Melbourne's best study cafes for new uni students

The Common

VU City Tower 

Got class soon? No need to go far! At our very own VU City Tower, you’ll find a couple of study-friendly cafes – one on the ground floor right by the main entrance and another on the 10^th floor. Enjoy great coffee and panoramic views of the city as you study. Hungry? You’ll find everything from gozleme to brekkie muffins and croissants ready to go. Don't worry – we promise the rest of the cafes we're recommending here aren't on campus!

Krimper Cafe

Gilford Lane 

This stylish converted warehouse cafe has a warm, welcoming vibe. With VU’s City Campus just around the corner, students on laptops are a common sight here. Expect delicious coffee paired with interesting bites like Korean-style ribs, all enjoyed within a rustic exposed brick decor with unique furniture made from old lift doors. 

Brick Lane 

Gilford Lane 

A couple doors down from Krimper Cafe, you’ll find another beautiful old red-brick building – home to the appropriately named Brick Lane. This spot’s quickly becoming the go-to bakery-cafe combo destination in the CBD. Locking down a table for a study sesh can be hard around brunch when it’s busiest (around 10am to 12pm) – but it’s a good spot to study with drink and a bite to eat during the quieter arvo hours. 

Guild Cafe 

State Library Victoria 

An all-time classic for laptop-using coffee drinkers in Melbourne. Seeing as it’s in the State Library, it’s easy to see why. Uni students love visiting the State Library to study – it’s basically a tradition. Here, you’ll find focus in the silence and the camaraderie of fellow studiers while enjoying the elegant architecture. When you need to refuel, Guild Cafe is right there in the same building. It's easy to sit in, order some food and drink and keep that study sesh going! 

Hikari 

Swanston St 

Across the road from the library, you’ll find Hikari, where you can enjoy Japanese-inspired cafe goods like matcha lattes or iced yuzu spritz. While downstairs is very grab and go, you’ll find spacious communal tables perfect for laptop work upstairs. The wooden, minimalist interiors provide a nice refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city with a calm atmosphere perfect for study. 

The Reading Room 

VU Footscray Park

What's nearer than here? At VU’s Footscray Park campus, you’ll find a campus coffee stop that mixes cafe and library culture. You can take one of the books you see on the shelves and replace it with one of your own. Power points near every table also makes the space ideal for studying both inside and out. The coffee meets Melbourne cafe quality, with a variety of food choices, whether you’re keen on muesli and yoghurt or pies and focaccias. I know – we did it again! 😜 Don't worry, we've got other off-campus recommendations below.

Rudimentary

Leeds St, Footscray 

Creative brekkie, good coffee and study-friendly spaces – all housed in a portable building made from three shipping containers. A stone’s throw from VU’s Footscray Park campus, Rudimentary is a nicely designed, laid-back space perfect for sipping on coffee while doing your uni work. Fancy some fresh air? You can also sit at tables outside where you can sit among garden beds filled with herbs and lavender. 

Migrant Coffee

Barkly St, West Footscray 

Come for the delicious bagel specials, stay for the vibe! With a nice sunny courtyard and good tunes, Migrant Coffee is a nice spot to study while enjoying a delicious menu that twists Filipino, Thai and Island flavours in New York style bagels. Founded by two proud daughters of immigrants, the cafe celebrates the beautiful diversity of the west. Enjoy a bagel in-house or enjoy one of the take home packets!

The Chestnut Tree

Barkly St, West Footscray 

A few doors down from Migrant Coffee, you'll find The Chestnut Tree – half bookshop, half cafe. What better place could there be to study? Fuel your study sesh with coffee locally roasted in Kensington. Don’t drink caffeine? No problem! You can also grab delicious teas, matcha and specialty hot chocolate. You can also do some good while you're there – if you buy book, your purchase helps fund native tree planting in the bushfire-affected areas of Australia.

Wolf and Hound 

Pin Oak Cres, Flemington 

This compact study cafe in Flemington is warm and inviting, designed to be dog-friendly and easy to hang out in. Free WiFi and decent-sized tables also make it a great spot for some laptop work while you sip on quality coffee and wolf down one of their signature crumpets or dog-themed toasties.  

West 48 

Essex St, Footscray 

Popular local hang out West 48 can be found in the backstreets of Footscray. Here, the regulars gather around a large old workman’s bench used as a communal table. It also doubles as a nice spacious study spot you can share with others. Enjoy quality coffee served from the cafe's distinctive orange cups, with a menu focused around tasty but simple toasted ciabattas.  

Uni life isn’t just about studying hard and getting ready for your dream career. Meeting new people, joining clubs, gaining more independence, exploring new interests, discovering new place – these are all exciting parts of uni life to look forward to.  

At VU, you’ll be welcomed into a vibrant, diverse student community where you can meet like-minded people. Along with peers in your course, you can make new friends as you discover different social groups, clubs, activities and events to enrich your study life.  

Our unique approach to learning with the VU Block Model® allows you to study one subject at a time instead of juggling multiple at once. This means deeper, more focused learning along with less stress and more time for other things – like enjoying student life.