University residency has its pros and cons, but is often perceived as a good option for first year students, according to past and current students.

However, Charles Sturt Wagga and Albury residence life manager, Travis Cohalan said the university has seen a rise in retention numbers.

He said a small proportion of students are choosing to live elsewhere, following their first year.

"Our retention numbers are improving all the time; probably because we have been doing renovations and also with the rental market in Wagga," Mr Cohalan said.

"Students are seeing the benefits of staying on campus: where they can live with all their friends and have the built in [utility] costs too.

"It's all inclusive, the weekly rate includes electricity, gas, heating, cooling, the room's are fully furnished and there's 24-seven security on campus."

CSU offers all first-year students applying for on-campus accommodation a guaranteed place.

The accommodation options cater to different budgets, from $135 to $285 per week, for up to 1000 students.

The cottages have become the most popular accommodation type for students, followed by the Murrumbidgee and Hampden villages.

Social work student Matthew Mannes is about to embark on his final year of study and has lived on campus since his course commenced four years ago.

I was from a rural area in Coleambally, of just 600 people, and it was a lot of pressure ... to sign a lease when you're new to the town," he said.

"I underestimated the whole university experience and thought I was just here to study and the accommodation was just somewhere to live.

"It's so much more than that - there's all this support available as well as sport for residency students, social and academic events."

Mr Mannes said about 75 per cent of his friends from first year chose to continue living on campus.

"I would highly recommend it to first year students," he said.

The Daily Advertiser previously spoke with graduating student Hayley Kotzur who said half of her friends chose to live in share houses outside of campus following their first year.

"I find a lot of them choose to live in share houses after their first year," she said.

"Share houses are socially good; it has it's challenges, but there's nothing that wouldn't be more challenging than living on uni where there's less freedom."