Loneliness within the Home among International Students in the Private Rental Sector in Sydney and Melbourne

Abstract

We draw on 45 in-depth interviews and a large-scale survey we conducted, to examine loneliness among international students in Sydney and Melbourne within their accommodation. We discuss three features which increase the possibility of loneliness – the physical layout and use of the space; the social composition of fellow tenants, and power differentials between tenants. The interviews indicated that the lack of a congenial common area, having to share with students dissimilar with respect to nationality and language, and being in a situation where a tenant holds disproportionate power, are likely to hinder the development of social connections with fellow tenants.