Frequently Asked Questions
Applying
How do I apply for Helen Lowry Hall?What happens after I apply?
Can I share a room with my friend who is also applying?
What if I don't get into my course at Victoria?
Before you arrive
When can I move in?What should I bring?
What is the voltage and electrical configuration for New Zealand?
Can I bring my heater and TV to the Hall?
Can I bring my pet to the Hall?
I am a keen hunter, can I bring and store my rifle at the Hall?
When you're here
Can I pay for my board weekly? How can I pay my fees?Can I get a job while living at the Hall?
Can my friend come and stay at the Hall?
Can my friend live at the Hall?
How does the shuttle work?
How does the Hall broadband internet work?
Do I have to leave my room during the June/July break?
Can I smoke in my room?
Can I drink alcohol in my room?
I am bored with studying, what can I do?
Is there a curfew?
Does my room get cleaned?
What does Helen Lowry Hall do to reduce its effect on the environment?
Can I leave early?
How do I apply for Helen Lowry Hall?
Either visit the Accommodation Service website here, use the application form in the Accommodation Guide, or visit the Accommodation Service on Kelburn Campus in the Student Union Building.What happens after I apply?
Applications close on October 1. Selection is made and an Offer of Accommodation is sent mid-October with a Residential Contract, Room Allocation form, and a Schedule of Fees. To accept our offer you must return your signed Residential Contract and Room Allocation form, and pay the deposit by the due date. Late applications or acceptances are wait listed, and offered as space permits.Can I share a room with my friend who is also applying?
We do have shared rooms available, and if you know someone who you would like to share that’s fine. Our selection criteria will still apply, and you will have the opportunity to write their name on the original Halls Application Form and the Room Allocation Form we send with the offer of accommodation.What if I don't get into my course at Victoria?
As soon as you find out your NCEA results won't let you start university, you should let us know - there are a few options you can choose. You might like to think about doing the CUP course or postponing your study. Talk to a course advisor at VUW and keep us informed as you decide.Before you arrive
When can I move in?
Residents are required to attend the Head Start Orientation Programme. The exact date is found in the Orientation Programme guide included with an Offer of Accommodation. If you would like to move in early we most likely can accommodation you. After you have returned your deposit, and acceptance forms we will send a Details of Arrival form which you must return by January 31. Summer residents can move in when ever you like, however you must indicate your approximate arrival date on your application, and of course let us know a few days in advance.What should I bring?
Bedding: sheets, pillowcases, pillows, blankets and towels. Some bedding is available to hire for $75. Please let us know in your application if you want to hire bedding so we can be prepared.
Crockery: 2 mugs, a dinner plate, dessert plate, and cutlery (all named) for use with late meals.
Personal First Aid and Survival Kit: band aids, painkillers, throat lozenges, cough mixture etc as well as a triangular bandage, a rescue blanket and a torch (can be purchased in Wellington).
Laundry equiptment: A small basket, pegs and soap powder.
RJ45 network/ethernet cable: Approx 2 metres, for connecting your computer to the hall internet.
Optional items: Desk lamp, electric blanket (Wellington can get quite chilly), thermos, lunch box.
Please see the Rooms page for information about what each room already has included in it.
Please do not bring firearms or other weapons, heaters, a television or furniture (like couches).
What is the voltage and electrical configuration for New Zealand?
New Zealand uses 240v, 50Hz. The power plug configurations are the same as Australia.Can I bring my heater and TV to the Hall?
Each room has an adequate heater and the hallway has a night store heater. Having an additional heater in your room is a fire hazard and is not permitted. You are welcome to bring a certified electric blanket and a hot water bottle if you like. As for TVs, students are discouraged from keeping them in their rooms as it promotes anti-social behaviour and isolation. There are three public lounges throughout the hall and each has a TV, with Sky and Freeview both available.Can I bring my pet to the Hall?
We cannot allow residents to bring their pets at the Hall (the only exception are fish).I am a keen hunter, can I bring and store my rifle at the Hall?
Your statutory requirements for keeping and storing weapons means that a Hall of Residence like ours makes it not possible. Some of our other residents find it uncomfortable having weapons here, so we do not permit them at all, including knives.When You're Here
Can I pay for my board weekly? How can I pay my fees?
We cannot accept weekly payments. This increases our administration costs greatly.We strongly recommend getting a job during the summer months before coming to the Hall to pay for the first board installment. Studylink only pays Student Loan and Allowance weekly from the week after class begins (usually around March 7). Allowance and Loan payments may be lower than your board rate, so make sure you are able to fund the difference. You should talk to your parents about what you should do about funds. You should consider setting up a savings account with your bank and have your weekly Studylink money go to that account. Apply for your Allowance and Loan well in advance, (e.g. November-December) to ensure your finances are arranged before you move to Wellington.
You should also visit your local bank branch and setup a 'student account'. The banks are pretty competitive and will probably offer reduced or no monthly fees, an ATM card, and maybe an interest-free overdraft. This will also help to pay your initial board installment due on arrival.
The first installment is due on arrival, and again make sure you talk to your parents about your options. We recomend working and saving your money over the summer months to make the first payment.
Can I get a job while living at the Hall?
We have some jobs available. Positions available are for shuttle drivers, cleaners, grounds staff and kitchen hand jobs. You can apply for jobs on the sign up sheet in the dining room once you arrive. There are supermarkets and other places in Karori where you might be able to find a job if you are in need of one close by.Can my friend come and stay at the Hall?
Your guests are welcome here. Sign them into the book in the dining room. Guests can only stay for up to a maximum of 3 nights. It costs $5 for a mattress to hire (refundable on return), and $2 per night. If they would like meals, it cost $12 per day for all meals within that day.Can my friend live at the Hall?
We can only offer students a place at the Hall if they first apply at the Accommodation Service at Victoria University. Our selection criteria still applies. If there is a place available we will take the first person from the wait list.How does the shuttle work?
The shuttle goes to the Kelburn Campus up to 14 times a day. The sign up list is posted daily and residents can sign up for the shuttles they would like to take. There are 10 spaces available on each shuttle. The morning times are usually 7:35am, 8am, 8:40am, 9:00am, 9:40am, 10:00am, 10:40am and 11:00am. Afternoon shuttles are at 2:55pm, 3:20pm, 3:55pm, 4:20pm, 4:55pm, 5:20pm and 5:55pm. If there is a test or a late night lab the shuttle may be organised for a late pick up - just ask the office at least a day in advance.How does the Hall broadband internet work?
You must first register online. When you first connect to the HLHwireless or wired network, you will be directed to the main internnal site. Click register and create an account. Come to the office when you have done so and pay your initial $20. When you are back at your computer click connect. There are a few plan options you can choose, depending on how you wish to use it.You will not be able to see any other computer on the network, and therefore cannot share files, music etc across the network.
Do I have to leave my room during the June/July break?
No you don't have to leave. Your residential contract is for 38 weeks from mid-February to early November (exact dates are on your Residential Contract). We usually do some maintenance in rooms during the break, like replace the smoke alarm battery and the emergency water, but we will let you know closer to the time. If you do go away during the break, please let us know and leave your room clean and tidy.Can I smoke in my room?
Our Hall is proudly smoke free. Not only is smoking a hazard, but the smoke seeps into the carpet, mattress and curtains in the room and is difficult to remove. Smoking is not permitted in your room or the Hall grounds.Can I drink alcohol in my room?
The Hall management has a realistic attitude towards drinking alcohol. The Hall is foremost a place for study. Many students choose to come here because the right for a student to study and sleep in peace is held to be more important than the right to hold loud, social gatherings.Residents may drink in their rooms with a maximum of two people. Parties or gatherings involving more than two people with alcohol require a party contract, obtained from the Deputy Wardens. A limit may be placed on the number of people at a party owing to the size of a room. The Residents' Association organises Hall parties and are off-site. The Hall's alcohol policy is agreed upon with student representatives and is distributed to all residents. Disciplinary action will follow as a result of abusing this policy. The policy sets out what is acceptable and defines limits and consequences.
In the policy we prohibit:
- bulk quantities
- manufacturing of alcohol
- drinking alcohol in the public areas or grounds
During the first two weeks party contracts are not issued because people are trying to get settled. If you and your friends would like to drink, the Quiet Lady pub is only 5 minutes walk away by the Karori Mall, and Cafe 162 is in Marsden Village is 15 minutes away.
During study leave and exam time party contracts are not issued. Residents who cause a disturbance may be asked to study at home and can return for their exam.
The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcohol in New Zealand is 18 years.
I am bored with studying, what can I do?
The Activities Coordinator organises activities throughout the week. There are usually two activities each week (please see the Activities page for more info). If you have an idea or want to plan something, contact the office or see your Area Representative on the Residents Committee.There are also heaps of things to do in Karori, like the Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park, Karori Pool, Skyline walkway, Karori Park, Wrights Hill lookout, Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Karori Library, Otari-Wiltons Bush Reserve, Makara Beach, and plenty more.
Don't forget we have 3 TV lounges, Sky Sport and Movies, a big screen projector, DVD players, a gym, a music room, foosball, a pool table and a volleyball court on site.
Is there a curfew?
Our residents are mostly young adults and aged between 17 and 25. We treat our residents as adults and do not have a curfew. The Deputy Warden on Duty will lock the buildings each night, but don't worry; your room key will open your building. The Games Room is locked each night at 10:45pm to help reduce the noise. The dining room and upstairs lounge is accessible with your room key throughout the night. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice, bread and butter are available 24 hours in the dining room.Does my room get cleaned?
Residents are responsible for keeping their rooms clean. The hallways, bathrooms and showers are cleaned daily. There is a vacuum cleaner located on every floor or building and there are cleaning products in every kitchenette you can use. At the end of the year when residents vacate, you are asked that you leave your room as you found it. There is a checklist to complete when departing.What does Helen Lowry Hall do to reduce its effect on the environment?
We only source our electricity from the 100% renewable electricity suppliers (Meridian Energy). We have a recycling programme with bins for paper/cardboard and plastic/glass. Our toilet paper is made from recycled paper. We also have a tree planting programme with Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park.Can I leave early?
Your Residential Contract is for 38 weeks. If you choose to leave the Hall you are still liable for your board fees. If there is someone who can replace you, we may be able to release you from your contract. If you need further clarification, be sure to read your Residential Contract and contact the Hall Office.