Some first-year students still waiting for a place in a university hall of residence are staying in backpackers, the university says, as all colleges are currently jam-packed.
University of Otago campus and collegiate life services director James Lindsay said there were 47 university students still on the waiting list for a space in one of the colleges.
''They either go flatting, or they stay in temporary accommodation and wait until a college place comes available.
''Places become available throughout semester one for a variety of reasons and there are usually always spaces at the beginning of second semester.''
Most of the 47 were staying with family, a few were staying with friends or in a sibling's flat, and a handful were in a backpackers or similar accommodation.
Despite the semester having already started, a small number of students waiting for somewhere to stay had not yet arrived in Dunedin, but would do so once an offer of a college place became available.
The waiting list changed daily, moving up and down as accommodation was found for those on the list and additional new applications were received, Mr Lindsay said.
Due to expected demand for residential accommodation over the next 10 years, the university is expected to build two new halls of residence.
There are 15 halls of residence, some university-owned - and housing about 2550 students - and others affiliated to the university and housing about 940.
University-owned flats accommodate another 760 students, most of them international students who are staying for a single semester.
An Otago University Students' Association spokeswoman said the association had not been approached by any of the students on the waiting list, but it was ''good to see so many students choosing Otago''.
