Why do students choose University College?

By Zara Pritchard

In this latest blog, our students share the reasons why they chose University College (UC) as their residential college in Melbourne. Whether the decision was made based on family ties, extensive online/in-person research, or perhaps University College actually chose them – our students have diverse backgrounds and experiences to share.

Gretel – Horfield, Victorian

There are quite a few reasons why I chose University College as my number one preference for student accommodation. I’d say the one that stands out the most is the welcoming, fun, and inclusive culture that my older sisters and cousins told me about when they stayed here. All of them had positive experiences that lead to lifelong friends, housemates, and partners – something that I wanted for myself. I also knew that UC had a varied intake of people, including a reasonably large intake of other regional people like me. On a more surface level, UC also has the best student rooms for first years on the Crescent which is never a bad thing. I also really liked that UC was very multifaceted in that it could meet anyone’s interests, whether that be art, music, design, leadership, sport, or a myriad of other things. To this day I am so happy that I chose to apply here and would recommend UC to anyone and everyone.

Amy – Merimbula, NSW

Before moving to UC, I was living in India, which meant that I had to decide where to live based on everything provided online, including the website, YouTube videos and the Virtual Open Day. Despite not being able to visit UC in person, I found every tour and video to be descriptive, detailed and engaging. One of the main reasons I came to UC was that regardless of being online, I could immediately imagine myself living here and feeling welcome. Luckily that’s exactly what happened. The vibe of the residential college is exactly what’s presented online - super friendly and open to all individuals. Coming to the residential college was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Meg – Echuca, Victoria

After hearing many stories of how amazing the UC events, community and culture was, I decided it was the place for me. My mum actually attended UC when she was at university. After listening to her reflections of her time and memories here, I knew the residential college was the right choice. After being at UC for the year, it is evident her experiences of college still ring true. I am so glad that I have been lucky enough to experience the unique memories of UC firsthand. I am so pleased I chose UC as it has provided me with a home away from home and I am forever grateful to experience the warm and welcoming environment here. I hope that many more students are able to have this same experience.

Xavier – Cohuna, Victoria

I decided to come to University College for a number of reasons. Firstly, my sister had previously gone here for three years, so I was able to come visit her. This helped me see what UC was like from the inside, and showed me how enjoyable it was for people to live here. Secondly, coming from regional Victoria it is a bit daunting moving to the city, however I had heard of quite a few regional Victorians from around my area moving to the residential college over the years, which made it clear to me that the transition would be easy. I had also heard through my sister and UC advertisements about the new buildings that had been/were being built, so the quality of facilities swayed me towards UC even more. Finally, I had heard that UC had quite a strong sporting culture compared to other colleges (this is true!), which really caught my attention as sport is really important to me.

Nick– Barwon Heads, Victoria

My brother attended UC in 2018 and 2019. Seeing how much he loved it made it seem like it was a natural pathway for me if I attended University of Melbourne. Other factors that made me choose University College is that it is full of regional Victorian, interstate and international students – I love that diversity! I also heard that the residential college offers a safe and welcoming environment no matter where you came from or what your personality is like.