Remaining in on campus accommodation
I do not have a safe place to move to off campus due to the travel restrictions or other personal reasons. What should I do?
If you do not have a safe place to live, either due to travel restrictions, health concerns or other reasons, you are very welcome to stay living on campus. The ANU Residences will remain open and will continue to care for you. Please complete this form to advise the ANU of your intention to stay in on campus accommodation.
University residences have implemented a number of operational changes to comply with Government and health authority directives to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Any person that remains living in on campus accommodation is required to comply with strict social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
What protocols have been implemented in student residences?
The University takes its responsibility to help stop the spread of COVID-19 very seriously. Strict social distancing and hygiene protocols have been implemented including restrictions on visitor numbers, gatherings and enhanced cleaning regimes. All residents are required to comply with these strict guidelines and may be evicted from the residence if they are found to be breaching these guidelines.
How will these hygiene and social distancing protocols be enforced?
All residents have been provided with a one page summary of protocols. Safety Officers are checking activities in each residence and will enforce these protocols. Any student in breach of these measures will be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including termination of their Occupancy Agreement. Please, take these obligations seriously. The safety of our community is everyone's responsibility.
I'm living in a catered residence, if I stay will I still be provided with meals?
Yes, catering services will continue for residents who remain on campus. However, due to the COVID-19 protocols, no communal serving or dining facilities will operate. All catered residences are providing pre-packed meals for residents to collect from the dining hall. Changes to how meal services are delivered may be necessary depending on access to supplies and staff. If these changes do occur, residences will endeavour to inform students as soon as possible.
I am living in a residence with shared bathroom and cooking amenities. I do not have somewhere safe to move off campus and would like to move to a residence with self-contained facilities. Can I do this?
The University takes its responsibilities regarding community safety very seriously, including ensuring the health and wellbeing of on campus residents. Strict social distancing and hygiene protocols have been implemented and are being enforced by Safety Officers.
If you still remain concerned about your living arrangements, and would like to move to a self-contained apartment, please email the Accommodation Services team on uni.accom@anu.edu.au. Please note that we cannot guarantee an apartment will be available as these apartments have been allocated for other emergency procedures.
Leaving your residence
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I would like to leave campus and cancel my accommodation. How do I do this?
If you would like to cancel your accommodation for Semester 1, you are be able to terminate your Occupancy Agreement. Please advise your residence, complete any room check out paperwork required, and complete a Refund Request Form (available from the reception desk at your residence). Please leave the completed forms in your room when you depart.
I am leaving and cancelling my Occupancy Agreement at my residence, do I need to pack up my room?
Yes, please pack up your belongings before you leave. Belongings should be taken with you where possible, but if your travel arrangements do not allow for this, your residence will store your belongings in your room where practicable. If we require access to your room, we will seek permission from you regarding packing and sending of your possessions at your expense.
I want to move out of my residence but I can't find any travel services to my destination - can someone help me organise travel?
Yes. Please speak to the staff at your residence's reception and they will assist with your travel plans as best as they can within their capacity.
I have already left my residence but rental direct debits have continued. Why is this?
If you left your residence on or before Wednesday 1 April, the end date on your Occupancy Agreement will be Wednesday 1 April, 2020. No further charges will be applied after this date and any rent paid in advance will be refunded according to the directions provided in your Refund Request Form. This applies to all students, including those impacted by the mainland China travel restrictions and exchange students.
If you are planning to leave after Wednesday 1 April 2020, the end date on your Occupancy Agreement will be the date you check out of your residence. Direct debits will continue until your check-out date. This applies to all students.
I have already completed an early departure request form and sent it to Accommodation Services. What else do I need to do?
If you have already emailed Accommodation Services your completed Early Departure Form cancelling your Occupancy Agreement, you now need to fill out a Refund Request form to complete the process. The Refund Request Form is available from your residence and can be provided via email for students who have already departed.
I have already left my residence, can someone help me pack up my room?
If you have already checked out and did not pack up your belongings, your residence will store your belongings in your room where practicable. If you wish to have your belongings removed or have left things in your room that you need, you can request to have them sent to you at your expense. To do this, please provide written permission to the reception staff at your residence for a named person to enter your room to pack and remove your belongings. If we require access to your room, we will seek permission from you regarding packing and sending of your possessions.
Am I able to access my room after I have left my residence?
No. You will not be access your room once you have left. This to ensure the health and safety of everybody still living at the residence and the protection of any belongings left in your room.
I have left my on campus residence but expect mail deliveries after I have checked out. What can I do?
If you have a friend who is currently living at the residence, you can give them permission to pick up the item. This permission must be provided in writing to the reception staff at the relevant residence. Reception staff can also forward your mail to an alternative address. To have mail sent on, provide permission in writing and a forwarding address.
Alternatively, your residence may be able to store your mail until you are able to return.
Returning to campus
I was a resident who left campus on advice from the ANU. When can I apply for to return to my Residence?
As health authorities implement a staged approach to the easing of restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ANU is working hard to enable students who were residents in on campus accommodation in Semester 1, 2020 to return to the campus.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions that will remain in place, we will not be to open our residences to full capacity. This means not all students will be able to return. However, we aim to welcome back as many students as is safe to do so and on a needs-based assessment.
The process for returning is available on the ANU accommodation website and your Residence will be able to assist you further should you have a questions about the process.
I am a research student who left campus on advice from the ANU, I understand that the University will be prioritising our return. How can I apply for to return to my Residence?
As communicated by the Vice Chancellor, the residences will open up alongside the staged increase in activities on campus. Postgraduate students will be given priority in returning to their residence as research activities are the first to recommence on campus.
The process for returning for Semester 2, 2020 is available on the ANU accommodation website and your Residence will be able to assist you further should you have a questions about this process. If you wish to return ahead of the Semester 2, 2020 start date, please email uni.accom@anu.edu.au. The team will guide you further.
I left my Residence on advice from the ANU and now wish to return early as my employment in Canberra has called me back. What should I do?
The residences will opening up alongside the staged increase in activities on campus. If you wish to return ahead of the Semester 2, 2020 start date, please email uni.accom@anu.edu.au, and advise them of your circumstances. The team will guide you further.
I am intending to return to my Residence for Semester 2, 2020 do I reapply through the accommodation portal?
No. Please do not submit a new accommodation application. The process for returning is available on the ANU accommodation website and your Residence will be able to assist you further should you have a questions about the process.
We aim to welcome back as many students as is safe to do so and on a needs-based assessment. The assessment will consider individual circumstances based on the information you provide us about your reasons for returning. This could include your academic program requirements, employment opportunities, and the suitability of your current accommodation for ongoing study or safety concerns.
I am intending to return to my Residence for Semester 2, 2020 will I be able to return to my same room?
As a former resident, you will be allocated to the same room as your Semester 1 contract, where possible. Due to restrictions that will remain in place, we will not be to open our residences to full capacity. However, we aim to welcome back as many students as is safe to do so and on a needs-based assessment. Please contact your Residence for more information about the process of returning to your same room.
I have a current outstanding debt with my Residence and I wish to return in Semester 2, 2020. Am I able to return?
As your account is in debt, a NSI (negative service indicator) has been placed against your student record. Your will need to pay any outstanding fees before re-applying to return.
I would like to return to my Residence in Semester 2, 2020, but a NSI has been placed on my account. What do I do?
Please make direct contact with your Residence to agree how to pay the outstanding debt. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please inform your Residence and they will discuss various options with you.
I left my Residence on advice from the ANU and now wish to return to a different Residence in Semester 2, 2020. What should I do?
If you choose not to accept a returners offer to your current residence, you certainly can apply as a new applicant and select another Residence but please be aware that you will no longer be guaranteed accommodation and may not receive an offer for Semester 2 2020 if beds are not available.
If you still wish to change your residence you are welcome to apply through the accommodation portal. This application will be treated as a new application and not as a returning student. When applying, please select S2 2020 and state your accommodation preference. The link to the portal can be found here accommodation portal.
Will there be enough accommodation when I return to campus?
We don't anticipate a short supply of accommodation and have confidence that we can provide accommodation to all returning students. When you return to campus, the Accommodation Services team will help support your return to living on campus.
Financial assistance
Is there financial assistance available to help me cover the costs associated with moving off campus?
Yes. Please visit the financial assistance page for more information.
None of the grants or bursaries listed on the financial assistance page apply to me, do I have any other options?
If you are experiencing financial hardship but don't qualify for any of the options listed on the financial assistance page, you may be eligible for an Accommodation Bursary.
To be eligible, you must be a full time ANU student who is experiencing temporary financial hardship that is affecting your ability to maintain your accommodation. Lodging an application does not guarantee a bursary will be awarded and students may only access one of the financial support mechanisms available. For more information about eligibility and application processes for the Accommodation Bursary, please visit here.
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