Student Moving Melbourne: End-of-Semester 2026 Dates & Costs
By Move Near Me team ·
Short answer: Student moving in Melbourne costs least on a weekday after your last exam. Semester 2 2026 exams finish on 18 November (Monash), 20 November (University of Melbourne) and 21 November (Swinburne). Move Near Me charges $105/hour + GST for 2 removalists and a 4.5 t truck on weekdays, with a $262.50 + GST minimum (2 hours plus a 30-minute call-out).
When do Melbourne uni exams finish in November 2026?
Semester 2 exams finish on 18 November at Monash, 20 November at the University of Melbourne and 21 November at Swinburne. These are 2026 dates at the time of writing; check your uni’s key dates page before you book.
| University | Main campus suburbs | S2 2026 exam period | Results released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monash | Clayton | Mon 2 – Wed 18 Nov | Thu 3 Dec |
| University of Melbourne | Parkville, Carlton | Mon 2 – Fri 20 Nov | Fri 4 Dec |
| Swinburne | Hawthorn | Fri 6 – Sat 21 Nov | Tue 8 Dec |
| Deakin | Burwood | Trimester 2 exams: 5–16 Oct | Fri 30 Oct (Trimester 2) |
Supplementary exams run later: 11–18 December at the University of Melbourne and 14–19 December (special consideration) at Swinburne. The University of Melbourne also says students with on-campus subjects must be in Melbourne for the whole exam period, including the supplementary exam period, so don’t plan to leave Melbourne before it ends.
Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday 3 November 2026, is a public holiday inside the Monash and University of Melbourne exam periods.
When should you book student removals in Melbourne at the end of semester?
Book a weekday in the week after your last exam: Monday 23 to Friday 27 November suits students at all three unis. You pay the standard rate and move before the Christmas and January peak.
Move Near Me’s rate for 2 removalists and a 4.5 t truck depends on the day:
| Day | Team rate (ex GST) |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | $105/hour |
| Saturday | $115/hour (+$10) |
| Sunday | $125/hour (+$20) |
| Public holiday, including Cup Day (3 Nov) | $140/hour (+$35) |
How much does student moving in Melbourne cost?
Move Near Me charges student moves by the hour: $105 for 2 removalists and a 4.5 t truck on a weekday, with a 2-hour minimum plus a fixed 30-minute call-out, then 15-minute blocks. The smallest job is 2.5 billable hours, or $262.50 + GST.
Time runs from the crew’s arrival at your first address until the last item is unloaded, plus the call-out. Harder access adds fixed fees per address:
- Stairs: $30 per flight, at each address
- Long carry (more than 25 m from the truck to the door): $30
- Lift booking (a lift that has to be booked, padded or keyed): $20
- Difficult parking (no legal parking near the door): $25
- Disassembly and reassembly (bed frames, desks, wardrobes): $25 per item; see which furniture needs taking apart
All prices exclude GST. Sharing a truck with housemates? The quote form takes one pickup and one drop-off, so list any other addresses in the “Anything else we should know?” box and we’ll confirm the price when we call. Extra stops add driving and loading time to the billable hours.
Example 1: studio, Carlton to Brunswick, Wednesday 25 November
Ground floor at both ends. Move Near Me’s quote form estimates 3–4 billable hours including the call-out.
| Item | Calculation | Cost (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Labour: 2 removalists + truck (incl. 30-min call-out) | 3–4 hrs × $105 | $315–$420 |
| Total | $315–$420 + GST |
That’s $346.50–$462 including GST.
Example 2: a few items, Clayton to Notting Hill, Thursday vs Saturday
A bed, desk, bookcase and boxes from a Clayton share house to Notting Hill. Our quote form estimates 2.5–3.25 billable hours including the call-out. Monash exams end Wednesday 18 November, so Thursday works.
| Item | Thu 19 Nov (weekday) | Sat 21 Nov |
|---|---|---|
| Team rate | $105/hour | $115/hour |
| Labour (2.5–3.25 hrs incl. call-out) | $262.50–$341.25 | $287.50–$373.75 |
| Total (ex GST) | $262.50–$341.25 | $287.50–$373.75 |
Waiting for the Saturday adds $25–$32.50 + GST to the same move.
Example 3: 1-bedroom, Hawthorn to Box Hill, Monday 23 November
One flight of stairs at the pickup, ground floor in Box Hill. Our quote form estimates 3.5–4.5 billable hours including the call-out.
| Item | Calculation | Cost (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Labour: 2 removalists + truck (incl. 30-min call-out) | 3.5–4.5 hrs × $105 | $367.50–$472.50 |
| Stairs (1 flight at pickup) | 1 × $30 | $30 |
| Total | $397.50–$502.50 + GST |
That’s $437.25–$552.75 including GST. Being fully packed when the crew arrives keeps you near the low end: see how to pack for a move. For larger homes, see how much removalists cost in Melbourne.
Removalists, man with a van or ute hire: which suits a student move?
For a few boxes and a mattress, a hired ute can be enough if friends will lift. Once there’s a bed frame, desk, fridge or stairs, a two-person crew with a truck saves you time and risk.
| Removalists (crew of 2 + truck) | Man with a van | Ute or van hire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who lifts | Two removalists | Often one driver; ask whether you need to help | You and your friends |
| Vehicle | 4.5 t truck with blankets and straps | Van; check the size against your furniture | Ute or van; you drive and tie down the load |
| Disassembly | Available ($25 per item) | Ask first | You do it |
| Risk | The crew handles stairs and heavy items | Depends on the operator | Injury, damage and the hire vehicle are on you |
| Your time | Point to the boxes, then study | Some lifting | The whole day, plus collecting and returning the vehicle |
How much notice do you need before moving out of student accommodation?
It depends on what you signed: a rental agreement, a rooming house residency or a share-house arrangement. Check your rules on the Consumer Affairs Victoria renting pages before you book.
Residential lease. You give a written notice of intention to vacate; CAV has a form. On a fixed-term agreement, the date in your notice can’t be before the agreement’s end date. A fixed term doesn’t end on its own: if no one gives notice, the agreement continues month to month.
Rooming house or student room. Rooming houses, and some student accommodation, have different notice rules from a standard lease. CAV explains how a rooming house resident gives notice; ask your provider which rules apply to you.
Share house. Your notice depends on whether you’re named on the lease, on a separate agreement or subletting.
Leaving a fixed-term lease early is breaking the lease. CAV explains that you may have to pay some costs, such as rent and re-letting fees. Your bond is held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA), where you can look it up and claim your refund. See moving out of a rental in Victoria for the final inspection and bond.
What should international students do with their stuff over summer?
You have four choices: move it to your next place, store it, sell it or ship it home. Many students combine them.
- Move it: if your next lease starts before you fly, move straight there
- Store it: we move goods into and out of storage units, but we don’t provide storage ourselves. Book the unit, then the move in and the move out in February
- Sell or give it away: list furniture a few weeks before you leave
- Ship it home: we don’t do international shipping, so use an international mover for this part
Update your address. If your address changes, update your residential address in ImmiAccount and tell your uni through its student portal. Check your visa conditions in VEVO or your grant letter for any rules about telling your education provider.
What should you do with furniture you can’t take?
Sell or donate it first, then book a council hard waste collection. Don’t leave furniture on the nature strip without a booking.
- City of Melbourne (Carlton, Parkville): residents get one free booked hard waste collection of up to 1 m³ each financial year. High-rise residents can ask their building manager to book it, and items go out the day before
- City of Monash (Clayton, Notting Hill): there’s an annual hard waste collection, plus additional collections you can book for a council fee
If you’ve missed the council’s dates, you can add rubbish removal to your move, from $90 per load + GST.
Student moving Melbourne checklist for the end of semester
4 weeks out (mid to late October)
- Check your exam timetable and your uni’s supp exam dates
- Read your lease or residency agreement and the CAV notice rules
- Give written notice and keep a copy
- Get an instant moving quote for a weekday after your last exam
2–3 weeks out
- Book a storage unit or confirm your next address
- List furniture to sell; book a council hard waste collection
1 week out
- Pack everything except what you need for exams
- Take apart flat-pack furniture, or ask us to
- Organise cleaning for the final inspection
Move day
- Photograph every room once it’s empty
- Return keys, fobs and access cards
- Update your address in ImmiAccount and your uni portal, and claim your bond through the RTBA
FAQ
Q: How much does it cost to move a student room in Melbourne? Our quote form estimates $262.50–$341.25 + GST for a few items from Clayton to Notting Hill on a weekday, and $315–$420 + GST for a Carlton to Brunswick studio. Both are billed hourly at $105 for 2 removalists and a truck, including the 30-minute call-out.
Q: Can I break my lease at the end of semester in Victoria? You can leave before a fixed term ends, but you may have to pay costs such as rent and re-letting fees. Consumer Affairs Victoria explains the rules and your options on its renting pages.
Q: Is it cheaper to move on a Saturday after exams? No. Saturdays cost $10 an hour more than weekdays, Sundays $20 more and public holidays such as Cup Day $35 more. On a few-items move from Clayton to Notting Hill, a weekday saves $25–$32.50 + GST.
Q: Can I leave Melbourne before supplementary exams? Not if you’re at the University of Melbourne with on-campus subjects. The university says you must be in Melbourne for the whole exam period, including supplementary exams, which run 11–18 December 2026.
Q: Does Move Near Me store students’ belongings over summer? We don’t provide storage, but we move goods into and out of a storage unit you book, including to your new place in February.
Q: Can I share one removalist booking with my housemates? Yes. List the extra addresses in the “Anything else we should know?” box on the quote form and we’ll confirm the price when we call. Extra stops add driving and loading time to the billable hours.
Finishing exams and moving out? Get an instant moving quote, or see our furniture removals Melbourne service for a few items and storage-unit moves and house removals Melbourne for whole homes.