INTERNATIONAL HOUSE AT UQ BRISBANE

International House is a not-for-profit organisation and residential college affiliated with the University of Queensland providing safe and supportive on-campus accommodation.

We welcome both Australian and International students and provide catered accommodation for 207 residents and self-catered accommodation for 35 residents every year.

Our purpose is to provide students of diverse backgrounds with opportunities to live and learn together with respect, empathy and international friendship.

We offer much more than just food and accommodation as you can discover here. International House provides a safe environment while offering free academic  support and opportunities that allow a broad and rich educational, social and cross-cultural experience.

We differ significantly from other UQ on-campus and external accommodation providers – in many ways that are of a huge benefit and comfort to students and their families.

What makes us different is we:

  1. Have students from approximately 40 countries living with us, with between 50 and 70% of our residents being international
  2. Run numerous social and cultural events to ensure our students who are a long way from home enjoy being part of our community and feel included. They are rarely lonely, isolated or homesick.
  3. Allow students staying both semesters to remain in their room over the June/July break with all meals included.
  4. Offer storage solutions during the end of year break for returning residents.
  5. Have international staff (Japanese, Chinese, and Malaysian) on our enrolments team.
  6. Are one of the few co-ed, non-denominational residential Colleges on campus.
  7. Have attractive, pagoda style tower blocks amidst large decks and resort-style tropical gardens which adds to the ambience and vibe.

We invite you to explore this site in detail and to share our unique cosmopolitan community. It embraces an extraordinary diversity of backgrounds, cultures, professional interests and nationalities and is characterised by a spirit of fun and community.


WHERE WE’VE COME FROM

INTERNATIONALLY

We are one of 17 I-Houses that exist across Australia, Asia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Unites States and Europe.

The first International House was opened in New York in 1924, following an encounter 15 years earlier, when in 1909, Harry Edmonds, greeted a Chinese student with “good morning” on the steps of Columbia University library. The man replied, “I’ve been in New York three weeks, and you are the first person who has spoken to me.”

With the aid of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and the Dodge family, Edmonds built the New York International House so both “foreign” and American students could live together. The house was a huge success and the movement took off. At its heart, it sought to provide supported accommodation for international students studying at local universities living alongside local residents within the same complex aiming to foster greater international understanding and goodwill. Discover more about International House Worldwide and its history.

BRISBANE

International House UQ Brisbane opened 40 years later in 1965 after 10 years of planning, instigated by Queensland Rotarian Bert Martin. The organisations supporting International House Brisbane were the University of Queensland, the State Government, the City of Brisbane, Rotary and other Service Clubs, the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, and the Queensland Country Women’s Association. In our first year there was a Warden, 4 resident tutors and 59 male students. In 1969, female residents were admitted and lived in “G” tower.

Ongoing development and extensions have seen International House grow to offer a distinctly different and hugely appealing accommodation offering on-campus at UQ. Residents continue to value our multicultural ethos and our vast experience in leading a dynamic Australian – International community.


THE IH WAY

The IH Way is the mission statement of International House which, in essence, is how the organisation lives its purpose, vision, values and behaviour.

OUR VISION

A global community of connected, capable and compassionate young leaders

OUR VALUES

Our nine values are :                                                

  • Excellence, learning and leadership
  • Diversity, inclusion and acceptance
  • Service, commitment and community
OUR BEHAVIOURS

We honour and commit to the ongoing development of the IH Way where:

  • We support learning to achieve
  • We respect and celebrate diversity
  • We provide a broad spectrum of learning, social and cultural experiences
  • We develop socially aware leadership
  • We nurture life-long relationships based on respect and shared values
  • We enable participation and inclusion
  • We embrace innovating and creativity
  • We welcome change and reform
  • We honour and engage our supporters
  • We contribute to peace and understanding in the broader community.