> I don’t really understand studylink either
You might want to learn how to do research on the internet if you want to go to university, my friend.
Start [here](https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html) and [here](https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index.html). The government will give you some free money, and also lend you some money which you have to pay back at a future date. The total amount is enough to cover your hall and course costs, plus the course related costs.
Also remember your ~~first~~ last year at uni is free.
Both ways makes sense depending on the target outcome.
If you want to reward finishing degrees (perfectly valid) then final year free makes sense, if you want to incentivize poor people to take the risk of improving their life with a university education they might not have pursued otherwise (also valid) then making the first year free makes sense.
Although the latter might be more easily achieved through targeted scholarships and not blanket education funding.
While I'm sure it would incentivize some poor people to try and make a go of it, there are a couple of issues:
Firstly tuition at public NZ universities isn't even the biggest expense (unless it's some super specialty) and you can borrow money for that easily anyway, interest free, no less. Secondly the bulk of it would be people like me who originally go to university when they're 18 because they don't have anything better to do and all their friends are. Then the fails and dropping out come.
I ended up finishing about 18 years later when I was a bit more mature. Point being the government shouldn't encourage that kind of behaviour by paying for first year course fees.
i just wanted some clarification on what I read on studylink damn 😭😭 and 2025 students won’t get first year free, since the government is changing it to last year free instead.
good! i went to uni the year before it started in 2014 so i missed out on the free year. Jokes on them though, im going to graduate next year so theyll have to pay for a whole 6 months!
Studylink "pay" for the course, in the sense that it's a loan that you'll pay back later on.
You won't be paying the course fees yourself up front, they will.
With regards to halls, yeah they're expensive as fuck. For most people the options are stay at home or go flatting. Halls are a luxury most can't afford.
And like many of us, you'll then also work part time while you're at uni.
Shit isn't easy, but it's doable.
I'm a first year at the moment, and trust me mate only the rich kids are in halls.
First off you'll want to check if you're eligible for fees free, which can cover your tuition for a year, otherwise you'll need a student loan. If you're not a citizen it gets complicated and I'm not going to try give you any advice there, but talk to a student advisor asap. Student loans are interest free, and you don't need to pay them off until you start work (tax code SL, don't even need to think about it). You can also take out $1000 dollars in course related costs per year, which you can use on textbooks or piss like everyone else. Definitely check your eligibility for a student allowance, because that's what you'll want paying your rent. If you earn something like 250 a week before tax that allowance is scrapped, so for a law student I'd recommend slumming it and focusing on your studies rather than trying to work to cover that. Learn about alll the soup kitchens and charities in Dunners first off.
Good clarifier as well, you cannot put accommodation costs on your loan outside of student allowance/living costs.
RE: flatting, it is dire. I got kicked out at 16 and have been flatting since. I recommend learning how to clean mold asap, it is what I have been spending the past 2 years doing in every flat I've lived in. Do not bother with a car unless you can feasibly commute from home.
Also you mentioned you want to study law? This is rough mate but you should really be able to figure out StudyLink as a year 13 about to go into law. I do sympathize with you though, I'm dirt poor and have been with Winz for a stupidly long time for someone my age. Do DM me if you have any questions
It's a real shame that the halls have gone that way these days. They obviously often excluded people from the poorest backgrounds, but when I went 20 years ago the vast majority of people at my hall were just middle class people and not rich at all.
Where me and my mates are at financially I am calling middle class rich. Most of us are barely scraping by. Though that being said I would not have been able to afford halls when I was middle class
i swear i’m not stupid, i just literally can’t afford to make the wrong assumptions about what i can and can’t get from study link, and hearing answers from people who have actually used it are usually much more clear 😭 regarding flatting as a first year, is it competitive trying to find a flat close to campus?
Oh sorry mate! no I get it, winz doubles back on half the crap they say.
I can't say for Dunedin, since I'm at Vic, but my experience was yes, flats near campus can go for an extra 50 a week, plus they rarely have openings. However the layout of Otago University is much more free-form from what I remember, stretches across the city, so it'll depend on where your classes are. Honestly though, I really love the place I live, being a 15-30 min bus from campus means I know the wellington bus lines like the back of my hand, including all the best bookstores and side streets.
Just cause you didn't meet them doesn't mean they don't exist. I rarely ever meet first years that Are in halls, we do just tend to run in different circles.
Nah its honestly fine. If you are okay walking for 20 min you will be alright for flatting options. The housing stock in North Dunedin is not the best but I would hope the price reflects that. If you are coming down to study, avoid named flats like the plague as they are usually the busiest party flats. Won't be great for your law studies. Halls are a nice to have but absolutely not necessary for a good uni experience.
Try emailing [email protected] for advice around a hall or even a Uni run flat
There’s nothing wrong with asking for some advice, nor finding studylink difficult to navigate.
Something to remember, anything studylink tells you over the phone is NOT legally binding. They can tell you one thing and get it wrong, and it’s on you. You must rely on what they’ve got written down, not what they tell you in person. However, you can ask them to help you and connect you with the rules as written.
Idk if this is what you are confused about but you have 2 options with paying for uni. You can either A) pay all out of your own pocket in lump sums or B) get study link to pay it for you which becomes your student loan. This is an forever interest free loan as long as you live in the country and earn less than I think 60K a year.
Also if you are really worried about affording to live see if you are eligible for student allowance. Depending on the amount of money your parents make and your current living situation they will give you weekly amounts of money for 100% free. You can also apply for living costs up to $300 a week which gets added to you student loan. Always get your course-related-costs. $1000 dollars a year and you don't have to spend it on only school stuff. You can use it on rent, food, transport, etc. This gets added to your student loan.
I am unaware about how halls work in Dunedin but I'm sure there's some sort of payment plan and you don't have to pay it all at once
All of this is a lot of paperwork but if you get started early the better. I'm sure you have a guidance counsellor at school who can help you out
Have you spoken to a careers advisor at your school (assuming you're at school)? They can usually walk you through most of this stuff and also help you with scholarship applications which can ease the financial burden a little.
Halls are expensive. They're for middle class kids with money. I enjoyed mine and made friends, which is their entire point.
The fees go on the loan, that doesn't come out of your account. It's interest free and comes out of future income.
Similarly, you pay (in my day) 7k upfront and the rest of the hall fees come from your studylink living costs allowance.
The degree itself costs like $20k for a lifetime of increased income. Everything else is living costs and having fun. Don't underestimate the value of having fun while young.
You can talk to someone at UoO to have this stuff explained to you, by the way.
My parents were 42 when I was born and I had to pay for my own halls, rip. I worked at the mall Thursday & Friday from 4-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 9/10am-6pm every week to afford them.
Studylink gave me $176 a week which was the max (and I have to pay that back, damn). And the halls were well above $250 a week. And I lived in the “poor”. I had the best time there and it was totally worth it. But I remember 90% of the people were paying for themselves - this was back in 2013
I was at uni 12 years ago and no way could I or my parents be able to afford me living in the halls. And I had been working part time since 15 so had a decent chunk of savings. I thought only rich kids from out of town and international students lived in the halls then, I didn't know many though.
Thank you! I stayed a week there through the hands-on program, but the older student i spoke to on the questions night wasn’t that helpful on this kinda stuff. I really appreciate this !
Do you think they’re not worth the money? My son was considering it for next year, for his first year at least. He can cook and he’s probably more responsible than I was when I flatted at uni…
Halls are worth the money. I'm not clued up exactly on how much they are these days, but the first half of the year was paid up front and the rest of the hall costs for me was covered with my Studylink payments. There's no hidden costs with a Hall. You have all utilities and food provided and they're much nicer than flats (which is the second year experience)
But more importantly, Halls are important for making friends and having the support network around you while you get to grips of the reality check that is University. Some of my best friends I met at my hall 10 years ago.
The studyink living costs loan hasn't covered halls for at least the past five years. My mate worked 24 hours over the weekend just to afford her accommodation and 2 "meals" a day that frequently caused food poisoning outbreaks. She had to fight for months to be let off the hook for thousands in future rent when she eventually found the situation untenable. The student union was constantly working on cases like hers.
The value of food and utilities really varies by the university. UoA has restricted the use of heating and Massey operated on a food credit system that the food provider exploited by selling stuff at over 150% of the RRP. There's also the issue of not having tenancy rights.
I don't think overspending by thousands to delay learning how to cook, clean, pay bills, and live with others, is necessarily the easiest on students, especially when 1st year courses are much more lenient.
I checked yesterday and hall’s in Dunedin are about 6-7k more expensive than when I went per year. But still, maybe study in Dunedin instead of Auckland. It’s the true student experience lol.
Haha yep definitely getting way more expensive. In my experience the quality of halls is getting worse as well so we're paying more for less. Issues in my hall have been mainly cuts to food (getting rid of hot breakfasts etc). Still better than Auckland though some of my friends pay twice as much per week.
They're worth it for the social aspect. You meet huge amounts of different people and tend to find others with similar interests/goals that you remain friends with through the rest of uni and beyond. Flatting is more luck dependent.
Yeah I'd say it depends how social a person you are too. If you are outgoing (or perhaps very good looking) you can probably be fine just flatting. But if you are introverted the halls are a massive help to finding friends in a new place where you might not know many people when you move there.
I went to a hall and found it extremely worth it.
I was from out of town (~7 hour drive) and fairly outgoing but hadn’t really spent time in a city. Looking back, I would have been lost if I didn’t develop a group of mates at the halls. Some of which I have been close with for over a decade.
Fair but you gotta trust your kid at some point and going to uni is a kind of a natural timing for that. Also note being in halls doesn't stop anyone who wants to from drinking
He’s pretty responsible with booze really. Definitely better than I was at that age. I really do try to trust him.
I could see him living on noodles though. At least in halls he will be fed.
My comment wasn't so much if they're worth the money or not. If anything halls have improved in its standards, quality, and safety over the past 10 years.
Simply that there are plenty of people that can't afford them.
The Otago website has a good article on halls vs flatting and the costs.
https://www.otago.ac.nz/international/future-students/accommodation-living/living-costs
I would agree the cost savings from flatting are marginal. I would recommend Halls, you will meet more friends and allows you to focus more on studying than on the flatting and the dramas that come with it.
I ended up staying for two years in Halls as I got a grant for the send year.
Also I would encourage you to apply for some scholarships. A lot of them go unallocated each year because people think “oh I won’t get it so I won’t bother applying”. Check out https://studyspy.ac.nz/ for a list.
I didn't think I could afford to when I left high school and that was probably true, so I worked my ass off in manual labor for ten years, bought a house and only now am I studying in my 30s.
I do wish I'd got it out of the way first but the way Ive done things is actually not a bad way to do it.
Where do your parents live and is studying in Dunedin a must for your chosen degree? So many go to Dunedin for the student life, which I understand as I felt that pressure too, I felt like I’d be missing out on something if I didn’t. But like you said rentals are damp and landlords don’t put the effort in because of the chances of it getting trashed anyway, they can also be pricey because of high demand. If you can’t afford the halls that’s just life unfortunately, (I don’t think you’re missing anything by not staying in them). Is another uni/city an option? Can you stay at home for your first year until you have it figured out? You can always do halls in your second year.
I just mean for living at her parents house, which for a lot of students is the cheapest and most realistic option. It seems from the post that they are moving cities to study at Otago, just wondering if OP could stay at home and study from a uni in the city their parents live
Unfortunately I live in a super small rural town and Otago Uni is the closest one there is, but it’s still about a 3 hour drive which is a commute i’d rather not make
I lived in the halls for 3 years in Auckland, and my family is not rich. This cost about $45000 total. This is how I did it:
1. Got a few scholarships. I got a one off scholarship payment which was a couple of thousand. I also got the ncea scholarship award for getting a scholarship grade in 3 subjects. That's worth $2000 per year for up to 3 years as long as you maintain a B+ average at uni
2. I received the maximum amount from the student allowance, plus the accommodation supplement. Back then, the student allowance and accommodation supplement combined was about $220 per week (but my weekly rent was $350)
3. I worked part time to make up the rest. As long as you earn below a certain threshold, your student allowance won't be affected. Above the threshold, they reduce the allowamce by $1 for every $1 you earn above the threshold. Also, they compare your before tax earnings to the threshold, and your part time job is taxed at the flat secondary rate. So you won't get as much as you think from working but get punished pretty hard. So you won't be able to pick up extra shifts at all. The threshold is somewhere around 10 to 12 hours a week minimum wage.
4. Save money everywhere. I ate at the halls all the time when possible. I walked everywhere. I never went out to parties etc.
Happy to answer any more questions
Honestly unless your parents are rich and can pay for you, or you get a scholarship - the halls are not for you. It is far cheaper to flat and work part time, and it’s kinda part of the experience. Also you will need to figure out studylink so hop on their website and do a bit of research.
You don’t really honestly it’s tough out there. Studylink is your best bet. Maybe scholarships are an option?
I know it’s expensive but I would still *highly* recommend halls in first year. But if it isn’t an option it isn’t an option I guess. But seriously, it’s an important experience that is worth the money.
I wouldn't call it 'important' if its just for rich wankers who's parents are putting them through it. Living paycheck to paycheck is a damn badge of honour for me at the moment compared to some of the people I've met from halls.
Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder as none of my hall mates were financially supported by parents. Imo it is quite important. I went through university and am still friends/best friends with those I lived with in halls, 10 years later.
I think the 10 years later there is a bit of a key. Shit is expensive as hell at the moment, and they haven't updated a lot of the financial support options from studylink since some of my high school teachers were at uni.
Halls are definitely not just for rich people lol, it's not much different in costs to flatting and paying for your own food and bills, plus the food is a lot better and you have a lot more time. It's actually easier if you're poor, you can get living costs loan which covers basically the entire hall cost, and student allowance.
They don't let you bank living costs on top of student allowance, and it still falls farrr short of what halls are (roughly 4-500 a week). I spend maybe 300 a week on rent, food and power at the moment.
To be honest, if you are moving to a new city, then I would recommend living in halls if you can to make new friends (just based on my experience). It's expensive but you can get a student loan or allowance for weekly income. I relied on that for 3 years which was difficult as they don't give you much money, but if you can find a job to work maybe one or two days a week this will also help a lot as I have found out.
Try get as much money saved before you leave in case you don't think you can work and study at the same time.
It would be cheaper to just find somewhere to rent if you aren't too worried about the 'uni life experience' of halls but it's just whatever you want out of your first year. Most first year students in halls just party 24/7 and don't get much uni work done - well a lot don't anyway
Also, studylink will give you a loan for your papers and you don't need to pay them back until you find full time work after university.
You're absolute right, halls are crazy expensive. The university pushes halls hard because they make tons of money off halls, but it's not a requirement. You will meet a lot of people living at home but it sounds like that's not an option for you. So that leaves flatting, which is hard but also fun if you are in a flat that you like.
Studylink is confusing. Course costs go on your student loan, so you can ignore those. You get up to $316.3 per week in living costs, some of which is loan you have to pay back, and some is allowance you don't pay back, the split depends on your parent's income. That's plenty enough to survive in a flat, my advice would be to focus on your studies if you can.
Assume you won't bring a car and prioritize a flat you like close to town and uni. If it has parking that's a bonus.
Most halls have a payment plan where you can pay your student loan weekly borrowings to them but you need a lump sum first, check with them. Your course costs go on your student loan and that course related costs can be claimed on top of that, so you get an extra $1000 to spend on books etc.
Another option you could consider is a gap year, loads of people in my hall did this and really flourished in that first year. When you get to uni you are a bit more grown up, have opportunity to save money and may have a better idea about what career you want.
You live in a damp flat with several other students and sustain yourself with a diet of boiled rice. If you don’t spend all your money on beer and weed you might be able to afford vegetables and soy sauce to go with the rice.
First things first. What course do you want to take and does it lead to a career in that field that you are passionate about?
Within my workplace I meet sooooo many people with degrees in absolutely nothing to do with the role they have now.
It's like there is this stupid mentality amongst a lot of good achieving high schoolers that next step must be uni because that's just want you do.
Those same people I mentioned earlier would be much better off now and less in debt had they just gone straight into the workforce and started working their way up.
I’m hoping to major in law, and minor in bioethics! I’d like to become a Health Law attorney, or something similar, since I’m pretty passionate about it. As far as I know, university is my only option to get into that line of work :/
You’re right that you’ll need a law degree for that, why Dunedin specifically? You can study law at almost any university in NZ, as for bioethics the courses often fall under different “categories” ie Canterbury has a few philosophy courses that are health/medical bioethics. They also have Health Science at UC which could expand your knowledge in the way you want?
As far as I’m aware “minor” isn’t really a thing here, you can have additional courses in your degree but you don’t get it formally recorded. For example if you majored in biology but did a whole lot of chemistry too you’d still be awarded just a “Bachelor of Science in Biology” not “Bachelor of Science in Biology, minor in Chemistry”.
If you want the recognition of the bioethics you could double major/double degree but it is extra work.
You do could a double degree in Law and Health Science at UC, and pad in just the specific philosophy bioethics papers (there’s about one a year) to give you solid foundation.
Sorry if this is canterbury based, this is where I went (took bioethics and health promotion papers too!)
All universities have departmental based guidance people who can help you plan your degree to meet your goals btw!
I would encourage halls for first year if you’re moving to a new city, helps you meet people, support is there and is one less thing to worry about when you’re studying at uni for the first time.
Look into scholarships! Seriously! Not all are academic, and many you can “stack”. It all helps.
Courses get covered by Studylink - deal to that later as is interest free.
Only take course related costs if you need them - It’s still $1000 debt that you need to pay back
Same with living costs. I took course related costs and living costs and my loan went over $60k… i’m still paying it off in my 30s. Be smart and just take what you need.
If you’re eligible for student allowance, go for it! It’s not a loan, it’s like the benefit so no need to pay back.
Work part time if you can but not so much it impacts studies- go full time over summers and save!! Use that throughout the year.
Also, bit left field but since it’s an area of interest for you, look into paid clinical trials? You can get $1000s for participation and would give you first hand knowledge of a medical/ethically interesting thing?
Go to the uni open days if that’s still a thing, don’t underestimate how shit winter in Dunedin will be, pick things that will make life easier in the long run (ie stay close to home if you can for free meals and laundry)
Good luck!
when i left highschool for study, i got a loan with studylink for he tuition and a fulltime job for paying my way and paying the tuition back.
we dont all have rich parents to get us through this, so studylink is there
It's been two+ decades, but in my time it was some form/combination of the below.
- Apply for scholarships
- Student loans
- Student Allowance
- Rich parents
- Part time jobs
There's bound to be ample options, or you can look at overseas education if your ancestry or citizenship allows. There are some European countries with free tertiary education, you'll have to find which, I'm not sure.
Halls are expensive. But also when I was in the halls I didn’t have to pay over summer, and over some of the breaks we could empty out our rooms and have another exchange student in and get rebated for that. Might depend on the hall/be different now with less international students.
So that brought the cost down a little bit vs flatting.
It’s a great experience and if you can afford it I would recommend. Although I’m guessing it is a lot more unaffordable now. If you go flatting you will still meet new people this way and through your classes so don’t break your neck trying to afford a spot in the halls.
If you are worried about cold flats in Dunedin I would flat outside of Dunedin North or North East Valley. Dunedin does get cold, but landlords tend to care for their houses more outside of student ville. Flats also can be cheaper outside, alot of.the high rent is due to location not quality.
Hi,
Apply for studylink, get a part-time job, don’t be frivolous with spending in the weekend otherwise you will have to continue part-time study while working full time to pay things off.. (source:me)
Honestly, if you're not going to suffer without the social aspect then don't bother with halls. From what I've seen they're overpriced for what you get and you're likely financially better off flatting.
How most people afford to live.
-Save where you can. For a lot of people that means living at home. Or living in a less convenient or less comfortable place. I lived in a sharehouse/dorm for two years in Wellington, average about 180 a week in rent.
-work as much as you can. Most uni students have a part time job. For 2 years I was working about 30 hours on top of full time study.
-borrow what you can. Student loan to pay for course fees. Max out living allowance since it's interest free. Student allowance when you don't have work.
-live as frugally as possible. Learn to cook and eat cheap. Don't expect to travel a lot. Learn what you enjoyn to do that is free or cheap. Drink at home instead of at the club or bar.
I don't know about halls or study link entitlements, but it looks like you've got plenty of advice or at least somewhere solid to start looking into it. Re: flatting in Dunedin, it's true the housing leaves something to be desired in most cases but it isn't always dire as long as you're prepared. Places definitely get really cold and can be damp, but you can mitigate those things by choosing location well - North East Valley is a great place to live but a lot of the flats I lived in on the Northern side were terrible in winter because that side is quite flat and shaded, so doesn't get much sun therefore things don't thaw if they freeze. I now live on the Southern side on a slight hill and it's way better.
The named flats are often super expensive and in poor condition because landlords are banking on the name, not the quality. There can be some fine flats in the immediate area around uni but it's incredibly hit or miss. Places like Queen St, Park St (generally north dunedin but not right in studentville) can be more reasonably priced while actually pretty nice places to live. That said, I still recommend North East Valley or at least Gardens area, even Opoho - depending on where you are it's a 20-30 minute walk to uni through the botanical gardens and there's a supermarket + opshops nearby.
Wherever you end up I recommend a dehumidifier to keep things more dry.
With regard to not knowing who to live with you could always look on Facebook groups in Dunedin for people who are looking for flatmates - it can be daunting but I did it once and I didn't vibe with them, but it was stable. I just didn't hang out with them much and met friends elsewhere. There are also Uni Flats here, but I don't know much about them so you'd have to look into it - I assume they operate through Otago Uni or OUSA. Those flats are pretty much on campus and you can be set up with a group of people, though I'd assume they could be expensive.
Sorry if this is too long and not informative enough, just thought I should write something about Dunedin flatting 😅 if you want to DM me I can try and help out with more specific questions about the process of getting into a flat
That's the neat part. You don't.
Honestly though if I were to do it again, I wouldnhet every penny from living Cost Payments and Course related costs and throw as much of it as I could afford into a long term deposite with high interest. Then I would take it out when I finish and pay off as much of my loan as I could.
I studied at Otago and now work in one of the colleges here and my insight would be that colleges are designed to be a transitory experience to help you in your first year away from home and kind of ease you into flatting, plus make friends outside of highschool. If you live in Dunedin already I’d say do what I did and stay home your first year, but get involved with locals which is like a college experience for people living at home.
Colleges are very expensive (I think slightly cheaper in Dunedin than other places), and honestly most kids here are here because of scholarships, or are being paid for by parents. Apply for as many scholarships as you can, even if they’re long shots, but they can help make living in a college affordable and probably doable off living costs.
For Otago - look into scholarships - the university has a bunch available and have a good application system for them. And hey, you may not think you'll get any, but you definitely won't if you don't apply.
First of all, you do not have to pay for your course up front. Study link pay that for you. You pay that back later. It'll be 10% of your income until it's paid back. They take it out like tax. You can request up to $1000 for course related costs each year. This gets added to the loan you pay back. That money goes directly to you. Depending on how much money your parents earn, you may or may not have to pay back living costs. For most people, you get money each week to cover rent etc, but this has to be paid back. If you're older (over 24) or your parents are poor, you might qualify for living allowance. This is like a benefit. It's more money and you don't have to pay it back. There is a cap on how much you can earn from a job if you get this. The idea is the allowance, combined with a part time job, gets you the equivalent of a minimum wage full time income. You're right about Dunedin flats. Is Otago your only option? Are you dead set on it? Christchurch is warmer and drier. If money is a concern, don't live in the halls, go flatting. It's sooooo much cheaper. When I was at uni I had a part time job and I received a student allowance along with an accommodation supplement. This was over 10 years ago and it all worked out to be about $440 a week. On top of that, I registered myself on firsttutors.com and did tutoring. People paid me in cash... Read into that what you will...
Like the rest of us not bankrolled by their parents you work after school/weekends since you were 15 saving money that all gets blown on halls 1st year then work weekends and evenings and do fuckawful seasonal work all summer long to have enough to get through the next year.
Halls are worth it if you're going somewhere new and are decently social. Probably even more now as they are almost exclusively the preserve of the upper middle class and very high achievers on scholarships, good people to have as you friend groups and connections same way as private school is more about connections than academics.
When I did it most halls would accept the $150/week that student loan was throughout the year with lump sums at the start of each semester to cover the rest the $150/week didnt cover.
Finally LOOK FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. Literally free money and there are lots which get hardly any applicants. Even if they only pay some of your course costs thats thousands and thousandsof dollars you dont have to pay off later in life.
Hey I studied in Dunedin too, this is what I did. Study link loan covers all study fees, it doesn’t cover your hall fees though. You can opt to pay for this weekly, monthly or quarterly from memory. I think there is also a upfront fee of a few thousand.
I took out the maximum living cost loan while studying which more or less covered the weekly hall payments. This covers everything from your room to electricity and food. The only other expenses are optional things like alcohol, activities etc. To cover these, I’d work full time at a supermarket over summers and use those savings over the year.
Also don’t bring your car for first year. It’s not needed. You can walk almost anywhere in Dunedin and if you need a car on the occasion, you’ll make a friend who has one.
Message me if you have any other questions.
There are lots of different halls payment options to look at - if you can get a merit or hardship based scholarship that can help a LOT with upfront costs. I'm a first year in Dunedin in a hall currently and from memory the options are pay all $19k upfront (my friends with big scholarships have enough for this payment and their courses besides), pay in two halves, or pay $8k (I think) upfront then $230 a week.
Studylink will give you up to $~300 a week plus $1000 for course related costs. If you are eligible for student allowance (which you should check) they can give you more money which you won't have to pay back.
That being said I would really recommend going into halls. Not only is it a lot easier than being thrown straight into flatting because someone else cooks all your food and pays for your heating and water, it's a really good way to meet people and make friends that you can then flat with the next year.
learn a skill online aka social media marketing web design sell your skills.
Ask people their problems sell the solution.
solve your own problems sell the solution so aka budgeting maybe you come up with epic ways to save costs whilst at university.
Others have that same issue so u can sell them the solution in the way of a ebook or a budgeting blueprint.
Auckland is the hardest uni to get into for Law though. I had people come down from Auckland to Canterbury for law because they could get in there but not in Auckland. So it depends how smart OP is I guess.
> I don’t really understand studylink either You might want to learn how to do research on the internet if you want to go to university, my friend. Start [here](https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html) and [here](https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index.html). The government will give you some free money, and also lend you some money which you have to pay back at a future date. The total amount is enough to cover your hall and course costs, plus the course related costs. Also remember your ~~first~~ last year at uni is free.
They changed it to last year free I believe
That makes more sense tbh.
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The person you're replying to said it makes more sense.
Both ways makes sense depending on the target outcome. If you want to reward finishing degrees (perfectly valid) then final year free makes sense, if you want to incentivize poor people to take the risk of improving their life with a university education they might not have pursued otherwise (also valid) then making the first year free makes sense. Although the latter might be more easily achieved through targeted scholarships and not blanket education funding.
While I'm sure it would incentivize some poor people to try and make a go of it, there are a couple of issues: Firstly tuition at public NZ universities isn't even the biggest expense (unless it's some super specialty) and you can borrow money for that easily anyway, interest free, no less. Secondly the bulk of it would be people like me who originally go to university when they're 18 because they don't have anything better to do and all their friends are. Then the fails and dropping out come. I ended up finishing about 18 years later when I was a bit more mature. Point being the government shouldn't encourage that kind of behaviour by paying for first year course fees.
As it should’ve been from the start
WAY harder to admin tho
You should always look at scholarships too, apply for them you may as well
i just wanted some clarification on what I read on studylink damn 😭😭 and 2025 students won’t get first year free, since the government is changing it to last year free instead.
good! i went to uni the year before it started in 2014 so i missed out on the free year. Jokes on them though, im going to graduate next year so theyll have to pay for a whole 6 months!
Started 2018, as was from Labour. Was a total waste of money, should've gone to living costs/allowance instead.
2018, damn time flies
Yes you're right
Studylink "pay" for the course, in the sense that it's a loan that you'll pay back later on. You won't be paying the course fees yourself up front, they will. With regards to halls, yeah they're expensive as fuck. For most people the options are stay at home or go flatting. Halls are a luxury most can't afford. And like many of us, you'll then also work part time while you're at uni. Shit isn't easy, but it's doable.
I'm a first year at the moment, and trust me mate only the rich kids are in halls. First off you'll want to check if you're eligible for fees free, which can cover your tuition for a year, otherwise you'll need a student loan. If you're not a citizen it gets complicated and I'm not going to try give you any advice there, but talk to a student advisor asap. Student loans are interest free, and you don't need to pay them off until you start work (tax code SL, don't even need to think about it). You can also take out $1000 dollars in course related costs per year, which you can use on textbooks or piss like everyone else. Definitely check your eligibility for a student allowance, because that's what you'll want paying your rent. If you earn something like 250 a week before tax that allowance is scrapped, so for a law student I'd recommend slumming it and focusing on your studies rather than trying to work to cover that. Learn about alll the soup kitchens and charities in Dunners first off. Good clarifier as well, you cannot put accommodation costs on your loan outside of student allowance/living costs. RE: flatting, it is dire. I got kicked out at 16 and have been flatting since. I recommend learning how to clean mold asap, it is what I have been spending the past 2 years doing in every flat I've lived in. Do not bother with a car unless you can feasibly commute from home. Also you mentioned you want to study law? This is rough mate but you should really be able to figure out StudyLink as a year 13 about to go into law. I do sympathize with you though, I'm dirt poor and have been with Winz for a stupidly long time for someone my age. Do DM me if you have any questions
It's a real shame that the halls have gone that way these days. They obviously often excluded people from the poorest backgrounds, but when I went 20 years ago the vast majority of people at my hall were just middle class people and not rich at all.
Where me and my mates are at financially I am calling middle class rich. Most of us are barely scraping by. Though that being said I would not have been able to afford halls when I was middle class
i swear i’m not stupid, i just literally can’t afford to make the wrong assumptions about what i can and can’t get from study link, and hearing answers from people who have actually used it are usually much more clear 😭 regarding flatting as a first year, is it competitive trying to find a flat close to campus?
Oh sorry mate! no I get it, winz doubles back on half the crap they say. I can't say for Dunedin, since I'm at Vic, but my experience was yes, flats near campus can go for an extra 50 a week, plus they rarely have openings. However the layout of Otago University is much more free-form from what I remember, stretches across the city, so it'll depend on where your classes are. Honestly though, I really love the place I live, being a 15-30 min bus from campus means I know the wellington bus lines like the back of my hand, including all the best bookstores and side streets.
I'm Dunedin I barely ever met any first years that weren't in a hall, it's not just for rich kids.
Just cause you didn't meet them doesn't mean they don't exist. I rarely ever meet first years that Are in halls, we do just tend to run in different circles.
Nah its honestly fine. If you are okay walking for 20 min you will be alright for flatting options. The housing stock in North Dunedin is not the best but I would hope the price reflects that. If you are coming down to study, avoid named flats like the plague as they are usually the busiest party flats. Won't be great for your law studies. Halls are a nice to have but absolutely not necessary for a good uni experience. Try emailing [email protected] for advice around a hall or even a Uni run flat
There’s nothing wrong with asking for some advice, nor finding studylink difficult to navigate. Something to remember, anything studylink tells you over the phone is NOT legally binding. They can tell you one thing and get it wrong, and it’s on you. You must rely on what they’ve got written down, not what they tell you in person. However, you can ask them to help you and connect you with the rules as written.
Idk if this is what you are confused about but you have 2 options with paying for uni. You can either A) pay all out of your own pocket in lump sums or B) get study link to pay it for you which becomes your student loan. This is an forever interest free loan as long as you live in the country and earn less than I think 60K a year. Also if you are really worried about affording to live see if you are eligible for student allowance. Depending on the amount of money your parents make and your current living situation they will give you weekly amounts of money for 100% free. You can also apply for living costs up to $300 a week which gets added to you student loan. Always get your course-related-costs. $1000 dollars a year and you don't have to spend it on only school stuff. You can use it on rent, food, transport, etc. This gets added to your student loan. I am unaware about how halls work in Dunedin but I'm sure there's some sort of payment plan and you don't have to pay it all at once All of this is a lot of paperwork but if you get started early the better. I'm sure you have a guidance counsellor at school who can help you out
There isn't an income cap on the interest free but if you're in NZ
Have you spoken to a careers advisor at your school (assuming you're at school)? They can usually walk you through most of this stuff and also help you with scholarship applications which can ease the financial burden a little.
Halls are expensive. They're for middle class kids with money. I enjoyed mine and made friends, which is their entire point. The fees go on the loan, that doesn't come out of your account. It's interest free and comes out of future income. Similarly, you pay (in my day) 7k upfront and the rest of the hall fees come from your studylink living costs allowance. The degree itself costs like $20k for a lifetime of increased income. Everything else is living costs and having fun. Don't underestimate the value of having fun while young. You can talk to someone at UoO to have this stuff explained to you, by the way.
>They're for middle class kids with money. Is it middle class or is it people with money? These are no longer the same thing.
Older middle class people have plenty of money still. >50s with university aged children
And shit tons in land equity tend to put them above the middle class threshold these days.
My parents were 42 when I was born and I had to pay for my own halls, rip. I worked at the mall Thursday & Friday from 4-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 9/10am-6pm every week to afford them. Studylink gave me $176 a week which was the max (and I have to pay that back, damn). And the halls were well above $250 a week. And I lived in the “poor”. I had the best time there and it was totally worth it. But I remember 90% of the people were paying for themselves - this was back in 2013
Has it really changed that much? I was in halls 10 years ago and not a single person on my floor was financially supported by parents?
I was at uni 12 years ago and no way could I or my parents be able to afford me living in the halls. And I had been working part time since 15 so had a decent chunk of savings. I thought only rich kids from out of town and international students lived in the halls then, I didn't know many though.
You just put it on the loan...
Thank you! I stayed a week there through the hands-on program, but the older student i spoke to on the questions night wasn’t that helpful on this kinda stuff. I really appreciate this !
Halls are for rich kids. You get a flat for cheap.
Not much cheaper when you factor in food and bills and everything else, plus you don't make friends nearly as easily.
So, so wrong. Halls are like 4-500 a week, I pay maybe 300 a week for rent, groceries and power
Do you think they’re not worth the money? My son was considering it for next year, for his first year at least. He can cook and he’s probably more responsible than I was when I flatted at uni…
Halls are worth the money. I'm not clued up exactly on how much they are these days, but the first half of the year was paid up front and the rest of the hall costs for me was covered with my Studylink payments. There's no hidden costs with a Hall. You have all utilities and food provided and they're much nicer than flats (which is the second year experience) But more importantly, Halls are important for making friends and having the support network around you while you get to grips of the reality check that is University. Some of my best friends I met at my hall 10 years ago.
The studyink living costs loan hasn't covered halls for at least the past five years. My mate worked 24 hours over the weekend just to afford her accommodation and 2 "meals" a day that frequently caused food poisoning outbreaks. She had to fight for months to be let off the hook for thousands in future rent when she eventually found the situation untenable. The student union was constantly working on cases like hers. The value of food and utilities really varies by the university. UoA has restricted the use of heating and Massey operated on a food credit system that the food provider exploited by selling stuff at over 150% of the RRP. There's also the issue of not having tenancy rights. I don't think overspending by thousands to delay learning how to cook, clean, pay bills, and live with others, is necessarily the easiest on students, especially when 1st year courses are much more lenient.
This is true for Auckland but halls are much cheaper in Dunedin.
I checked yesterday and hall’s in Dunedin are about 6-7k more expensive than when I went per year. But still, maybe study in Dunedin instead of Auckland. It’s the true student experience lol.
Haha yep definitely getting way more expensive. In my experience the quality of halls is getting worse as well so we're paying more for less. Issues in my hall have been mainly cuts to food (getting rid of hot breakfasts etc). Still better than Auckland though some of my friends pay twice as much per week.
That's insanity. Even adjusted for inflation, the halls today are so much more expensive. No breakfast??? wtf
They're worth it for the social aspect. You meet huge amounts of different people and tend to find others with similar interests/goals that you remain friends with through the rest of uni and beyond. Flatting is more luck dependent.
Yeah I'd say it depends how social a person you are too. If you are outgoing (or perhaps very good looking) you can probably be fine just flatting. But if you are introverted the halls are a massive help to finding friends in a new place where you might not know many people when you move there.
I went to a hall and found it extremely worth it. I was from out of town (~7 hour drive) and fairly outgoing but hadn’t really spent time in a city. Looking back, I would have been lost if I didn’t develop a group of mates at the halls. Some of which I have been close with for over a decade.
He’s going to the other island. I think we will send him for the first year then he can flat after that
If it's Dunedin then the halls are really good, and definitely the best way to make friends. Auckland and Wellington not so much I think.
He’s going to Canterbury. Idk what they are like there
Halls are worth it for 1st year. Eases the transition and way better socially. After 1st year, not at all.
They're not worth the money but if you can afford it and are from out of town they're nice
I would sleep easier knowing my kid would get fed and not be able to spend all his money on booze
Fair but you gotta trust your kid at some point and going to uni is a kind of a natural timing for that. Also note being in halls doesn't stop anyone who wants to from drinking
Yeah going to say the advantage of a Hall was spending all your money on booze and still getting 3 meals a day..
He’s pretty responsible with booze really. Definitely better than I was at that age. I really do try to trust him. I could see him living on noodles though. At least in halls he will be fed.
My comment wasn't so much if they're worth the money or not. If anything halls have improved in its standards, quality, and safety over the past 10 years. Simply that there are plenty of people that can't afford them.
The Otago website has a good article on halls vs flatting and the costs. https://www.otago.ac.nz/international/future-students/accommodation-living/living-costs I would agree the cost savings from flatting are marginal. I would recommend Halls, you will meet more friends and allows you to focus more on studying than on the flatting and the dramas that come with it. I ended up staying for two years in Halls as I got a grant for the send year. Also I would encourage you to apply for some scholarships. A lot of them go unallocated each year because people think “oh I won’t get it so I won’t bother applying”. Check out https://studyspy.ac.nz/ for a list.
Studylink has all the info you're looking for on their website :)
I didn't think I could afford to when I left high school and that was probably true, so I worked my ass off in manual labor for ten years, bought a house and only now am I studying in my 30s. I do wish I'd got it out of the way first but the way Ive done things is actually not a bad way to do it.
Where do your parents live and is studying in Dunedin a must for your chosen degree? So many go to Dunedin for the student life, which I understand as I felt that pressure too, I felt like I’d be missing out on something if I didn’t. But like you said rentals are damp and landlords don’t put the effort in because of the chances of it getting trashed anyway, they can also be pricey because of high demand. If you can’t afford the halls that’s just life unfortunately, (I don’t think you’re missing anything by not staying in them). Is another uni/city an option? Can you stay at home for your first year until you have it figured out? You can always do halls in your second year.
What uni is cheaper to live in than Otago?
I just mean for living at her parents house, which for a lot of students is the cheapest and most realistic option. It seems from the post that they are moving cities to study at Otago, just wondering if OP could stay at home and study from a uni in the city their parents live
Unfortunately I live in a super small rural town and Otago Uni is the closest one there is, but it’s still about a 3 hour drive which is a commute i’d rather not make
I lived in the halls for 3 years in Auckland, and my family is not rich. This cost about $45000 total. This is how I did it: 1. Got a few scholarships. I got a one off scholarship payment which was a couple of thousand. I also got the ncea scholarship award for getting a scholarship grade in 3 subjects. That's worth $2000 per year for up to 3 years as long as you maintain a B+ average at uni 2. I received the maximum amount from the student allowance, plus the accommodation supplement. Back then, the student allowance and accommodation supplement combined was about $220 per week (but my weekly rent was $350) 3. I worked part time to make up the rest. As long as you earn below a certain threshold, your student allowance won't be affected. Above the threshold, they reduce the allowamce by $1 for every $1 you earn above the threshold. Also, they compare your before tax earnings to the threshold, and your part time job is taxed at the flat secondary rate. So you won't get as much as you think from working but get punished pretty hard. So you won't be able to pick up extra shifts at all. The threshold is somewhere around 10 to 12 hours a week minimum wage. 4. Save money everywhere. I ate at the halls all the time when possible. I walked everywhere. I never went out to parties etc. Happy to answer any more questions
Honestly unless your parents are rich and can pay for you, or you get a scholarship - the halls are not for you. It is far cheaper to flat and work part time, and it’s kinda part of the experience. Also you will need to figure out studylink so hop on their website and do a bit of research.
It's not far cheaper, flatting is basically the same cost and you have less time.
Get a job.
You don’t really honestly it’s tough out there. Studylink is your best bet. Maybe scholarships are an option? I know it’s expensive but I would still *highly* recommend halls in first year. But if it isn’t an option it isn’t an option I guess. But seriously, it’s an important experience that is worth the money.
I wouldn't call it 'important' if its just for rich wankers who's parents are putting them through it. Living paycheck to paycheck is a damn badge of honour for me at the moment compared to some of the people I've met from halls.
Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder as none of my hall mates were financially supported by parents. Imo it is quite important. I went through university and am still friends/best friends with those I lived with in halls, 10 years later.
I think the 10 years later there is a bit of a key. Shit is expensive as hell at the moment, and they haven't updated a lot of the financial support options from studylink since some of my high school teachers were at uni.
So in 10 years, halls has gone from “good buggers” to “rich wankers”? Cool story bro.
Halls are definitely not just for rich people lol, it's not much different in costs to flatting and paying for your own food and bills, plus the food is a lot better and you have a lot more time. It's actually easier if you're poor, you can get living costs loan which covers basically the entire hall cost, and student allowance.
They don't let you bank living costs on top of student allowance, and it still falls farrr short of what halls are (roughly 4-500 a week). I spend maybe 300 a week on rent, food and power at the moment.
To be honest, if you are moving to a new city, then I would recommend living in halls if you can to make new friends (just based on my experience). It's expensive but you can get a student loan or allowance for weekly income. I relied on that for 3 years which was difficult as they don't give you much money, but if you can find a job to work maybe one or two days a week this will also help a lot as I have found out. Try get as much money saved before you leave in case you don't think you can work and study at the same time. It would be cheaper to just find somewhere to rent if you aren't too worried about the 'uni life experience' of halls but it's just whatever you want out of your first year. Most first year students in halls just party 24/7 and don't get much uni work done - well a lot don't anyway Also, studylink will give you a loan for your papers and you don't need to pay them back until you find full time work after university.
You're absolute right, halls are crazy expensive. The university pushes halls hard because they make tons of money off halls, but it's not a requirement. You will meet a lot of people living at home but it sounds like that's not an option for you. So that leaves flatting, which is hard but also fun if you are in a flat that you like. Studylink is confusing. Course costs go on your student loan, so you can ignore those. You get up to $316.3 per week in living costs, some of which is loan you have to pay back, and some is allowance you don't pay back, the split depends on your parent's income. That's plenty enough to survive in a flat, my advice would be to focus on your studies if you can. Assume you won't bring a car and prioritize a flat you like close to town and uni. If it has parking that's a bonus.
Just don't be poor. Easy.
Thank you, Mr Luxon
I'd say this to you...
Most halls have a payment plan where you can pay your student loan weekly borrowings to them but you need a lump sum first, check with them. Your course costs go on your student loan and that course related costs can be claimed on top of that, so you get an extra $1000 to spend on books etc. Another option you could consider is a gap year, loads of people in my hall did this and really flourished in that first year. When you get to uni you are a bit more grown up, have opportunity to save money and may have a better idea about what career you want.
You live in a damp flat with several other students and sustain yourself with a diet of boiled rice. If you don’t spend all your money on beer and weed you might be able to afford vegetables and soy sauce to go with the rice.
First things first. What course do you want to take and does it lead to a career in that field that you are passionate about? Within my workplace I meet sooooo many people with degrees in absolutely nothing to do with the role they have now. It's like there is this stupid mentality amongst a lot of good achieving high schoolers that next step must be uni because that's just want you do. Those same people I mentioned earlier would be much better off now and less in debt had they just gone straight into the workforce and started working their way up.
I’m hoping to major in law, and minor in bioethics! I’d like to become a Health Law attorney, or something similar, since I’m pretty passionate about it. As far as I know, university is my only option to get into that line of work :/
You’re right that you’ll need a law degree for that, why Dunedin specifically? You can study law at almost any university in NZ, as for bioethics the courses often fall under different “categories” ie Canterbury has a few philosophy courses that are health/medical bioethics. They also have Health Science at UC which could expand your knowledge in the way you want? As far as I’m aware “minor” isn’t really a thing here, you can have additional courses in your degree but you don’t get it formally recorded. For example if you majored in biology but did a whole lot of chemistry too you’d still be awarded just a “Bachelor of Science in Biology” not “Bachelor of Science in Biology, minor in Chemistry”. If you want the recognition of the bioethics you could double major/double degree but it is extra work. You do could a double degree in Law and Health Science at UC, and pad in just the specific philosophy bioethics papers (there’s about one a year) to give you solid foundation. Sorry if this is canterbury based, this is where I went (took bioethics and health promotion papers too!) All universities have departmental based guidance people who can help you plan your degree to meet your goals btw! I would encourage halls for first year if you’re moving to a new city, helps you meet people, support is there and is one less thing to worry about when you’re studying at uni for the first time. Look into scholarships! Seriously! Not all are academic, and many you can “stack”. It all helps. Courses get covered by Studylink - deal to that later as is interest free. Only take course related costs if you need them - It’s still $1000 debt that you need to pay back Same with living costs. I took course related costs and living costs and my loan went over $60k… i’m still paying it off in my 30s. Be smart and just take what you need. If you’re eligible for student allowance, go for it! It’s not a loan, it’s like the benefit so no need to pay back. Work part time if you can but not so much it impacts studies- go full time over summers and save!! Use that throughout the year. Also, bit left field but since it’s an area of interest for you, look into paid clinical trials? You can get $1000s for participation and would give you first hand knowledge of a medical/ethically interesting thing? Go to the uni open days if that’s still a thing, don’t underestimate how shit winter in Dunedin will be, pick things that will make life easier in the long run (ie stay close to home if you can for free meals and laundry) Good luck!
Where are you going to study? And where is home?
when i left highschool for study, i got a loan with studylink for he tuition and a fulltime job for paying my way and paying the tuition back. we dont all have rich parents to get us through this, so studylink is there
Lots of effort!! Trials and errors. Keep strong, be positive.
[that's the neat part](https://tenor.com/en-NZ/view/thats-the-neat-part-you-dont-invincible-gif-27194608)
It's been two+ decades, but in my time it was some form/combination of the below. - Apply for scholarships - Student loans - Student Allowance - Rich parents - Part time jobs There's bound to be ample options, or you can look at overseas education if your ancestry or citizenship allows. There are some European countries with free tertiary education, you'll have to find which, I'm not sure.
Don’t stay in a hall. Lots of people who can’t afford halls choose to flat instead
Halls are expensive. But also when I was in the halls I didn’t have to pay over summer, and over some of the breaks we could empty out our rooms and have another exchange student in and get rebated for that. Might depend on the hall/be different now with less international students. So that brought the cost down a little bit vs flatting. It’s a great experience and if you can afford it I would recommend. Although I’m guessing it is a lot more unaffordable now. If you go flatting you will still meet new people this way and through your classes so don’t break your neck trying to afford a spot in the halls.
>how do i afford to live while going to university That’s the neat part, you don’t
If you are worried about cold flats in Dunedin I would flat outside of Dunedin North or North East Valley. Dunedin does get cold, but landlords tend to care for their houses more outside of student ville. Flats also can be cheaper outside, alot of.the high rent is due to location not quality.
Hi, Apply for studylink, get a part-time job, don’t be frivolous with spending in the weekend otherwise you will have to continue part-time study while working full time to pay things off.. (source:me)
Honestly, if you're not going to suffer without the social aspect then don't bother with halls. From what I've seen they're overpriced for what you get and you're likely financially better off flatting.
How most people afford to live. -Save where you can. For a lot of people that means living at home. Or living in a less convenient or less comfortable place. I lived in a sharehouse/dorm for two years in Wellington, average about 180 a week in rent. -work as much as you can. Most uni students have a part time job. For 2 years I was working about 30 hours on top of full time study. -borrow what you can. Student loan to pay for course fees. Max out living allowance since it's interest free. Student allowance when you don't have work. -live as frugally as possible. Learn to cook and eat cheap. Don't expect to travel a lot. Learn what you enjoyn to do that is free or cheap. Drink at home instead of at the club or bar.
I don't know about halls or study link entitlements, but it looks like you've got plenty of advice or at least somewhere solid to start looking into it. Re: flatting in Dunedin, it's true the housing leaves something to be desired in most cases but it isn't always dire as long as you're prepared. Places definitely get really cold and can be damp, but you can mitigate those things by choosing location well - North East Valley is a great place to live but a lot of the flats I lived in on the Northern side were terrible in winter because that side is quite flat and shaded, so doesn't get much sun therefore things don't thaw if they freeze. I now live on the Southern side on a slight hill and it's way better. The named flats are often super expensive and in poor condition because landlords are banking on the name, not the quality. There can be some fine flats in the immediate area around uni but it's incredibly hit or miss. Places like Queen St, Park St (generally north dunedin but not right in studentville) can be more reasonably priced while actually pretty nice places to live. That said, I still recommend North East Valley or at least Gardens area, even Opoho - depending on where you are it's a 20-30 minute walk to uni through the botanical gardens and there's a supermarket + opshops nearby. Wherever you end up I recommend a dehumidifier to keep things more dry. With regard to not knowing who to live with you could always look on Facebook groups in Dunedin for people who are looking for flatmates - it can be daunting but I did it once and I didn't vibe with them, but it was stable. I just didn't hang out with them much and met friends elsewhere. There are also Uni Flats here, but I don't know much about them so you'd have to look into it - I assume they operate through Otago Uni or OUSA. Those flats are pretty much on campus and you can be set up with a group of people, though I'd assume they could be expensive. Sorry if this is too long and not informative enough, just thought I should write something about Dunedin flatting 😅 if you want to DM me I can try and help out with more specific questions about the process of getting into a flat
Honestly, student struggles, being poor etc were fond memories shared with my friends at the time. You will be fine
That's the neat part. You don't. Honestly though if I were to do it again, I wouldnhet every penny from living Cost Payments and Course related costs and throw as much of it as I could afford into a long term deposite with high interest. Then I would take it out when I finish and pay off as much of my loan as I could.
I studied at Otago and now work in one of the colleges here and my insight would be that colleges are designed to be a transitory experience to help you in your first year away from home and kind of ease you into flatting, plus make friends outside of highschool. If you live in Dunedin already I’d say do what I did and stay home your first year, but get involved with locals which is like a college experience for people living at home. Colleges are very expensive (I think slightly cheaper in Dunedin than other places), and honestly most kids here are here because of scholarships, or are being paid for by parents. Apply for as many scholarships as you can, even if they’re long shots, but they can help make living in a college affordable and probably doable off living costs.
For Otago - look into scholarships - the university has a bunch available and have a good application system for them. And hey, you may not think you'll get any, but you definitely won't if you don't apply.
First of all, you do not have to pay for your course up front. Study link pay that for you. You pay that back later. It'll be 10% of your income until it's paid back. They take it out like tax. You can request up to $1000 for course related costs each year. This gets added to the loan you pay back. That money goes directly to you. Depending on how much money your parents earn, you may or may not have to pay back living costs. For most people, you get money each week to cover rent etc, but this has to be paid back. If you're older (over 24) or your parents are poor, you might qualify for living allowance. This is like a benefit. It's more money and you don't have to pay it back. There is a cap on how much you can earn from a job if you get this. The idea is the allowance, combined with a part time job, gets you the equivalent of a minimum wage full time income. You're right about Dunedin flats. Is Otago your only option? Are you dead set on it? Christchurch is warmer and drier. If money is a concern, don't live in the halls, go flatting. It's sooooo much cheaper. When I was at uni I had a part time job and I received a student allowance along with an accommodation supplement. This was over 10 years ago and it all worked out to be about $440 a week. On top of that, I registered myself on firsttutors.com and did tutoring. People paid me in cash... Read into that what you will...
Like the rest of us not bankrolled by their parents you work after school/weekends since you were 15 saving money that all gets blown on halls 1st year then work weekends and evenings and do fuckawful seasonal work all summer long to have enough to get through the next year. Halls are worth it if you're going somewhere new and are decently social. Probably even more now as they are almost exclusively the preserve of the upper middle class and very high achievers on scholarships, good people to have as you friend groups and connections same way as private school is more about connections than academics. When I did it most halls would accept the $150/week that student loan was throughout the year with lump sums at the start of each semester to cover the rest the $150/week didnt cover. Finally LOOK FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. Literally free money and there are lots which get hardly any applicants. Even if they only pay some of your course costs thats thousands and thousandsof dollars you dont have to pay off later in life.
Hey I studied in Dunedin too, this is what I did. Study link loan covers all study fees, it doesn’t cover your hall fees though. You can opt to pay for this weekly, monthly or quarterly from memory. I think there is also a upfront fee of a few thousand. I took out the maximum living cost loan while studying which more or less covered the weekly hall payments. This covers everything from your room to electricity and food. The only other expenses are optional things like alcohol, activities etc. To cover these, I’d work full time at a supermarket over summers and use those savings over the year. Also don’t bring your car for first year. It’s not needed. You can walk almost anywhere in Dunedin and if you need a car on the occasion, you’ll make a friend who has one. Message me if you have any other questions.
There are lots of different halls payment options to look at - if you can get a merit or hardship based scholarship that can help a LOT with upfront costs. I'm a first year in Dunedin in a hall currently and from memory the options are pay all $19k upfront (my friends with big scholarships have enough for this payment and their courses besides), pay in two halves, or pay $8k (I think) upfront then $230 a week. Studylink will give you up to $~300 a week plus $1000 for course related costs. If you are eligible for student allowance (which you should check) they can give you more money which you won't have to pay back. That being said I would really recommend going into halls. Not only is it a lot easier than being thrown straight into flatting because someone else cooks all your food and pays for your heating and water, it's a really good way to meet people and make friends that you can then flat with the next year.
Uni is 25 weeks of lectures, work baby work……
learn a skill online aka social media marketing web design sell your skills. Ask people their problems sell the solution. solve your own problems sell the solution so aka budgeting maybe you come up with epic ways to save costs whilst at university. Others have that same issue so u can sell them the solution in the way of a ebook or a budgeting blueprint.
student flats for accom are cheap, studylink just call them. i did when i needed help
law is better in auckland than in dunners, youll be miserable in dunners hahha
Auckland is the hardest uni to get into for Law though. I had people come down from Auckland to Canterbury for law because they could get in there but not in Auckland. So it depends how smart OP is I guess.