Open ’till late: Best places to study in melbourne

Photo: Aun Ngo

OKAY last minute crammers, we’ve done the legwork for you and updated the best spots in town to hole up and study till late

Libraries

Misery loves company, and it sometimes helps to know there are others in the same boat as you. A number of libraries have extended their opening hours to give students long stretches of uninterrupted study. Just remember to implement your new-found library etiquette.

The Baillieu Library at Melbourne University’s Parkville campus is probably one of the oldest and most popular haunts for students during the exam period. Although it’s just recently renovated with a whole new facility, this semester they are not offering late study period. The library will be open from 8.30am till 10pm Mondays to Thursdays, 6pm on Fridays, and from 11am to 5pm on weekends.

A lesser-known library would be the Brownless Biomedical Library, which is on the west side of the Parkville campus close to Grattan St and Royal Parade. The study hall is open daily from 7am to 2am during the exam period. The downside is you’ve got to be a Melbourne University student to access the facility.

From November 1 to 30, students will also have the option of heading down to Melbourne University’s Law Library on Pelham St. Doors to the modern and roomy library will open from 8.30am to midnight from Mondays to Thursdays, till 9pm on Fridays, and 10am to 6pm on the weekends. You don’t need to be a student from Melbourne University to use this library.

For a nook closer to the heart of the city, try the RMIT University Library located on level five at Building 8, 360 Swanston St. The opening hours aren’t as long – but it’s not bad. Hours are from 8am till midnight from Mondays to Thursdays, and doors close at 8pm on Fridays and the weekends.

The State Library of Victoria on Swanston St has plenty of study areas and excellent internet facilities, but is open only from10am to 9pm from Mondays to Thursdays, and till 6pm on Fridays and the weekends.

For a nook closer to the heart of the city, try the RMIT University Library on Swanston St. Photo: Aun Ngo

For a nook closer to the heart of the city, try the RMIT University Library on Swanston St. Photo: Aun Ngo

Cafes and eateries

Follow the escalators up to level three at Melbourne Central and arrive at the Pancake Parlour, which is open from 7am to 1am from Sundays to Thursdays and till 3am on Friday and the weekends. There’s free wireless internet access, and a hard-to-resist menu from snacks and mains to dessert and drinks. The only caveat: indiscriminate binge eating may hurt your wallet and your waistline.

An affordable alternative would be McDonald’s at Victoria Market, 501-503 Elizabeth St. It’s worth considering if you were thinking of pulling an all-nighter. It’s open 24 hours seven days a week, and there’s free WiFi. Just remember that fast food is a sometimes food.

For those after a caffeine hit, try Starbucks. There are two branches in the city – City Square on 207 Collins St and 295 Swanston St. You won’t find internet access at either branch, which could be a good thing if you find yourself constantly drawn to check up on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, instead of the textbook.

The Collins St branch opens early from 6.30am to 9.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, 6.30am to midnight on Fridays, 7.30am to midnight on Saturdays and 7.30am to 10pm on Sundays.

The Starbucks on Swanston St is open from 7am to 11pm from Mondays to Thursdays, 7am to 11.30pm on Fridays, 8am to 11.30pm on Saturdays and 8am to 11pm on Sundays.

Photo: Aun Ngo

Photo: Aun Ngo

If chocolate is more your thing, there’s Max Brenner on Menzies Alley at Melbourne Central and at QV Square.

The one at Melbourne Central is open from 8am to 10pm from Mondays to Thursdays, 8am to midnight on Fridays, 10am to midnight on Saturdays, and 10am to 10pm on Sundays.

Max Brenner at QV is open 8am to 9pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 8am to 10pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8am to 11pm on Fridays, 9am to 11pm on Saturdays, and 9am to 9pm on Sundays.

And finally, if you wished the Gloria Jeans in Borders at Melbourne Central were still open, you should head to the one at Level 2 Melbourne Central, exactly at the corner of Elizabeth and Swanston St. Final opening hours were not yet finalised, but it is assumed to be open as long as Melbourne Central is open.

 

Where do you go to study? Tell us in the comments sections below.


There are 27 comments

  1. Julian Tay

    Gloria Jeans in Borders at Lygon Court is my most productive study spot.

    But Lygon Court itself makes a good study spot too! It’s really quiet during the mornings and there’s coffee. Il fresco coffee opens much earlier then Gloria Jeans. Plus the tables at Lygon Court are more spacious. I think it opens till quite late at night too. The downside, it gets pretty noisy in the afternoon & there’s no internet access (which is sometimes a good thing).

  2. Jacqueline

    I usually stay at home to study. If not, then I would be at the Baillieu Library. I sometimes study at the basement in arrow; it is convenient and quiet most of the time.

    I used to study at the State Library, but I find it hard to find good seats during the exam period.

  3. alwaesboo

    hey, no, that’s MY spot!

    yeah, I realised i’ve probably tried almost all these places, libraries like Frank Tate 24h and Ballieu and GJ at both melb central and lygon work. but sometimes studying at home beats everything else. that’s if the cupboard hasn’t run out of snacks. heehee 😀 but i just have to.. plug the internet cable or something. oh, and the tv too. wait, the radio, the.. okay i’ll just head out.

  4. Vivien

    There’s also Hungry Jack’s on Swanston! The La Trobe one is good – it’s perfect to study upstairs at night. But I’m not sure if it’s open 24 hours.

    McD’s on Bourke Street (between Queen and Elizabeth Streets) is open 24 hours and is pretty good for doing work too.

  5. Sue-Lee Seng

    The Melbourne Law Library 4th Level is so far my hot spot. The full-height windows give you scenery to look out to the lawns allowing your eyes to ‘breathe’ a little away from the harshness of blank walls, books and screens!

  6. Julian Tay

    credits to alwaesboo for introducing the goodness of Gloria Jeans to me 😉

    Btw, RMIT University library gets crazy during exam period. It’s almost impossible to find any seats during peak hours (afternoon). That’s why it’s easier for me to go and study at cafes.

  7. Jeng

    I usually don’t spend time in library because is too quiet for me. When I see people study, I feel so stressed out. So I prefer studying in my room or with a small group of people. So I think arrow is still the best place to study. 🙂 Cheers.

    Also hungry jacks near Melbourne Central open till late night. 🙂

  8. katherine

    The pancake parlour is really bad. They did me a really crappy pancake. People also say that Max brenner is really bad too. The quality of their food is not nice.

    Roule Galatte near manchester Lane in Flinders lane, does really nice pancakes at around $4-$14 and they are open til late. check out: urbanspoon.com for more information

  9. Jasper

    I reckon pancake parlour in doncaster is pretty good. only downside is that it is far from the city and plays oldies (so bring your earphones). Foodwise, i would give it a 7/10 for their pancakes and it is open 24/7 ! So if you have a car, you should head there to study. Loads of booths and usually quiet in the midst of the night.:D

  10. Dpak

    Starbucks is the way to go for me…. (open till late) and can have 1 tall Grande that will last until 1 chapter gets over 🙂 …. I dont particularly like Food places like Hungry Jacks or McDonalds as the smell of the food, can be distracting.

    It is a pity though that there are no coffee joints open 24/7 and the libraries that are open 24/7 (only students can access) …

  11. Dpak

    By the way, i see a decent set of people here, so it becomes a must to ask,,,, if someone is interested in clean serious study on a Sat and Sun 6 hrs stretch,,,,contact me on d339ak@yahoo.com with subject – Study Group.

    Good luck to everyone with their Studies and remember to see the clock when studying to stick to your study schedule 🙂

  12. Elissa

    Unfortunately I went to the Baillieu library recently to return a book after 6pm on a Friday, and although it was still open, I wasn’t allowed in because I’m not a student there! They have recently installed a card-reader to activate the doors. So I could see everyone inside through the giant glass windows, there they were, studying away, but I could not enter because I do not have a Melbourne Uni student card, although I can borrow from their libraries with my CAVAL card. Sad face.

  13. Mat

    I know not in Melbourne, just outside, but Monash Caufield is great library, only problem is now you need to be student or alumni to get in during the months of exams, security at the front door. But usually fairly good study hours, till midnight, hard to get seats during exam time though.

  14. Darren

    Melbourne International Airport is a great spot to study; open 24 hours, plenty of seats (though a lack of tables), plenty of (overpriced) coffee/food, and despite the constant bustle of people, it’s relatively quiet. Haven’t sussed out the wi-fi availability yet, I guess it’s available at most cafes/coffee houses. Oh, and you need to be able to ride there, nowhere to park a car for free. It’s surprisingly closer than you might think by bike (about a 50 minute ride from Preston for me), and the bike rack is located at the pedestrian entrance to the car-park, opposite the first ground floor terminal and wedged between the car-park lifts and customer service area.

    1. Elama

      Bro thanks for the comment, helps heaps knowing SOMEHWERE is 24hr, but I think the Airport is a bit too far for most of us, thanks though, I’ll keep that in my back pocket for those last minute need to study days

      1. Darren

        That’s a tad patronising, bud, you’re representing the voice of all who might read the page when you say it’s a bit too far for ‘us’; don’t you mean it’s too far for you? I’m well aware the airport won’t appeal to everyone, but there a lot of cyclists travelling to different institutions throughout the city, and you and I have no idea where they live. It’s not just about suggesting central and accessible study locations, but other localised spots which fit the criteria, regardless of appeal.

  15. Ashleigh

    I believe the Melbourne Uni Law Library is exclusive to law students, there’s usuly security at the door and you need your id to get in; even melbourne uni students from other faculties are not allowed in. Just FYI. Good luck with exams everyone 🙂

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