A new report suggests many university students in Canberra are too poor to regularly meet bills for basic needs like food, electricity or health care.
Anglicare ACT surveyed 200 students from the Australian National University, University of Canberra, Australian Catholic University and Canberra Institute of Technology and found a lack of affordable housing to be a key contributor to poverty for those who were living independently.
A quarter had experienced a period of homelessness, forcing some to couch surf with friends or to sleep in cars.
"Canberra uniquely has a very high student population, a relatively new housing stock, poor public transport and a very high cost of housing, which means the amount of accessible and affordable housing for students is very limited compared to other capital cities," said report author Jeremy Halcrow.
"It is important Government, the universities and the community sector work together to address these problems."
Nearly a third surveyed were unable to afford to eat properly every month or more often, while 16 per cent were unable to afford to eat properly on an ongoing basis.
"In the past few years Anglicare and its relief partners such as St John's Care have seen an increase in tertiary students seeking emergency food because they had run out of money," Mr Halcrow said.
He says in the worst cases the lack of nutritious food is impacting the student's health, compounded by a lack of money to pay for proper health care.
Mr Halcrow says it is clear the lack of affordable student housing is driving many students into genuine poverty, placing additional demands on charities.
"Students' housing stress is leading to food insecurity and this is increasing the demand on us to help meet students' emergency food and financial needs," he said.
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