For neighbourhood shops and a walk to Swinburne, look at Riversdale. At 71 Riversdale Road, it offers studios and two-bedroom options with trams nearby; groceries and meals are mostly around Glenferrie Road. The location is most useful if Hawthorn is your usual campus.
This is student accommodation operated by UniLodge at 71 Riversdale Road. Options include studios and two-bedroom apartments. A studio has a private bathroom, kitchenette, desk and chair, fridge, microwave and cooktop. The layout of a two-bedroom apartment can differ, so check which room you are booking and how the kitchen and bathroom are shared.
There is a communal lounge and games area with a TV and pool table, plus an outdoor barbecue area and garden. The laundry is downstairs and covered bicycle racks are available in limited numbers. There is no gym in the building. If you train regularly, compare gyms around Glenferrie Road or Swinburne before deciding whether a membership and the trip suit you. On-site parking is limited and costs extra, so ask about availability first.
Swinburne Hawthorn students have the easiest commute: campus is nearby and within walking distance. For RMIT City or the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, you can take a tram towards the city or walk to Glenferrie station and connect from there. When you arrive, plan the trip using the teaching building on your timetable. RMIT and UniMelb both have more than one campus building, so the right stop depends on where your class is.
Glenferrie station is about a 15-minute walk, and the tram stop is outside the property. Try the walk once before your first class, especially if you will be travelling in the rain or coming home after dark.
Glenferrie Road is the local hub. UniLodge describes nearby supermarkets, cafés, restaurants and student supply shops. You will find Woolworths and Coles, as well as Asian grocery options such as Sai Gon Supermarket. For everyday food, the supermarkets are handy; for Asian ingredients, start with Sai Gon. There are also pharmacies, clinics and bank branches along the shopping strip.
There is a good choice of cafés and places to eat, so dinner does not have to mean a trip into the city. At the weekend, take the train from Glenferrie when you want a bigger shopping centre or a change of scene.
Public resident reviews mostly mention usable room sizes, clean spaces, helpful staff and resident events. One resident liked having the common room to spend time with other students, while another valued the public transport access. Those are individual experiences, so inspect the actual room you are offered.
The UniLodge room information says water and gas usage are included in the rent, while electricity is charged separately. Check the internet plan against your room type and agreement. Before signing, ask how electricity is billed, how the bond is handled, what laundry costs per load and whether a parking space is available. During an inspection, check whether the room faces the street and test the heating and kitchen appliances.
Confirm the reception and check-in hours before you travel. Student Living on Riversdale has limited reception hours; after-hours staff mainly handle emergencies, so do not assume you can complete a late-night check-in.
Prices and lease terms are subject to the latest quotes at the top of this page. Two-bedroom apartments are kept out of that range. Once you have dates, ask about the actual room, term and availability.
This could suit you if you study at Swinburne Hawthorn, want to walk to campus, and like having a tram and local shops nearby. If you need to travel to the CBD every day or want an in-building gym, include the commute and any extra fitness costs in your comparison.
Ask a Yeeliving adviser to compare rooms, lease terms and your route to class. Yeeliving’s student accommodation service is free. Referral cashback is paid only to the referrer, after the referred friend signs a lease and moves in; details are as shown on your account page.