International student accommodation

Ease your transition to New Zealand life by living in the Halls of residence.  UC has agreements with specialist accommodation providers to manage all aspects of your accommodation experience.  Your contract is directly with your hall of residence. 

There are a range of accommodation options for first year through to PhD students:

• Arcady Hall (first year, catered) 
• College House (first year, catered)
• Kirkwood Avenue Hall (first year, catered 14 meals per week)
• Rochester and Rutherford Hall (first year, catered)
• Tupuānuku (first year, catered)
• Tupuārangi (first year, catered - new for 2026)
• University Hall (first year, catered)
• Ilam Student Accommodation (all students, self-catered or optional 14 meals per week plan)
• Campus Houses (second year+, self-catered)
• Hayashi (second year+, self-catered)
• Sonoda (second year+, self-catered)

360 panoramas and videos are available to view.

Key dates

There are key dates to be aware of if you are interested in living on campus.  Applications open on 1 August for accommodation starting in February the following year.  The key dates for 2026 are outlined here.

Costs

Halls of residence range in costs depending on whether you are self-catered or catered.  

A first year student is a school leaver generally 17-19 years of age. First year students 20+ are recommended to apply for Ilam Student Accommodation.  For contracts dates and rates, please refer to the comparison charts below:

• 2026 First Year Halls of Residence Comparison Chart
• 2026 Beyond First Year Halls of Residence Comparison Chart
• 2026 Couples/Family Comparison Chart

Refer to UC IT Services for assistance with internet access.

Accommodation for Study Abroad students

If you are on an official Study Abroad programme, an offer of place is guaranteed at either Campus Houses, Hayashi, Ilam Student Accommodation or Sonoda, providing your application is received by the due dates. This is the easiest option as you can arrange your accommodation before you arrive and flat with Kiwi students on campus.

For further information, refer to our Accommodation for Study Abroad Students webpage.

Accommodation for Exchange students

If you are on an official Exchange programme, and apply by the due dates of 1 December for a February start or 1 May for a July start, you will be prioritised for on campus accommodation at either Campus Houses, Hayashi, Ilam Student Accommodation or Sonoda wherever possible, subject to availability.

For further information and alternative options off campus, refer to our Accommodation for Exchange Students webpage.

Accommodation for UCIC Taught Programmes

Ilam Student Accommodation offers independent apartment-style living with the bonus of living on-campus in a supportive community and are ideal for individual students over 18 years of age.

You will have your own furnished room and share a kitchen, bathroom, living and laundry facilities. The apartments are home to students of all ages, at all levels of study, and from all over the world.

For further information, refer to our Accommodation for UCIC Taught Programmes webpage.

Accommodation for postgraduate students

For postgraduate students arriving outside standard semester dates (January-June or July-December), UC offers a Postgraduate Flexi Start that will enable the hall to adjust the start date of your contract to align with your arrival date. 

Further information is available on our Postgraduate Students webpage.  

Arriving in Christchurch

The UC campus is approximately 10 minutes' drive from Christchurch International Airport.  Options for transport to campus include the Metro Bus, Uber, NZ Look Shuttles, or Taxis and Shuttles. A taxi stand is located outside the International Terminal.

The halls of residence are located 5-15 minutes' walk away from campus facilities.

Check-in

Ensure your accommodation provider is expecting you.  Each hall of residence will have specific check-in times.  Temporary accommodation may be required depending on your flight arrival time.

Homestay and private board are popular choices with international, UCIC, and study abroad and exchange students when they first arrive in Christchurch. In a welcoming family environment, you will have your own room, meals with the family and the opportunity to practice your English every day.

Find out more about homestay and private board.

If you are under 18 when you start studying at UC, you are required to live in homestay accommodation, in a fully-catered hall of residence or with a designated caregiver until your 18th birthday. This is a requirement under the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 which came into effect on 1 January 2022.  Refer to our Pastoral Care webpage for further information.

If you are bringing your partner or family with you, or you are staying for less than a semester, then you will need to consider alternative options off campus, for example:

• Private rental
• Temporary accommodation

Please refer to our webpage for Couples and Families.

Market rent in Christchurch is found on the Tenancy Services website and will give you an idea of what you can expect to pay.  Please note that these rates do not differentiate between furnished or unfurnished or the condition of the room or property.  

If moving into an empty property, you will need to factor in set up costs into your budget:

• up to 4 weeks' rent as bond
• 1-2 weeks' rent in advance
• power and internet
• furniture and/or white ware (if unfurnished)
• contents and liability insurance

You also need to budget for ongoing monthly expenses such as power, internet, transport, food and personal items.  Refer to https://www.studyinnewzealand.govt.nz/live-work/cost-of-living or https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Christchurch for cost of living information.  

Do not sign a contract or agreement without viewing a property personally, therefore, we recommend that you arrange temporary accommodation for when you first arrive in Christchurch to enable you time to find a property that you will be happy in.

For families, we recommend arriving on your own first as temporary accommodation can be booked on campus at Sonoda while you find a suitable house to enable your family to join you. Temporary accommodation for a family can be very expensive.