Why parents are forking out $40k for their kids to live on campus

For University of Sydney student Abby Bonic, the decision to live on campus despite calling nearby Bellevue Hill home was easy. “With so much of uni going online during COVID, it’s not the same experience any more, whereas colleges have kept that alive.”

Bonic, 21, lived at residential college St Andrew’s for three years before moving out with a friend. She acknowledges she was lucky her parents were able to pay for her experience – at a cost of approximately $40,000 a year – which provided a sense of community, connections and fulfilled the social aspects of university life. For families whose finances won’t stretch to a live-in residential college, some offer a non-resident option for $8000-$10,000.