Duchesne College

What Duchesne College does

Duchesne College is a non-profit women's residential college founded in 1937 and located within The University of Queensland's St Lucia campus in Brisbane, Australia. It provides residential accommodation (39-week contracts across six room tiers priced from AUD $24,709 to $35,333), chef-prepared meals, academic tutorials, wellbeing services, and community programming for young women enrolled primarily at UQ. The college also offers a non-residential Associate Membership at AUD $3,500 per year, providing access to facilities, dining, and events without on-campus residence. Auxiliary revenue streams include application fees (AUD $200), deposits (AUD $500–$2,500), student club fees, parking, and voluntary building fund donations, with a AUD $5,000 cancellation fee providing downside protection.

The core offering is supplemented by a Tutorial Program (peer and qualified tutors across disciplines), a Wise Women Dinner Series (career networking with alumni), an Inter College Council (ICC) competition program in sports and culture against the other 10 UQ-affiliated colleges, the Rose Philippine Choir, and a Community Leader peer-mentorship program. Financial assistance is delivered through an expanding Bursary Program, with six new bursaries funded by Giving Circles established in 2021. Technology supporting operations is largely commodity: StarRez for housing applications, Veracity for IT support, Eventbrite for events, RespectX for behavioral reporting under the National Higher Education Code, and UQ/eduroam networks for connectivity. The college has 37 employees and is led by Head of College and Chief Executive Michelle Allan, with governance by a College Council and affiliation with the global Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) network.

The college is currently unavailable for accommodation and venue hire due to planned maintenance works, while continuing to accept applications for 2027 and 2028 residential placements and 2027 Associate Membership. Growth priorities visible in the data include Reconciliation Action Plan development (begun 2022), safety and wellbeing infrastructure (RespectX adoption), alumni engagement formalization (2023 Alumni Awards), and partnerships with UQ programs such as the Young Achievers Program and the TC Beirne School of Law LEAD Scholarship to build recruitment pipelines.

Name

Duchesne College

Legal name

Duchesne College

Website

https://duchesne.uq.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Duchesne College is a non-profit women's residential college at the University of Queensland offering 39-week on-campus accommodation, meals, academic tutoring, and community programming for female students, with non-residential Associate Membership available to other UQ students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Residential Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/Academic Conference Hotels (THAGALAJ)

Keywords

• Women's residential college
• Student accommodation services
• University housing
• Academic support programs
• Alumni mentoring network

Headquarters

HQ city

St Lucia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Residential College Fees: Primary revenue from residential students paying semester-based fees for accommodation, meals, facilities, academic support, and activities. 39-week contract periods with multiple room types priced differently. Fees range from $24,709 (reduced rate room) to $35,333 (studio room) per contract period.
2. Associate Membership Fees: Annual non-residential membership fees of $3,500 for students who want access to college facilities, dining, events, and community without residing on campus.
3. Application and Deposit Fees: Non-refundable application fee of $200, deposits ranging from $500 to $2,500, commencement fee of $500, student club fees ($510 for residents, $205 for associates), and welcome week fees.
4. Ancillary Fees: Additional revenue from optional services including car parking ($950), room change requests ($250), and voluntary building fund donations ($300).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Duchesne College is a women's residential college located on The University of Queensland's St Lucia campus in Brisbane, Australia. It provides on-campus accommodation (private rooms, chef-prepared meals), academic tutorials, career development programs, wellbeing and pastoral care, and a community-based lifestyle for female university students. It also offers non-residential Associate Membership, financial assistance through bursaries, and lifelong alumni engagement via the Wise Women network.

Product overview

Duchesne College offers a comprehensive residential college experience for young women at the University of Queensland, combining on-campus accommodation with academic support, career development, and community activities. The core offerings include Residential Membership (full-time on-campus living with private rooms and meals) and Associate Membership (non-residential access to facilities and events). Supporting programs include the Tutorial Program for academic support, Wise Women Dinner Series for networking, Inter College Council (ICC) Competition for sports/culture/service, and the Rose Philippine Choir for musical pursuits. Financial support is provided through the Bursary Program with multiple endowed funds. The college also maintains the Wise Women Alumni Network for lifelong community engagement and mentorship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Membership Full-time on-campus living accommodation for female university students at the University of Queensland, providing private rooms (standard, reduced rate, air-conditioned, ensuite, superior, or studio), chef-prepared meals seven days a week, utilities, Wi-Fi, gym access, academic support, and 24/7 staff support on a 39-week contract period.
• Associate Membership Annual non-residential membership ($3,500) for university students who want access to college facilities, dining, academic support, events, and community connections without living on campus.
• Tutorial Program Comprehensive academic support program with qualified tutors delivering tutorials across a broad range of university disciplines to complement students' studies, included with Residential and Associate Membership.
• Wise Women Dinner Series Networking and career development event series connecting students with accomplished alumni and guest speakers from diverse industries, offering insights into career pathways and professional opportunities.
• Inter College Council (ICC) Competition Program Sports, cultural, and service activities competition against the other 10 UQ-affiliated residential colleges, including swimming, athletics, basketball, netball, debating, Choralfest, and community service initiatives.
• Duchesne College Bursary Program Financial assistance program providing bursaries and scholarships for young women who may not otherwise have the opportunity to access university education and college life. Includes endowed funds and the Giving Circles program established in 2021.
• Wise Women Alumni Network Lifelong global alumni network spanning over 85 years, providing mentorship opportunities through the Mentoring at Duchesne program, professional development connections, and ongoing engagement with the college community.
• Rose Philippine Choir Non-auditioned choir open to current and past Duchesne residents and associate members, creating cultural community through music and performances.
• Community Leader Program Mentorship and peer support program where returning students provide guidance to new residents and associate members during orientation and throughout the academic year, including Dean of Studies check-ins for international students.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UQ School of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2021Duchesne College collaborates with UQ School of Music for the annual Opera By The Lake event, held in conjunction with UQ's Bloom Festival. The partnership features performances by UQ music students and faculty, including The 7 Sopranos and Head of Voice Shaun Brown. Duchesne students perform alongside professional musicians, creating intergenerational musical connections.
• UQ Bloom FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2021Opera By The Lake was presented by Duchesne College in conjunction with UQ's Bloom Festival, combining university arts programming with college community events.
• Tarita Botsman (Director/Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2021Distinguished opera singer and UQ School of Music Adjunct Associate Lecturer who directed and led Opera By The Lake performances at Duchesne College, featuring both professional performers and Duchesne students.
• The Touched by Olivia FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2006Founded by Duchesne alumni Justine Perkins OAM DC'88 following the passing of her daughter Olivia. The foundation has raised over $1 million for Sydney Children's Hospital and established 46 inclusive play spaces. While not a formal institutional partnership, the foundation is closely tied to the Duchesne community and represents an alumni-founded initiative supported by the college.
• The University of QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuchesne College is located within UQ's St Lucia campus and operates as one of 10 UQ-affiliated residential colleges. The partnership provides students access to UQ's academic facilities, libraries, sports facilities (UQ Sport including pool, tennis courts, running track, gym, pilates classes), and public transport links. UQ and Duchesne jointly offer endowed residential scholarship bursaries.
• Young Achievers Program (UQ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMany students who participate in the Young Achievers Program go on to reside at Duchesne College while undertaking studies at UQ. This is a pipeline/referral pathway for student recruitment.
• TC Beirne School of Law LEAD ScholarshipminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDuchesne College welcomes TC Beirne School of Law Leadership, Excellence and Diversity (LEAD) Scholarship recipients as Associate Members during their time at university. This creates a pipeline of law students into the Duchesne community.
• UQ Inter-College Council (ICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuchesne College participates in the Inter-College Council (ICC), a program of sporting and cultural events across all 10 UQ-affiliated residential colleges. Students compete against residents of other colleges. ICC events include swimming, athletics, basketball, netball, debating, choralfest, and more.
• UQ Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuchesne College refers students to UQ's specialised counselling, mental health response, and sexual misconduct support services including UQ Counselling, Mental Health Response Team, and Sexual Misconduct Support Unit.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UniLodge Australia: Australia's largest purpose-built student accommodation operator, managing thousands of beds across multiple university campuses. Broad incumbent offering modern student lodging, though without Duchesne's women-only, faith-based, and tutorial-supported positioning.
• Iglu Student Accommodation: Australian purpose-built student accommodation provider operating near multiple major universities. Broad incumbent targeting the same UQ-area student housing market with co-ed modern apartment-style offerings.
• Yugo (formerly known as UniWorld): Global student housing operator with significant Australian presence near multiple universities including UQ. Broad incumbent competing for the same student housing demand with purpose-built facilities.

Direct peers

• St Andrew's College, University of Melbourne: Residential college at the University of Melbourne providing accommodation, dining, tutorials, and community programs. Comparable traditional college model offering bundled residential and educational support services.
• St Mary's College (University of Melbourne): Women's residential college at the University of Melbourne with Catholic heritage. Directly comparable to Duchesne on single-sex positioning, faith-based identity, and bundled academic/wellbeing programs.
• Sancta Sophia College: Women's residential college at the University of Queensland, directly comparable to Duchesne in mission, customer segment (UQ women students), and ICC inter-college competition participation. Explicitly referenced in Duchesne's content around shared Sacred Heart heritage events.
• Cromwell College (UQ): One of the 10 UQ-affiliated residential colleges participating in ICC competition, offering co-ed accommodation to UQ students. Direct competitor for the same applicant pool as Duchesne.
• St Leo's College (UQ): Residential college at the University of Queensland, directly comparable as one of the 10 UQ-affiliated colleges competing in ICC. Duchesne alumnus Madonna King chairs St Leo's College, indicating close cross-college community ties.
• Trinity College (University of Melbourne): Residential and theological college affiliated with the University of Melbourne offering accommodation, tutorials, and community programs. Comparable traditional college structure serving university students with bundled educational services.
• The Women's College, University of Sydney: Australia's oldest women's residential college, providing accommodation and academic support to female students at the University of Sydney. Highly comparable in mission, single-sex positioning, and integrated academic/tutoring programs.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/duchesnecollegeuq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/duchesne-residential-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Duchesne College