“I’ve moved five times.”
Grace has moved repeatedly over the past year while trying to stay within reach of university and public transport. Without a car, affordable housing is not always realistic housing.
Expert voice: Tenants Queensland
When pressure becomes instability
A QSTARS tenancy adviser says rental pressure becomes housing instability when students begin moving repeatedly, relying on short-term arrangements, or feeling unsure how long they can stay.
For international students, the pressure can be more immediate because many rely on public transport, need to stay near campus, and do not have local family support if housing falls through.
Audio: Interview with a QSTARS tenancy adviser about rental pressure, housing instability and where students can seek help in Queensland.
“This is no longer only an affordability issue. For some students, it becomes a stability issue.”
Emma
Interview highlights
Q: When does rental pressure become housing instability?
A: “When students begin moving repeatedly, relying on short-term arrangements, or feeling unsure how long they can stay.”
Q: Why can international students be more vulnerable?
A: “International students often have fewer realistic options because they rely more on public transport, need housing near campus, and may not have local family support.”
Q: Where can students go for help?
A: “If students run into problems with renting, they can contact QSTARS for free tenancy advice and support in Queensland.”
QSTARS, delivered through Tenants Queensland, provides free tenancy advice and referral support for renters in Queensland.
What this story is really about
Brisbane’s rental pressure affects international students in different ways. For some, it means moving again and again. For others, it means accepting crowded housing, learning an unfamiliar rental system, or searching within a much smaller area shaped by transport and budget.
Limited choices
International students often search within a much smaller group of realistic suburbs close to campus and public transport.
Repeated moves
For some students, rental pressure becomes a cycle of temporary housing, short stays, and starting over again.
Crowded compromise
Others avoid constant moving, but only by accepting smaller, noisier, or less comfortable shared housing.
Learning the system
Newly arrived students often navigate inspections, leases and bond while still trying to understand how the system works.
Brisbane rental geography
WHY LOCATION MATTERS
Near campus, beyond budget
School-adjacent suburbs remain in high demand.
Transport matters
A room is not always a realistic option if commuting becomes too costly or too long.
Workable, not just available
International students often need affordability, distance and transport to align at once.
THREE WAYS HOUSING PRESSURE IS EXPERIENCED
“I always had somewhere to stay, but I never really felt settled.”
For Grace, rental pressure meant repeated moves, short-term arrangements and constant uncertainty. Even when she had a place to stay, the lack of stability shaped her study routine, transport and daily life in Brisbane.
Grace
”Five times move“
“I can afford it, but I don’t really live comfortably.”
For Cindy, housing pressure was not only about rent. It also meant compromise. Staying within budget meant accepting a smaller and less comfortable living space, showing that affordability and liveability are not always the same thing.
Cindy
“Affordable, but not comfortable”
“Finding housing wasn’t just about finding a room. It was also about learning the system.”
For Bella, the challenge was not only price but unfamiliarity. As a newly arrived international student, she had to learn inspections, applications, bond and lease rules while trying to find somewhere to live.
Bella
“First year in Brisbane”
FAQs
NEED HOUSING HELP?
Need tenancy support?
If you are renting in Queensland and something goes wrong, QSTARS offers free advice and support for renters. It can help with tenancy questions, disputes, notices and general rental problems.