The feeling of landing without a clue of your accommodation
A very vivid memory I have is sitting by the baggage claim at Auckland Airport, surrounded by my suitcases, searching for places to stay on my phone and simply not understanding what was going on around me. I had just arrived from India, was registered for a master’s degree, was looking forward to the new phase of life but the one thing I hadn’t figured out was where I was actually going to stay. The process of finding student accommodation in Auckland seemed daunting to me, and at that time, I did not even have a clue where to start.
A little about me
My full name is Harsh Pardeshi. I hail from India and decided to come to Auckland to do my Master of Information Technology at the University of Auckland. A key factor in me choosing Auckland was New Zealand being touted as a tech hub in the Pacific, also the fact that UoA has excellent faculties, and of course, being honest with oneself, New Zealand has always remained one of the dream destinations for many people including myself. However, what I had never factored in is the day-to-day reality of being an international student who faces various challenges when trying to navigate the rental market of a totally new city having no references locally, not knowing the neighborhoods at all and only having a limited budget of around NZD 250, 350 per week.
Difficulties of finding accommodation by yourself
In one word, Auckland’s rental market can be termed as cut-throat competition. My time was divided between Trade Me, Facebook Marketplace, and other sources like university notice boards. The photos of some places looked good, but they were situated at a considerable distance from the campus. Some others happened to be within my budget but were without any verifications I had no clue whether they were legitimate or scam houses meant for cheating foreign students. Several places I contacted never replied to my inquiries. On the other hand, those that did respond demanded references, bonds, and sometimes proof of income things I was totally unaware of as an international student who just landed.
The more I thought about this, the more I realized that I was wrong because there were so many listings that I had no real criteria to evaluate the places, right? Price, location, safety concerns, what’s included…just gathering this information from random listings was very time-consuming and draining. I required quite a bit of structure.
Discovering University Living
It was during a late-night Google search for “student accommodation in Auckland” that I found out about University Living. I had nearly missed it because initially, I didn’t think much of it, but in the end, I realized that it actually listed verified properties along with clear pricing, photos, and distance from the university. At that time, I had become hopelessly skeptical due to having encountered numerous websites with dubious-looking offers, but I continued my investigation.
What really won me over was the fact that the site was very student focused. It was not a generic letting system at all; it was made with people like me in mind, who have a very specific set of needs and circumstances. The search filters allowed me to set criteria based on distance from UoA, room type, price, amenities, etc. Later that same day, I could easily compare several properties in one place, rather than being overwhelmed with hundreds of tabs left open in my web browser by the previous evening.
University Living booking: a real experience
My booking experience with University Living was probably the smoothest one I have ever had. I eventually booked 421 Queen Street, Auckland on the platform was thoroughly verified, giving me a strong sense of credibility. The verified listing, detailed photos, and student reviews gave me the confidence to make my decision. I was also able to compare three or four properties side by side and get a realistic idea of what each place would be like before booking.
The support staff was always available to answer my queries. For example, I wanted to know the inclusion of utilities in one specific listing and was immediately informed without any ambiguous exchange that sort of transparency means a lot for someone who is considering accommodation in a city they have never even been in. I decided to go for an ensuite room which suited me pretty well my own bathroom but still being part of a bigger building with several students around.
My lifestyle here
The room that I have is an ensuite one which means that I have the bathroom all to myself and this has been so great of a place where I can rest after a stressful day at the university. I am quite close to the University of Auckland (less than 15 minutes on foot), which is actually a game changer for me. I don’t have to buy bus tickets, stand in the rain and be bored, worry about missing the bus, I simply walk to the lecture hall.
The house offers a communal kitchen, a common room, study room, laundry, options that basically meet most needs for me. When it comes to working on assignments/project pieces etc., the study room has become my haven for getting down to work, making it easier to focus. In addition to this, if you want a bit of company, this is the place to go, as you will most likely find a friend here. Our common room is where I really got to know my flatties on weekends, that is where we usually end up just hanging out, which also helps a lot in getting over that initial loneliness that comes with moving to a new country.
My typical day has pretty much been sorted out now. I attend classes in the morning, have lunch at home, return to college for labs or discussion groups in the afternoons, cook dinner using the shared kitchen (really quite nice and well equipped with proper appliances, clean environment, and one good pan that is always up for grabs), and then evening study or leisure. It is a straightforward lifestyle and yet it is very fulfilling.
Why I Believe University Living Was the Best
To be honest, the overriding factor for me was a sense of reassurance. When you are moving to a foreign country and you are a stranger, the last thing you would want is to arrive there and find out that the place you booked does not even exist or looks nothing like the one that was advertised. A big portion of your stress literally disappears when you know that the property is verified.
Besides, this way I regained a lot of my precious time. If I had decided to dive into endless listings of sketchy places for weeks on end, it would have been impossible for me to find decent accommodation in a few days. Instead, that is exactly what happened and I was able to grab this time for enhancing my course preparations, staying connected with my family in India, as well as simply getting mentally ready for the upcoming two years.
Another point worth mentioning about the student accommodation in New Zealand that I got through University Living is that the cost was reasonable, considering the quality of the environment and facilities that they had on offer. On the other hand, I have also encountered some private rentals at similar rates which come on top of that with zero inclusion, no furnished common spaces, utilities not covered, no actual community.
Services by ULInfinity
At first, I was only counting on University Living to find me a place to live in Auckland, and then it suddenly came to me that they also offered other services. Purely out of curiosity, I took a look at their portal and noticed that they actually have other services like ULInfinity which provide flight booking discounts for international students. To be more precise, I was so surprised- to me, University Living was only an accommodation platform. But at the same time, it totally made sense to me on the following basis: students arriving in a new country generally have to find both a flight and a place to live and it is really handy if you get both from the same place. After reading everything about it, I decided to try it out. The booking was very easy, and I had a flight booked at a good discount rate much better than anything I had seen on my own in just a few minutes.
NOTE: ULInfinity offers various services like health insurance, international SIM cards, airport pickups, international money transfer, and student bank accounts.
Tips for Prospective International Students in Auckland
- Start early: Accommodation in Auckland gets booked really fast, especially in February and July months when the two main semesters start. Leaving it a month before arrival is not a good option.
- Stick to trusted sources: Checking out random Facebook listings and Marketplace posts is a gamble. It is better to stay with ones where the properties are actually checked.
- Take distance to the university seriously: Auckland is larger than it appears on the map, and the public transport system is not always quite reliable. Having a place close to walking distance is very valuable.
- Go through student reviews: They will give you insights about the place that you cannot get from photos such as noise levels, building management, how social the place is, etc.
- Check the inclusions: Being aware of bills, Wi-Fi, and furniture make a huge difference to your actual weekly cost. Don’t just compare the base rents without taking these factors into account.
Summing It Up
My decision to come to Auckland and pursue my master’s has been one of the smartest choices I have ever made. It has been a steep learning curve academically, socially, practically -, but I had sorted out my accommodation from the very beginning which has made all the other things quite easy for me. If you are an international student who will be making a similar move very soon, do not overlook the fact that the right place to live can make a huge difference to your overall experience. There is no need for student accommodation in Auckland to be a source of stress for you at all. It only requires you to have the right tools and for me, University Living was the right tool and now I can get to class in less than ten minutes and with my coffee in hand, I am pretty sure that I am glad that I discovered it.
