Student accommodation in Tauranga is led by the University of Waikato’s two self-catered residences beside its city campus: Selwyn Street Studios, at $337 to $357 a week for 2027, and Durham Mews flats for second-year students, at $288 to $308 a week. Both rates include internet, power and water. Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s accommodation page points students to flats, hostels, homestays and listings rather than publishing halls of its own. This guide sets out the published figures and what I could not confirm.
Details come from the University of Waikato’s Tauranga accommodation pages, Toi Ohomai’s accommodation page, Tenancy Services and Community Law, checked on 31 October 2026. Amounts are in New Zealand dollars as the university publishes them.
Selwyn Street Studios
Selwyn Street Studios has 88 standard and 3 accessible self-contained studios, directly across the road from the University of Waikato’s Tauranga city campus. Every studio has its own ensuite. Each is furnished with a bed, desk, chair, bookshelf, wardrobe and mini fridge. Standard studios have a king single bed, and the accessible studios have a double bed, a microwave and a lowered sink.
| 2027 contract | Weekly rate | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 18 weeks (one-trimester students only) | $357 | $6,426 |
| 37 weeks | $357 | $13,209 |
| 50 weeks | $337 | $16,850 |
The page does not label which total belongs to which contract, but the figures match the weekly rates multiplied by 18, 37 and 50 weeks. The 18-week contract is for students enrolled for a single trimester, such as study-abroad or exchange students, or those finishing their studies. Everyone else is offered 37 or 50 weeks.
- Included: internet, power and water, with free wifi.
- Bedding: standard studios come with a mattress and mattress protector. You bring your own linen or buy an optional linen pack for $160.
- Up-front costs: a $200 administration fee with your application, a $400 deposit when you accept an offer online, and a $200 activity fee before you move in. The page does not mention a bond.
- Support: the university says there is one Residential Leader for every 23 residents, with staff on duty every day, including evenings and weekends.
Durham Mews
Durham Mews is described as self-catered living for second-year University of Waikato students. It has six three-bedroom flats about a two-minute walk from campus. Each flat has one downstairs bedroom with its own bathroom and two upstairs bedrooms sharing a bathroom, plus a furnished living area, laundry facilities, whiteware and basic kitchen equipment.
| 2027 contract | Weekly rate | Total listed |
|---|---|---|
| 18 weeks (one-trimester students only) | $308 | $5,544 |
| 37 weeks | $308 | $11,433 (the page’s figure) |
| 50 weeks | $288 | $14,400 |
The listed 37-week total is slightly above $308 multiplied by 37 weeks, which is $11,396, and the page does not explain the difference, so confirm the final amount with the university. The weekly rate includes internet, power and water, and the same $200 administration fee, $400 deposit and $200 activity fee apply, with an optional $160 linen pack. The page does not say explicitly whether the rate is per person, though it is presented per room.
2027 application dates
- First round: the university asked for applications by 30 September 2026 to be considered in the first round of offers for 2027. That date has passed.
- Later applications: the page says they are still accepted. Full academic-year applications go through the accommodation portal.
- Single trimesters and summer: use the separate C Trimester or Summer Accommodation form. Submit only one application.
- Contact: the Selwyn Street Studios team on +64 7 838 4084 or at selwynstreetstudios@waikato.ac.nz.
If you study at Toi Ohomai
Toi Ohomai’s accommodation page says students can share a flat, hostel or hall of residence, live with a family in a homestay, or rent a place on their own. It links to current vacancies and lists third-party sites and flatmate adverts, and enrolled students can post a spare room on the intranet. The institute says that is a community initiative only and that it does not manage listings or become involved in tenancy matters or disputes. The Windermere Campus Information Centre is on 07 571 0190. The page gives no rents, so I have not stated any.
Renting privately: bond, rent in advance and fees
Most students without a university place will rent privately. Tenancy Services says a landlord can charge a general bond of at most 4 weeks’ rent, which is optional for the landlord and must be paid at the start of the tenancy. The landlord must lodge it with Tenancy Services, within 23 working days of receiving it if you paid it to them.
Community Law says a landlord can ask for two weeks’ rent in advance, and that letting fees and lawyers’ fees are among the charges a landlord is not allowed to pass on to you. At $300 a week, for example, a 4-week bond is $1,200 and two weeks’ rent in advance is $600.
What to check before you book
- Contract length: choose between 37 and 50 weeks carefully. The 50-week weekly rate is lower, but the total is higher.
- Your enrolment: the 18-week option is only for single-trimester students.
- Up-front costs: add the $200 administration fee, $400 deposit and $200 activity fee to your first payment plan.
- Linen and furnishings: decide whether you need the $160 linen pack.
- A signed copy of any tenancy agreement: Tenancy Services advises reading it carefully and keeping a signed copy and any receipts.
I could not verify private rents in Tauranga, rankings of suburbs such as Mount Maunganui or Greerton, transport times or the cost of Toi Ohomai-linked housing from official sources, so I have not stated them. Never pay a deposit before you have a written agreement and proof that the property is genuine. Before you commit, read our guide to university halls versus private housing, the checklist of what to look for before you sign and our safety guide.
FAQs about student accommodation in Tauranga
How much does student accommodation in Tauranga cost?
The University of Waikato’s 2027 rates are $337 to $357 a week at Selwyn Street Studios and $288 to $308 a week at Durham Mews, including internet, power and water. Private rents vary, and I could not verify them.
Can I still apply for University of Waikato accommodation in Tauranga for 2027?
The first-round date was 30 September 2026, but the university says later applications are still accepted. Check the accommodation portal for current availability.
Is Tauranga student accommodation catered?
No. The University of Waikato describes both Selwyn Street Studios and Durham Mews as self-catered.
How much bond can a landlord charge in New Zealand?
Tenancy Services says a general bond can be at most 4 weeks’ rent. It must be lodged with Tenancy Services.
Sources
- University of Waikato: Tauranga accommodation
- University of Waikato: Selwyn Street Studios
- University of Waikato: Durham Mews
- Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology: accommodation
- Tenancy Services: charging a general bond
- Tenancy Services: bond lodgement explained
- Community Law: rent, bond and other costs
All checked 31 October 2026.
