All Waikato’s Halls of Residence are on campus, providing the ultimate student experience. Living in the halls is a great way to meet new people and immerse yourself in student life without the hassles of rosters and flat bills. And because you’re just a walk away from your lectures you’ll get maximum sleep time. A room in the halls comes with a built-in social life, from organised events like balls, dinners and inter-hall sports competitions to spur-of-the-moment adventures that build lifelong memories.

The University of Waikato has four Halls of Residence on campus; Orchard Park, College Hall, Student Village, and Bryant Hall. Combined, they offer over 1000 on-campus beds, all in single rooms. At Waikato you won’t have to share a room with another student! The advantages of living in a Hall of Residence are that it is a great way to meet people, with student support and organised fun activities for residents throughout the year. The fully catered option provides students with their own room and they share facilities with other including the large dining room where students enjoy three meals per day, seven days per week. The self-catered option involves living in an apartment or cottage with up to five other students, (all in single bedrooms); cooking / cleaning independently.

This will probably be your first time living away from home. You’ll have to manage your time, your money and your priorities carefully and you’ll learn more about yourself than you ever thought there was to know. But because most of the residents in the halls are first-year students you’re all in the same boat. The residential staff in the halls are students too, so they know the sort of issues you’re likely to encounter and how to figure them out.

Please note: Places in the on-campus Halls are limited and not all students are able to be placed. Preference is given to students enrolling for a complete academic year. Applications must be made in advance.

College Hall

289 fully catered single study bedrooms
six self-catered bedsits and four self-catered units
option of single-sex floors
lounge and snack-making facilities on each floor
next to the pool, fields and squash and tennis courts

Bryant Hall

178 fully-catered single study bedrooms
only 20-25 residents per floor
four self-catered, fully-furnished cottages
common areas with Satellite TV, pool tables and more
close to the recreation centre, banks and public transport

Student Village

252 fully catered single study bedrooms
eight self-catered, fully furnished units
common areas with satellite TV, pool tables and more
near the rec centre, banks and buses
friendly and culturally diverse community

Orchard Park

26 self-catered cottages
apply as an individual or with a group of friends
single-sex or mixed sex options
free weekly supermarket trips
ideal Halls experience before living off-campus

Off Campus Accommodation

All new International students who require off-campus accommodation must complete and return the Off Campus Application Form to the Accommodation and Conference Services Office.

Off-Campus Flatting (Sharing a House)

Students studying at Waikato are very lucky that the University is surrounded by a large amount of inexpensive private student accommodation very close to the University campus. More than 90% of the student population lives off-campus, and most live within a 15 minute walk of the campus. The University only offers single-person Halls of Residence accommodation so all couples or families must live off-campus. In New Zealand, the leasing / renting of a house or apartment of your own, or more commonly with other students, is known as “flatting”. Older style apartments are known as “flats”.

Where to Live in Hamilton

The University of Waikato is located between the two suburbs of Hillcrest and Silverdale. When searching, note that the following suburbs are within a 15-minute bicycle ride from the university campus: Claudelands, Enderley, Fairview Downs, Hamilton East, Hayes Paddock, Hillcrest, Knox Street, Newstead, Peachgrove, Riverlea, Ruakura, Sherwood Park, Silverdale.

For more information, please contact one of our offices

Last Updated: 29 January 2012

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