Police are continuing to investigate an online threat that put a University of Waikato hall of residence into semi-lockdown.

Around 9:30 last night a female student living in the hall received a threat via social media.

She alerted the residential assistant on her floor who raised her concerns to senior university staff and the police.

Senior deputy vice chancellor Alister Jones says the man was known to the woman and he believes it to be an isolated event.

Hamilton Police assessed the threat as low level and did not attend the incident but are continuing to investigate today.