INTERNATIONAL AGENT TRAINING AND RESOURCE MANUAL CONTENTS Welcome . 3 International student resources . 20 Australia and Melbourne . .4 Support services . 20 Australia . 4 Sport and recreation . 20 Melbourne . 4 RMIT agent application procedures and guidelines . 21 Snapshot . 4 Agent dos and don’ts . 21 Australia fact sheet . 4 Application for TAFE, undergraduate, postgraduate Living in Melbourne . 5 research and packaged programs . 22 Communications . 5 Application for research programs . 29 Entertainment, events and recreation . 5 Application for ELICOS (RMIT English Worldwide) programs only . 32 Finance . 5 Application for study abroad . 36 Food . 5 Application for guardianship at RMIT . .. 42 Transport . .5 Accepting an RMIT offer . 44 Living costs . 5 Deferral of an offer/acceptance . 48 Typical living costs for a single student . 6 Change of preference . 52 RMIT University . 7 Requesting assistance with arrival . .. 56 RMIT International and Development portfolio . 7 Agent agent variations . 59 International Services . 7 Refund guidelines . 62 RMIT campuses . 8 RMIT University refunds . 62 City campus . .8 Definition of returning and commencing students . 62 Brunswick campus . 8 Refund application process . 62 Bundoora campus . 8 Payment of refund . 62 Academic programs . 9 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in TAFE . 62 TAFE versus higher education . 9 Refunds for returning international students . 62 RMIT University pathways to careers . .9 Census date . 62 Colleges and schools . 10 Refund calculation for returning international students . 63 College of Business . 11 Administrative charges associated with withdrawing College of Design and Social Context . 12 from a program . 64 College of Science, Engineering and Health . 14 Permanent residency . 64 RMIT International College . .. 16 Refunds for commencing international students . 65 Education Abroad Office . 16 RMIT English Worldwide—refunds . 66 RMIT English Worldwide (REW) . .. 16 Student visa requirements . 68 Explore RMIT . 17 Scholarships . 69 Excellence in research . 17 Resources . 70 Bioscience building . 17 Communicating with RMIT University International Services . 70 Cadaver laboratory . 17 RMIT University International Services contact information . 72 Design Works . 17 How to escalate issues . 73 I-Cubed Virtual Reality Centre . 17 Ordering RMIT promotional materials . 73 SYNFM 90 .7FM . 17 Permissions to use branding—logos, images, copyright RMITV . 17 text etc . 76 Financial Markets Trading Simulator . 17 Web site training . 79 RMIT galleries . 18 International VTAC students . 84 RMIT Storey Hall . 18 Pre-selection kits . 84 RMIT Entrepreneurship Centre and RMIT Business Plan RMIT Services Agreement . .. 85 Competition . 18 Commission . 85 Women in Engineering . 18 Updating your contact details . 85 RMIT Health Clinics . 18 Useful links . 85 End of year design exhibitions . 18 Quick Placement Test (QPT) . 86 Accommodation and arrival services . 19 Flyers . 86 Accommodation service . 19 Housing options . .19 Airport reception and temporary accommodation . 19 2 WELCOME RMIT University offers international students a Examples include: welcoming educational environment with a rigorous, » comprehensive information about programs and services challenging and enriching academic culture . available at RMIT University With its heart in the city of Melbourne, RMIT is an innovative, » proper completion of RMIT University International Services global university of technology with an international reputation forms e .g . application, offer acceptance, change of for excellence in work relevant education, high quality preference, etc . research, and engagement with the needs of industry and » submission of correct documentation community . The University also has a strong reputation for » communication procedures and contact details producing some of Australia’s most employable graduates . » other important recruitment and admissions related RMIT is one of the largest tertiary educational institutions guidelines and procedures . in the country, with more than 72 000 students studying It is hoped that this manual will help you and your staff to at campuses in Melbourne, in Vietnam, online, by distance provide up-to-date and accurate information about RMIT education, and at partner institutions throughout the world . University’s facilities, programs and services to prospective A vibrant alumni community now stretches across more students . than 100 countries . It is also hoped that the manual will help you and your staff This International Agent Training and Resources Manual to follow the correct international recruitment and admission outlines the opportunities and experiences available to processes, so that all correspondence with RMIT University students at RMIT . It has been developed to help agents to flows smoothly and efficiently . provide consistent and accurate information to prospective international students . This manual may be downloaded from the agent web site www.international.rmit.edu.au/agent and will be updated Providing information, guidance and resources specifically from time to time as the need arises . relevant to agents, the manual also explains the processes used within RMIT University in the recruitment of international students . It focuses particularly on the application and correspondence guidelines that need to be followed . RMIT | INTERNATIONAL AGENT TRAINING AND RESOURCE MANUAL © FEBRUARY 2011 3 AAUSTRALIAustraliaAND M ELBOURNE AND MELBOURNE Australia Snapshot Australia is an independent western democracy with a » Population: Approximately 3 .9 million people . population of more than 22 million . It is one of the world’s » City environment: Sophisticated, multicultural city that is most urbanised countries, with about 70 per cent of the safe and clean with beautiful parks and tree-lined avenues . population living in Australia’s 10 largest cities . Most of the » Centre for business, arts and culture, education, shopping, population is concentrated along the eastern seaboard and industry and manufacturing, transport, tourism and the south-eastern corner of the continent . The capital of conventions . Australia is Canberra . » Services and facilities: Quality housing, telephone and postal Australia’s culturally diverse society includes its indigenous networks, convenient shopping facilities and an extensive population and settlers from countries all around the world . public transport system of buses, trains and trams . Since 1945 over six million people from 200 countries have » Food: A wide variety including Asian, Mediterranean, come to Australia as new settlers . Migrants have made a South American and African . Markets and supermarkets major contribution to shaping modern Australia . sell a variety of fresh meat, fruit and vegetables as well Australia is marked by contrast and variety . Snowfields, as rice, breads, spices and other ingredients . Halal and rainforests, deserts, bushland and pristine beaches all kosher foods are available . characterise the unique Australian landscape . » Religious services: Catering for all major religions . Australia’s nearest neighbour is Papua New Guinea, » Recreation: Variety of affordable leisure and sporting lying 200 km north of the country . Australia lies 1 920 km activities . Beaches in summer, snowfields in winter . west of New Zealand, and 2 000 km to the north of Antarctica . » International events and facilities: Australian Tennis Open, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, Melbourne Cricket For more information please visit: Ground (MCG), Melbourne Cup, Crown Entertainment www.about-australia.com/facts Complex, Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, Melbourne International Comedy Festival . » Climate: Moderate with four distinct seasons . Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria and the second largest city of Australia . It is well known for hosting Australia fact sheet international sporting events such as The Australian Tennis Australia’s economy was one of only a handful of advanced Open and cultural events such as The International Comedy » economies to grow through the recent global economic Festival and The Writers Festival . Melbourne is also known turmoil for its café and dining culture, featuring a broad range of international cuisine; its safe, clean environment; its affordable » The World Bank rates Australia as one of the easiest cost of living; its extensive public transport system; its places in the world to do business pleasant climate and the quality of its housing and education . » Despite Australia’s relatively small population size, its economy is the 14th largest in the world » Australians have won 11 Nobel Prizes—most of them in medicine and science—making Australia one of the leading Nobel Prize winning countries in per capita terms » Australia has one of the world’s highest rates of patent applications for innovations in renewable energy and biotechnology » Australia invented the modern standard for WiFi, with the breakthrough IEEE 802 .11a for wireless internet » The cervical cancer vaccine was developed by an Australian (Professor Ian Frazer) » Australians discovered the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in causing stomach ulcers (Professor Barry Marshall and Dr . Robin Warren) The city has nearly four million residents who have come from » Australians also invented or developed: all over the world, bringing their cultural, religious and racial − Google Maps backgrounds as celebrated in both festivals and day-to-day life . − Black box