Who This Residence Suits (and Who It Doesn’t)
Student Living – 570 Swanston sits on the northern edge of Melbourne’s CBD, roughly a five-minute walk from RMIT University. For students who prioritise a commute measured in minutes rather than tram stops, this is one of the most direct options in the city. The building is older, which keeps weekly rents below many newer purpose-built student towers, but it still offers a range of self-contained and shared living formats.
This residence suits you if you are an RMIT student who wants to roll out of bed and be on campus quickly. The location also puts you within walking distance of Queen Victoria Market, multiple supermarkets, and the Melbourne Central shopping precinct. Because the building permits dual occupancy in some room types, it can work for couples or a pair of friends sharing a larger unit. The minimum lease of 17 weeks aligns with a single academic semester, so you are not locked into a full-year contract if your study plan is shorter.
It does not suit you if you expect a modern, amenity-heavy building with a gym, cinema room, or rooftop terrace. The facilities listed are basic: car parking, bicycle parking, and a communal laundry. Several former student buildings in Melbourne have been converted to general residential use since 2020, and according to at least one recent review, this property may have followed a similar path. If you require the formal student-only environment that many purpose-built residences offer, you should verify the current operational status directly with the operator.
The building is also not ideal if you need absolute quiet or a south-facing unit. One reviewer noted that units facing south look directly into the neighbouring Scape building, which can feel claustrophobic. North-facing units, by contrast, receive better light and a more open outlook.
What Residents Actually Say
Three Google reviews are available for this property; the aggregate rating is 3.3 out of 5 from 39 reviews. Below are the verbatim extracts from the full-text reviews provided.
Chinmayi HS (rating 4/5) emphasised convenience for RMIT students:
“Student Living at 570 Swanston is a good accommodation option for RMIT University students. It is just a 5-minute walk to the university. The location is right in the heart of the city, with supermarkets and the Queen Victoria vegetable market all within walking distance. The building also has laundromat facilities and”
M Wayang (rating 1/5) raised questions about the current management status:
“It’s actually not a student accommodation or managed by unilodge anymore since the start of the pandemic. It’s now open for regular rental or owner occupied. Units facing north are really nice, units facing south are a bit meh… they face directly into the scape building next door. There’s a communal laundry with usel”
Ryan Yang (rating 4/5) highlighted value and age of the building:
“A rather old apartment building in a convenient location. The rents here are usually below average. Great place to stay for college students.”
The mixed tone of these reviews reflects a fundamental tension: the location and price are attractive, but the building’s age and ambiguous operational status (as of the pandemic-era review) mean you should not assume the property is still run as a dedicated student residence in 2026. When you enquire, ask whether the building is currently managed as student accommodation or as general rental apartments. Also note that the third review describes rents as “below average” – likely relative to other apartments in that immediate area rather than to the entire Melbourne market.
Price Positioning vs. the City’s From-Price
Melbourne’s student accommodation market has a city-wide from-price of AUD 219 per week (indicative — confirm with the operator). Student Living – 570 Swanston lists a weekly range of AUD 425 to AUD 735 (indicative — confirm with the operator). This means the entry-level price here is roughly double the market’s lowest offerings, which are typically shared-bedroom or basic non-ensuite rooms in older suburban properties.
Within the city centre, however, studios and non-ensuite apartments in the CBD often start around AUD 350–450 per week, so the lower end of this property’s range (AUD 425) is competitive for a private unit in a central location. The top end (AUD 735) likely covers larger independent houses or dual-occupancy studios with extra space. Because 137 student properties are listed in Melbourne, you have many alternatives at various price points, but few will match the combination of a five-minute walk to RMIT and a below-average rent for that specific block.
Ryan Yang’s observation that “the rents here are usually below average” aligns with the data: the property is priced below many new-build student towers in the same postcode, which frequently run from AUD 500 up to AUD 850 per week for studios.
Room-Type Guidance
The property offers three unit types: non-ensuite (shared bathroom), studio (private bathroom), and independent house (self-contained, typically a one- or two-bedroom apartment with its own kitchen and laundry connections). If you are on a tight budget, a non-ensuite room at the lower end of the price band will be the most economical choice. Studios offer complete privacy and are suitable for students who prefer not to share, though they are pricier. The independent house format is best for couples or students who want more living space and are willing to pay toward the top of the range.
All weekly prices are inclusive of what the listing states; confirm with the operator whether utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet) are included or charged separately. The dual-occupancy tag means some rooms allow two people – if you plan to share, check the additional weekly charge per person.
Booking Timing Considerations
The minimum lease of 17 weeks means the property works for one semester (typically February–June or July–November). If you need a shorter stay, look elsewhere. Because the building is older and less marketed than purpose-built towers, it may have availability closer to the start of semester, but the mixed reviews about its management status warrant early enquiries. For entry in Semester 1 2026, contact the operator by October–November 2025 to secure a north-facing unit (recommended by the 1-star reviewer) and to clarify whether the building still operates as student accommodation.
Is Student Living – 570 Swanston still student accommodation in 2026?
One Google reviewer stated that the building ceased operating as student accommodation during the pandemic and became regular rental. However, the platform listing still categorises it as student housing. You must confirm the current management model directly with the operator before committing. Ask whether the building is exclusively for students, whether you need a student ID to sign a lease, and whether there is on-site management.
Which room type offers the best value?
For a single student, the cheapest non-ensuite room at approximately AUD 425 per week provides the lowest entry price in a prime location. The cost is above Melbourne’s city-wide from-price of AUD 219, but for a private (non-shared) room within a five-minute walk of RMIT, it is competitive. The north-facing studios offer better natural light and privacy at a higher price; the independent house format is best only if you need space for two people.
How do I know if a north- or south-facing unit is available?
The building has units on both orientations. The 1-star review advises that north-facing rooms are “really nice” while south-facing units look directly into a neighbouring building. When you contact the operator, ask for the exact aspect of each available unit. If you have a choice, prioritise north-facing.
Sources & Data Date
Prices, reviews, and property data sourced from the platform listing and Google reviews as of July 2026. All weekly rents are indicative — confirm with the operator.
If you want to check current availability, room options, and the latest operator contact details for this property, use the on-site assistant for live availability.
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