A student in Wellington awoke to find an intruder in her bedroom early on Sunday morning.
Police said the man fled on foot from the Aro Valley address after a brief struggle,
The intruder is described as 25-35, of muscular build and about 1.8m tall.
Victoria University said it did not comment on matters affecting individual students, but their safety was of paramount concern.
In a statement, the university said it worked closely with police and Wellington City Council to strengthen safety in the city.