NIDA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we learn and tell stories, the Bidjigal, Gadigal, Dharawal and Dharug peoples, and we pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past and present.

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Accommodation

NIDA does not have on-campus accommodation for students, and students are responsible for arranging their own accommodation. However the following information will help you consider some options available to you.

Although NIDA is not part of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), NIDA students can access the student accommodation at UNSW.

UNSW is located directly across from NIDA on Anzac Parade, Kensington, and has a number of on-campus residential colleges and self-catered apartments that domestic and international students can apply for by going directly to their websites:

 

Fully catered colleges:

 

Self-catered apartments:

Rental accommodation in the immediate vicinity of NIDA is not usually easy to find at short notice, can be expensive and landlords usually require a minimum six month lease to be signed. It is also in high demand so it is advisable to start searching at least two or three weeks before you start the course. You should also consider that not all accommodation is furnished and you may need to buy furniture.

Students tend to look for accommodation in suburbs near NIDA such as Randwick, Kensington, Kingsford, Eastlakes, Zetland, Waterloo, Rosebery, Redfern, Centennial Park, Coogee and Maroubra or, slightly further away, in Newtown, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, or Paddington, because of proximity and transport services. Students at NIDA often have to stay late during production and project times, so it is important that transport is available.

Some useful websites that list rental agents and/or rental accommodation are:

Many students at NIDA find shared accommodation in houses and apartments in the surrounding areas. The advantage to share-houses is that rent and bills are shared, reducing the overall cost of living. Shared rentals are often advertised on the rental websites given above, but NIDA students also post notices to the student web pages when they are seeking someone to share their accommodation. Students will be able to access these pages as soon as they have accepted their offer of place at NIDA.

Alternatively, there are local, public forums for seeking share-housing independently such as flatmates.com.au and closed Facebook groups such as Eastern Suburbs Housemates and Inner West Housemates (read the guidelines listed and request to join).

Cost of Living

Consider that the costs of living in Sydney may be different to your home location.

We estimate that you need approximately AU$20,000 to cover living expenses in Sydney for each year of study. In addition, we recommend that you have at least AU$2,000 when you arrive to cover the initial costs of books, rental bond and furniture.

These figures do not include large household items (such as a refrigerator) or a car. We recommend that you use public transport, as owning a car can be expensive and there is very limited parking near NIDA.

Financial Assistance

Scholarships

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, funds are available for a number of scholarships for NIDA students to assist with living expenses. Scholarships are not available for tuition fees. Scholarship funds are limited and vary from year to year.

All students are eligible to apply for a scholarship but priority is given to second and third year students in the allocation of scholarships.

View scholarships

Student loans

Short term cash loans of up to $100 are available for students in case of emergencies. Loans must be repaid within one month.
NIDA is not able to provide long-term loans, unless there are very exceptional circumstances.

Students can apply for a short term loan through NIDA’s SELQA Department. Applications should be made at least 24 hours in advance of when the funds are required. Students may not request a second loan until the first loan has been repaid.