Francesca Rudkin: How long will living in the university halls be financially viable? - The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Yesterday my son’s contract with his Canterbury University hall came to an end.  

He was officially a hall member for 41 weeks, but when you take into account the mid-semester and semester breaks he was only there for 32 and a half weeks. So that was about $20,000 for 32 weeks.  

This and fees around $9000, depending on what you’re studying, mean the cost of a University degree is quite confronting.  

I’m sure it’s something that’s on the mind of many Year 13 students, and their parents, who are wrapping up their final year of school and potentially looking to leave home for study next year. Is it worth it? I’m not so sure.  

Our son wanted to go to Christchurch because he was ready to leave home and be independent. He’s heard his father’s stories of friends made for life, nonsense and laughter when he was in a hall. He wanted an adventure, to share it with old friends, and to make new ones.  

My preference, practical as ever, was for him to stay home and go to the local university. He had part time work in Auckland. He could live at home. “It just makes sense”, I would say.

But deep down we knew he was ready to go, and needed to go.  

Some have no choice but to leave home to go to university, but for those who do have a choice and value it as a growing-up experience, the commitment is becoming tougher.  

Once it was considered a rite of passage for many students who live in our main cities to leave home for university. It was a stepping stone to spreading their wings and flying off into the world. Now though, it comes with a substantial financial burden for students, parents and the Government. The current interest-free Study Link loan isn’t enough to cover weekly hall fees. 

We expected our son to get a part time job to help with costs, and keep debt down. He had a part time job for the last two years of school - he doesn’t mind working. However, we didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to find a new gig in a new city.  

The second year isn’t going to be any easier, with student flat rentals in high demand. Students I know in Christchurch will next year will be paying anything from $150 for a room that fits a single bed, to $230 per week. Then there’s the cost of food and utilities. At least they’re learning to budget.  

I appreciate that if you have a choice and don’t need to leave your hometown to go to university, it’s on the nose to complain about how tough it is for students who do.  

And if the demand for halls in anything to go by, Canterbury halls are well over-subscribed, so the costs of a university education doesn’t seem to be putting everyone off.  

I just wonder how much longer it will last? Will the once proud Kiwi tradition of heading off to the uni halls become something only those with increasingly hefty financial support will be able to manage?

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