Student Living
Hillsong College leases residential properties from local realtors and private landlords. We then sublet the properties to our students and set up the utility accounts with the various utility companies. Houses typically include four bedrooms, shared living & dining spaces, a full kitchen, two bathrooms, laundry facilities, and yards. Apartments typically include two bedrooms, shared living & dining spaces, a full kitchen and two bathrooms. Each house will accommodate on average 6-8 students depending on the size of the property and each apartment will accommodate on average 4-6 students. There are a few single rooms available in some houses. However, we cannot allocate students to those single rooms as we leave it up to each household to determine who will go where.
All HC student housing is located within walking distance of our campuses. Please see a list of areas in which we prioritise acquiring properties near each of our Australian campuses. Hills Campus: – Bella Vista – Glenwood – Baulkham Hills – Kellyville City Campus: – Waterloo – Zetland
Most College Houses are non-furnished and students, together with their housemates, will need to purchase furniture and general household items they need (dishes, cutlery etc.). Occasionally, the College receives donations of furniture and household items from the local church members/community, which are then shared amongst the College houses. Previous students will sometimes leave furniture and household items behind when they move out for the new students arriving to use as well. Students will be able to order a brand-new bed frame and mattress upon arrival through College Accommodation. This will then be delivered directly to their new home and will be invoiced afterwards. The cost of the bed frame & mattress is $250 for single students and $385 for married couples. Please note, that the mattress and bed frame is only sold as a package. If you are arriving in the winter months, we suggest you bring a very warm blanket or sleeping bag as houses in Australia can be quite cold as they are often not well insulated.
We do not offer accommodation tours at this stage, but we have plenty of photos (see below) and a video available to give you an idea of the quality of these properties.
Hillsong College pays for the rental bond for each property that is leased. The bond is not charged to students. College therefore takes on the risk for damage & rent loss for the properties.
For the Hills campus, rent is generally between $150-$200 per week per student and $200 – $250 per week per student at our City Campus. You will have to pay up to two weeks rent upon arrival depending on our rent cycle. The rent cycles are on a fortnightly basis (two weeks) and run from Monday every second week. We only accept payments by debit or credit card on the day you arrive. If you do not have a debit/credit card we suggest you set up a temporary travel card that works like a debit card. You can pre-load funds onto the card.
Bills are not included in rental prices. Students are invoiced quarterly for utility bills (gas, electricity, water) once we receive them from the utility company and price depends upon household usage.
It is the responsibility of the students living in the property to ensure that the interior and exterior of the property is kept in a neat and tidy condition. If there are issues identified, then students are to contact the College accommodation team who will refer the matter to the realtor. College will carry out routine inspections throughout the semester to ensure the property is maintained to an acceptable standard. The property managers will also carry out their own inspections during the semester.
College Accommodation is an extension of College. Therefore, if students are found to be living or acting in a manner which is not in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and the guidelines contained in the Student Handbook, they will be issued with a written warning and possible suspension. Continuing behavioural issues may result in College taking further action. In addition, not paying rent and bills on time or in full can lead to students being suspended. So, it is important to make sure that rent and utilities are paid in a timely manner.
Please book a flight that arrives in Sydney on a weekday (Monday to Friday) between 5am to 3pm (Sydney time; AEST). This will allow our team to support you best upon arrival. If you cannot book within these times, please note that shuttle fees might be different.
There are different options for you to get to your College Campus (e.g. shuttle bus, taxi, public transportation). Once you have applied for College Accommodation College, we will send you all required information regarding your arrival and travel options. We have a “Welcome team” at each campus that will meet you when you arrive and that will help you settle in. From there, our accommodation team will explain the housing contract that needs to be signed, process your payments and then issue you your keys. The Welcome team can also organise a shopping trip to the local supermarket so you can buy any essentials or food needed. They will also take you to the bank to set up an Australian bank account as well as help you get an Australian sim card for your phone. Once all that is complete, they will arrange for you to be transported to your allocated apartment/house. In the meantime, there is Wi-Fi at the campuses so you can contact your family and friends to let them know you have arrived safely.
If your flight arrives after business hours (9am-5pm Monday to Friday) we will be able to organise a student/volunteer to meet you, at your new home. If this is the case, we will send you further information closer to your arrival date. You will then need to come to our College campus the following business day to complete the necessary paperwork and meet the Welcome Team. If your flight arrives on a weekend, you will need organise your own hotel accommodation until your College campus is open on Monday.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policies assist to cover the cost of hospital and medical treatment. Overseas students on a temporary student visa, are required to have visa complaint health insurance cover for the duration of their studies in Australia.
Hillsong College is partnered with Nib to help provide students with visa complaint Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
Nib offer OSHC policies for singles, couples and families. To purchase OSHC through Nib please click here.
*Hillsong and Nib have an agreement in place where a fee is payable by Nib to Hillsong when you sign up to their insurance.
Exemptions are possible only if the student meets the student health cover requirements set my the Australian government. Even if a student has applied for Medicare, OSHC will still be required. To find out more visit here.
Yes, any unsused period of your policy can be fully refunded back to you.
Couples & Families
Married Couples
Married couples can apply for college accommodation in the same manner as single students but should remember that all costs are calculated per person.
We suggest a weekly budget as a couple will start from $500 per week including accommodation, bills, food and minimal transport cost.
Families
We encourage families to source their own accommodation privately, due to the different size and requirements of each family.
Before arriving you can visit the following websites:
Search for suburbs with nearby schools surrounding our Hills campus within walking distance or a 10-20 minute drive from campus: Bella Vista, Baulkham Hills, Glenwood, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville, Kellyville Ridge, Blacktown, Seven Hills, Rouse Hill, and Castle Hill.
Schooling Options for Children
Please note that the Australian Government requires that school-age children must be enrolled in a school before arrival.
See https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/english/australian-education/schools the following websites may prove helpful in providing information on schools in New South Wales:
As the course schedule can be quite demanding at times, you may require extra support in the form of after school care. Please also take this into consideration when finding school options for your children.
Australia: +61 (02) 8846 4790 (MON – FRI | 9am – 5pm AEST)
