time you have made an application for accommodation, you need to go to the Student Living Portal and register for a login email and password. Click on the ‘Register’ tab to enter your details and generate your login for future use.
Do not try to apply a second time as this will affect how your application is processed and may reduce your chances of receiving an offer. If you have made a mistake, we can manually fix this for you. Email studentliving@newcastle.edu.au with your full name and date of birth, as well as details on what needs to be fixed.
The portal generally auto-saves most entries but if you have to write a long response it may be worthwhile to write it up on a Word document first and copy it over to your application in case the portal times out.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.