Masters student looking for property for lease

oshweg

Hi all,

I am a new member in this forum as I am looking to lease property for a period of 14 months, beginning anytime between January 20 to 29, 2025.

I am an (incoming) international student from the Philippines who will be relocating to Sydney for about a year to pursue my Master of Laws (LLM) at the University of New South Wales. My program starts in February 2025 but I plan to arrive a few weeks earlier to allow myself to settle down and avoid being overwhelmed with the move.

My program is only a 1 year program but I have been advised to try and secure accommodations for until early March 2026 to be safe.

I hope to find a place that will provide me some stability during my year in Sydney.

My budget is AUD 450 per week, including utilities. I am hoping that there is at least a furnished studio with a private bathroom that is available within my budget.

As for the location, I am hoping to find a place that is at most only an hour commute to and from UNSW Kensington Campus. Safety and proximity to commute stations (to and from UNSW Kensington) are also major considerations.

As mentioned, I am not from Australia and so I am not familiar with the leasing procedures and practices there. I am particularly concerned about the practice of physical inspections as I will not be able to do that before I arrive in Sydney on January 20, 2025. Is there any way to have those inspections done online?

Any leads/tips/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time!