National Rental Affordability Scheme

The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is an incentive which allows the University to offer accommodation to eligible students at a rate below market value.

The University's accommodation locations that are covered by NRAS include:

• Lena Karmel Lodge (ending 31 January 2022)

Eligibility

To be eligible you must be a domestic or international student whose annual income (in Australian dollars) is below the following limits:

* Applies to each additional adult living in share accommodation. That is combined initial income limit of a couple living in a one bedroom apartment will be $72,341 or $92,358 for individuals living in a three bedroom apartment.

Priority is given to students who are travelling from elsewhere in Australia for NRAS dwellings.

Your initial eligibility

To be eligible to become a resident in a NRAS approved dwelling, your annual gross income must not exceed the initial income limit outlined in the table above. To enable the University to assess your eligibility, you are required to do the following.

• Complete an online application for accommodation and provide an estimate of your annual gross income for the 12 months immediately prior to the date you are submitting your application.
• Provide a completed Income Notification form, including supporting documentation evidencing your gross income for the 12 month period ending on the day before your Occupancy Agreement is due to commence. The completed form and supporting documentation will need to be submitted to your residence.

If the University is unable to satisfactorily determine your income based on your completed Income Notification form and the supporting documentation you provide, you may be required to complete a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration.

Under the NRAS, room agreements are for 52 weeks. 

Your continuing eligibility

Your continuing eligibility in a NRAS approved dwellings will be assessed on the 12 month anniversary of your Occupancy Agreement. Residency is determined as the commencement date of your initial Occupancy Agreement even if you arrived late. If your annual gross income exceeds the upper income limit in the above table you will cease to be eligible.

You must submit an Income Notification Continuing Eligibility form, and supporting documentation, or a Statutory Declaration if required by the University, on the 12 month anniversary of the day you took up residency substantiating your gross income for the 12 months immediately prior.

Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - Reference Documents for more information