“That ICPA Qld lobbies the Universities and Residential Colleges across Queensland, ensuring they offer increased student accommodation placements reserved for rural and remote students who intend to relocate from their homes in order to access university studies.”
Given the current housing shortage, high demand for student accommodation, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, rural and remote students who need to relocate to a university centre to access face-to-face learning are at a significant disadvantage. Currently students need to apply well in advance (and pay a significant deposit) to enter the selection process for student residential placements, often competing with local students. As students make senior subject selection choices in their final years of school, many are unaware they also need to be applying for residential colleges well ahead of finalising university course selections.
It is essential for residential colleges to reserve a percentage of places for non-local students to ensure that rural and remote students can attend university face-to-face. In some cases, rural and remote students are alternatively studying online due to being unable to secure residential accommodation near their chosen university.
