Overseas Students Guide Free Australia 2020
OVERSEAS STUDENTS AUSTRALIA . COM
Study. Work. Live. Australia Welcome to Australia
Over the last three years, Overseas Students Guide has been becoming a go-to place for �inding information for many international students. We have been updating the guide every year with new information to make it more relevant for the international students.
This year we are proud to bring not only the electronic version but also the print version of the guide. We hope you enjoy reading this guide and �ind the information provided useful for your student life in Australia.
Australia is one of the world's top destinations for the quality education. Every year, thousands of students come to Australia for study and achieve their academic and career goals.
Whether you are considering to study or applying for a visa or already studying here, we have designed this guide to help you in all stages of the student life in Australia.
To understand the whole study process, we have divided this guide into four main sections:
1. Before you apply 2. Before you leave 3. After you arrive 4. After �inishing your study
We hope this guide helps in your study career and we would like to wish you all the very best for your study journey here in Australia.
From Team @ Overseas Students Australia
Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about studying in Australia and should not be treated as an of�icial or legal advice. Please consult with your institution or student agent or a registered migration agent before making any �inancial or career decision.
Overseas Students Australia have neither any association nor endorsement by any of the government organisations mentioned in this guide. Please read the full disclosure on our website.
3 TO STUDY, LIVE, WORK & PLAY IN AUSTRALIA
OVERSEAS STUDENTS AUSTRALIA
www.overseasstudentsaustralia.com In This Guide
Before You 1 Apply 6. Australia - A Snapshot 7 About Australia 8-9 Student Cities 10-69 Key Regional Areas 70 Education System 71 2 Before Types of Visas 72 You Leave 78. Scholarships 74 Student Visa Application 75 Things to plan 79 Costs 76-77 Packing Checklist 80 Planning for arrival 81-82 Accomodation 83 After You 3 Learn Australian 86 Arrive 87. First Few Days 88-90 Support Services 91 Study environment 92-93 Banking 96-98 4 Communication 99-100 After Finishing Australian Culture 101 Study 120. Shopping 102-103 Graduation 121 Transport 106-108 Further Education 122 Working 109-113 Extend the stay 123-125 Healthcare 114-116 Applying for PR 126-127 Safety 117-119 Going back home 128-129 Additional Resources 130.
Useful contacts 131 and websites Comprehensive 132-133 Student Checklist
5
1 Before you apply
Australia - A Snapshot Types of Visas About Australia Scholarships Student Cities Student Visa Application Key Regional Areas Costs Education System Australia A Snapshot
Capital Largest City Currency Canberra Sydney Australian Dollars
Language Country code National Day English +61 26th January
Population National Animals Size 25.48 Million Emu and Red 6th Largest (Oct 2019) Kangaroo (World)
7 About Australia
History Climate
Australia’s Aboriginal people, the Australia is a huge country, so the original inhabitants of the Australian climate varies a lot from region to continent, arrived atleast 50,000 to region. Australia sees four seasons in 60,000 years ago. It is believed that one year except Northern Australia the �irst settlers arrived from where there is only wet and dry Southeast Asia (now known as season. Australia is in the southern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea). hemisphere, so all the seasons are reversed from countries in the During the 17th century, many northern hemisphere. explorers were travelling around the continent but it was Captain James Summer Cook who claimed the territory as December - February British in 1788. 15 - 40˚
After conquering the island, Britain Autumn establish penal colonies in New South March - May Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia. First free settler colony was 10 - 25˚ established in South Australia in 1830. Winter The gold rush in 1850 saw a huge June - August migration from all over the world in 0 - 15˚ Australia and separation of Victoria and Queensland from New South Spring Wales. In 1901, Australia became a member of the Commonwealth of the Septemer - November British Empire. 10 - 25˚
Australia was one of the �irst countries to establish itself as a democratic country, run by the Prime Minister Quick Fact chosen every 3 years. The queen is the Did you know? head of the State and represented by the Governor General. In 2019, more than 680,000 international students were Australia’s main industries of export studying and living in Australia, include agricultural products, fuels adding more than $32 billion and mining, education, tourism and to the Australian economy. �inancial investment funds.
8 About Australia
Time Zone Due to its huge size, Australia has been divided into three main time zones. In the warmer months between October to March, there is one hour of daylight savings for certain states and territories (NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, ACT) which means you will need to advance one hour forward on your clocks.
WST - West CST - Central EST - Eastern Standard Time Standard Time Standard Time In relation to EST In relation to EST In relation to EST 3 hours behind ½ hour behind Same time Western South Australia (SA) New South Wales (NSW) Australia (WA) Northern Victoria (VIC) Territory (NT) Queensland (QLD) Tasmania (TAS) Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
NT QLD WA SA NSW
VIC ACT States and Territories Geographically, Australia is divided into six States and two Territories, In TAS the next few pages, you will learn about the key information from the top student cities of these states.
9 Student Cities
Sydney Melbourne
Brisbane Adelaide
Perth Gold Coast
Canberra Hobart
Darwin Newcastle
10 Sydney
State Area Founded Population New South 12,368 km² 1788 5.1 Million Wales
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Humid Rank (QS) Students Relatively Subtropicala 9 260,000 High
Fun Facts about Sydney
Chinese and Arabic are The Sydney Harbour as popular languages Bridge is nicknamed “The as English among Coathanger” because of Sydney locals. its arch-based design.
The cost of building the Sydney was founded as Sydney Opera House a colony in 1788, but it was estimated at $7 o�icially became a city million but it ended up in 1842. at $102 million instead.
11 Reasons to Top 6 study in
Sydney With the Tag of largest city in Australia, S ydney certainly has something for e veryone so expect a fun-�illed ride w hen choosing to study in this world class city. 1 Weather
Hot summers and gentle mild winters attracts lots of international students in Sydney. There are plenty of outdoor activities like riding a bicycle, sur�ing in Bondi Beach that can be done in Sydney.
Attractions 2
S ydney is home to the world famous attractions like the Sydney O pera House, Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains, Bondi Beach and there is much more than that.
3 Job Opportunities
There are plenty of job opportunities available for students during and after their studies as 45% of the 500 top Australian companies are based in Sydney.
World class education 4
Sydney has been rated as the 9th best student city in the world as per QS Best Student Cities. The world class universities are one of the top reasons for students to choose Sydney.
5 Public Transport
Sydney's vast public transport makes it easier for students to travel around the city, suburbs and surroundings. Trams, Trains, buses and ferries are all part of the Sydney’s public transport system.
Diverse culture 6
A pproximately 32% of the Sydney’s population is born outside Australia which makes it very diverse city. You can expect to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures.
12 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of The University of Sydney is a public research university in Sydney Sydney. Founded in 1850, it is Australia's �irst university and is regarded as one of the world's leading universities. The university has nine faculties and university schools, through which it offers bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
University of The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public New South Wales research university located in Kensington. Established in 1949, UNSW pioneers cutting-edge technological research that focus on some of the most important issues in the current society from climate change and renewable energies to lifesaving medical treatments and breakthrough technologies.
University of The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public Technology, research university located in Sydney and one of the Sydney (UTS) world's leading young universities (under 50 years old). UTS offers over 130 undergraduate and 210 postgraduate courses across traditional and emerging disciplines, with a total enrolment of over 44,000 students.
Macquarie Macquarie University is a public research university University based in the suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney. It was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney. Macquarie has �ive faculties, together with the Macquarie University Hospital and the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.
Australian Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a multi-campus Catholic university in Australia. It has seven campuses across University Australia and one in Rome as well. ACU has four faculties in Education and Arts, Health Sciences, Lawand Business, and Theology and Philosophy, which provide bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
TAFE and other For students interested in studying vocational education programs in Sydney, Tafe NSW and many other private providers providers provide high quality training programs.
13 Western Western Sydney University is a university in the Greater Sydney Western region of Sydney, rebranded from the University University of Western Sydney to Western Sydney University in 2015. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and higher research degrees with campuses in Bankstown, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Parramatta, and Penrith.
Universities Apart from these universities, there are campuses of with Satellite Charles Darwin University, Central Queensland Campus University, Curtin University, La Trobe University, Torrens University, University of Wollongong, University of Newcastle and University of New England in Sydney.
Transport
Sydney has one of the best public transport systems in Australia with trains, ferries, light trains and buses connecting the various parts of the city and surrounding areas. You will need an ‘Opal card’ when travelling on public transport in Sydney. You can use this card on any of the public transport including regional trains and coaches.
You will need to load this card with funds before travelling and “tap on and off” when getting on and off the public transport. You can top up this card online or using app or at any of over 2,100 retailers. The average cost of travelling on public transport cost can be between $45 to $50 per week.
Only overseas students who have received Australian Government scholarships or exchange place are eligible for concessions on public transport, while all other overseasstudents have to pay full fare in Sydney. Although, some tertiary institutes offer MyMulti passes offering upto 35 percent discount.
14 Key Events During The Year
January Sydney Festival Enjoy Sydney's annual cultural celebration of arts, theatre, music, dance, and more, and the best part is that many of these quality events are free.
February Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras The annual LGBTQ pride festival is held in Sydney every second Thursday in February, and is one of biggest draws for domestic and international tourists.
May April Sydney Royal Easter Show Australian Fashion Week This fashion week invites designers Since 1823, this annual show has been from Australia as well as overseas to giving Sydney a taste of the rustic side showcase their best work and is with agriculture, animals, carnival geared towards the Australian fashion rides, and more. outlets that would pick and house some of the collections. June Vivid Sydney August Australian Fashion Week Witness this festival of lights, animation, and music in Sydney, the Join this competitive ‘fun run’ for a 14 largest in Australia and famous all km circuit, where you can race, jog, or over the world. even walk.
December Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Sydney’s New Year’s Eve On boxing day (26 December), the yacht race kicks off from Sydney and �inishes in Hobart. Sydney’s new year eve is the among the world-famous events.
15 Free Things To Do In Sydney
Sydney Harbour Bridge Circular Quay This location is Sydney's centerpiece Enjoy free stroll over this majestic that connects the iconic attractions ‘coat-hanger’ bridge, which opened in like Harbour Bridge and Opera house. 1932. Stairs and lifts are available from Although it also serves as a ferry both ends and the walkway is availble on terminal and commuters’ hub, one the eastern side (the western side for can easily say that it de�initely takes bikers). It is quite enormous and visible the cake as the next most even from different parts of the city. But Instagrammable part of the city next that’s a given, as it is the biggest steel to Harbour Bridge. arch bridge in the world.
Royal Botanic Gardens Local markets Take a tour of Sydney’s own local The oldest botanical garden in bazaars like Paddington market or the Australia is situated in the heart of Rocks over the weekend and explore Sydney. Apart from a variety of plants, the local crafts and fashions spread out picturesque walkways, and leisurely over countless stalls and unique to strolls, it also offers festivals and their own locality. Entry is free. special events throughout the Sydney.
Art Galleries Whether you’re an art connoisseur or not, Sydney has its doors open to lureyou into the art world exclusive of any charges. Explore art gallery of New South Wales or Museum of Contemporary art for both indigenous and overseas works without paying a cent.
Other places Queen Victoria Building Sealife Sydney to explore Sydney Tower Eye Blue Mountains in Sydney Sydney Cricket Ground Cockatoo Island
16 Regional Areas Around Sydney (NSW)
Country NSW Country NSW is home to some of the popular educational institutions like Charles Sturt University, the University of New England, New England Institute, Western Institute and Riverina Institute. Most of the towns in Country NSW are couple of hours drive from Sydney. The towns in the region here are known for their national parks, rainforests and abundant wildlife.
North Coast Renowned for its beaches and local industries of agriculture and tourism, North Coast is a country region north of Sydney that is home to prestigious universities like Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University, and North Coast Institute. It also has attractions like Myall Lakes National Park, beaches of Byron Bay, whale watching at Port Macquarie, and Paci�ic Coast Touring route, which draw thousands of tourists every year. Coffs Harbour in the North region is also quickly gaining popularity as the hotspot for tech startups, with companies like Atlassian, Google, and Design Crowd establishing local o�ices in the region.
Wollongong The ‘Gong’ (as locals describe it) is the third largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle, and offers a looser lifestyle with its beaches and cafes. This seaside region offers a scenic view of nature with a coastline that stretches across almost unbroken and rain-forests in nearby Illawarra escarpment. University of Wollongong is the premier university in this region if you look forward to this kind of lifestyle.
17 Melbourne
State Area Founded Population Victoria 9,990 km² 1835 4.9 Million
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Oceanic Rank (QS) Students Relatively 3 227,000 High
Fun Facts about Melbourne
It is a home to the highest After Victorian gold rush, Italian and Greek populations Melbourne was once the in the world outside their richest city in the world. own countries.
It was the capital city of The largest tram system Australia for 26 years outside of Europe and the between 1901 and 1927 fourth largest in the world before it was shifted to overall. Canberra.
18 Reasons to Top 6 study in Melbourne A packed agenda of study, food, wine, sports and arts is your introduction to the best of Melbourne – from its creative, exciting city centre, to its buzzing neighbourhood hubs. Melbourne is a place to be.
1 Australia’s Best Student City Melbourne pride itself for being named as Australia’s best student in QS Student City Rankings. It is also the world's third best student city after London and Tokyo.
Laneway Art 2 Melbourne has an amazing number of eclectic laneways full of great restaurants, cafes and art. Don't miss out the famous street art in Hosier Lane.
3 Food Melbourne is a stunning food destination. It is a Global Gourmet Capital due to the varied food cuisines available. Casual culture with stunning quality at reasonable prices.
Student Support 4 Melbourne is also known for its excellent student support provided by the institutions and Victorian government through Study Melbourne initiative.
5 Best Universities
Melbourne's universities are one of the best in the world. That's why QS World University Rankings put 6 out of 10 universities in the top-ranked universities.
Sports 6 Melbourne hosts many sporting events like Australian Open Tennis, Melbourne Cup, Melbourne Grand Prix, Boxing Day Test and many more. Australian footy is a must watch for everyone.
7 Multicultural
There are more than 200,000 international students from 170 countries studying in Melbourne. Melbourne celebrates its multiculturalism through various events, festivals, performances throughout the year.
19 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of The University of Melbourne is a public research university Melbourne located in Parkville, north of Melbourne Central Business District. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria. The main campus has 10 colleges and in nearby suburbs that provide academic, sporting and cultural programs.
Monash Monash University is a public research university with major University research facilities in Melbourne and the second oldest university in Victoria. The university has a number of campuses, four of which are in Victoria (Clayton, Caul�ield, Peninsula, and Parkville), and one in Malaysia.
RMIT RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) is an University Australian public research university in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the topmost art and design university in Australia and also offers courses in architecture, art, biomedical sciences, building, business, communication, community services, design, education, engineering, fashion, game design, health science, IT, law, and science.
Swinburne Swinburne University of Technology is a public university based University of in the Eastern suburbs of Victoria. Its main campus is located in Technology Hawthorn, which is 7.5 km eastward from the Melbourne central business district, with additional campuses in metropolitan areas of Wantirna and Croydon. It is renowned as one of the top art and design schools in Australia and the world.
Deakin Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. University Named after the second Prime Minister of Australia, Alfred Deakin, the university was established in 1974. It is one of Australia's fastest growing research universities. It has main campuses in the Burwood suburb of Melbourne, Geelong, and Warrnambool, and learning centres across Dandenong, Craigieburn, and Werribee.
TAFE and other Melbourne is home to world class Tafes like Box Hill, Chisholm, education Kangan Bendigo, Holmesglen and Melbourne Polytechnic and providers private colleges like William Angliss etc. They are known for their quality education and innovative practical training methods.
20 La Trobe La Trobe University is a public research university and the third University university to be founded in the state of Victoria. La Trobe's original and main campus is located in northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora, and has other campuses in regional Victoria in Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura, and Shepparton.
Victoria Victoria University (VU) is a dual-sector tertiary institution providing University courses in both higher education and Technical and Further Education (TAFE). It has campuses in Melbourne Central Business District, Melbourne Western Region, and in Sydney, and offers courses across several disciplines, like arts, business, education, engineering, health sciences, IT, law, and social science.
University of The University of Divinity is a collegiate university for Divinity specialisation in divinity, and has eleven theological colleges under its wings. Founded in 1910, the university's chancery and main administration are located in Kew, a suburb to the east of Melbourne CBD. The University pursues the highest standards of scholarship in theology, philosophy and ministry.
Universities You will �ind campuses of universities like Central Queensland with Satellite University, Federation University, Australian Catholic University, campus Charles Darwin University, Torrens University for studying in Melbourne.
Transport
Melbourne has various type of public transport like trains, trams and buses available for everyone to travel around. You will need a MYKI card in order to travel on public transport in Melbourne. Although, concession on public transport is not available to all overseas students.
You need to be studying an undergraduate program at one of the institutions that is a part of iUSEpass program to avail 50 percent concession on your yearly ticket. The average weekly cost of travel can be around $40 to $50. You can travel free within CBD area by using free tram services connecting various universities, institutes and tourist attractions.
Bike paths around the city and the suburban areas makes bicycles not only cheaper option to travel but also more environmentally friendly and healthier as well.
21 Key Events During The Year
January Australian Open Tennis The �irst Grand Slam kicks of the season kicks off in Melbourne, and watch the best tennis players descend here.
March Australian Grand Prix, Moomba Festival, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
World’s biggest motor racers chase each other down in at the Grand Prix. Enjoy carnival rides, performances from talented artists, and zany rallies like the Birdman Rally at the family oriented Moomba festival. And the Food and Wine festival brings out the foodies from everywhere to the gastronomic events across the whole state of Victoria.
April November Melbourne Comedy Festival Melbourne Cup Carnival Enjoy a good chuckle when the This famous annual horse race is held on comedians from all over the world the Flemington Racecourse. Plus throw in assemble here in Melbourne to perform. It a mix of fashion, food, and entertainment, starts in March and carries on until April. and you have a jamboree at hand.
September December AFL (Australian Football Boxing Day Cricket Test League) Grand Final Following the Christmas day, the boxing Australian Football or ‘Footie’ is a day sees masses come out in droves for beloved sport of the Aussies. So much shopping as well as a game of test that the day of the grand �inal is cricket match at the Melbourne Cricket marked as a public holiday in Victoria. Ground (MCG) between Australian Watch the season �inish with a bang, as cricket team and an opposing national the two �inalists try to outdo each team touring in Australia. other, followed by celebrations that spill across the streets. 22 Free Things To Do In Melbourne
National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne’s beache Melbourne is one of the cities best Apart from its cafes and art galleries, renowned for its art culture, and its there’s no dearth of seaside beauties to crown jewel is the National Gallery of be explored in Melbourne. Visit St Victoria, which houses over 70,000 Kilda, Brighton, or Frankston beach (to works in a wide variety of art forms name a few), walk along the piers, that span across Eastern, Western, build sand castles, or show off the city and native cultures. skyline on your social media feed.
Parliament House Free Comedy Gigs When Parliament is not sitting, you Melbourne’s The Highlander Bar (11A can take a public tour and learn Highlander Ln) hosts open mic night about its magni�icent architecture as and short stand-up gigs on Tuesdays. well as how the state is governed. If you’re in a hurry, there’s also a 20-minute express tour available.
City Circle Tram To get a summarised version of Melbourne CBD and its main attractions, jump on tram no. 35 aka the City Circle tram, which is easily distinguishable with its maroon and golden colors and 12 minute frequency, and get a bird’s eye view of the CBD. Plus, it’s totally free.
Other places Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne Zoo to explore Shrine of Remembrance The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne Eureka Tower Federation Square
Melbourne Museum Melbourne Star Observation Wheel 23 Regional Areas Around Melbourne (Victoria)
Geelong Just an hour away from Melbourne, Geelong is the second largest city of Victoria and offers a range of lifestyle options that rivals Melbourne itself. From multicultural shopping precincts to surf beaches, Geelong has something for everyone. With Deakin university and Gordon Institute of TAFE among the others, Geelong is a really convenient location that not only has quicker access to Melbourne, but also serves a good gateway spot to other tourist favourites like Ballarat and Great Ocean Road.
Ballarat Ballarat is the Victorian region most famous for being the epicentre of the gold rush and Eureka Stockade, something you can still relive through its heritage townhouses and streets. Along with plentiful of natural sights and cultural events and activities, Ballarat is home to several quality institutions like Federation University.
Bendigo Located in the heart of Victoria, Bendigo also has a shared history of gold rush with the rest of the regional areas, and it re�lects in the town's very exterior. It recently has seen a surge in its infrastructure improvement and economic growth. It can be especially viable for international students to study here, as the cost of living would still be comparatively lower than Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
24 Brisbane
State Area Founded Population Queensland 15,826 km² 1825 2.3 million
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Subtropical Rank (QS) Students Moderate 22 85,000
Fun Facts about Brisbane
Now a shopping, spending The �irst lamington in the and eating centre, Queen world was made in street was a convict Brisbane in 1900 at Old barracks area once. Government House.
Brisbane offers 283 days The Story Bridge is a of full sunshine in a year twin of the Jacques making it perfect for Cartier Bridge in outdoor activities. Montreal, Canada.
25 Reasons to Top 6 study in
With Australia's best climate, �inest Brisbane education institutions and closer to hot traveldestinations, Brisbane offers lots of fun, work and study opportunities to all the international students.
1 Sunshine Capital
Brisbane is the capital city of the sunshine state (Queensland) which offers subtropical climate with hot humid summers, mild winters and nice spring & autumn.
Affordable 2
Compared to Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane is much more affordable place to study. You will �ind lower costs of living expenses and education costs, providing more value for money.
3 Accomodation
Brisbane is one of the �irst cities in Australia which provides a new purpose built inner-city student accommodation to meet the needs of international students.
Finest Education 4
Brisbane offers some of Australia's �inest educational institutions with award winning universities and tafes offers ranges of programs to international students.
5 Safe and Welcoming
Brisbane is one of the safest and most welcoming cities in Australia. It holds Australia's largest city orientation day also known as The City Welcome Festival to welcome international students.
Getaways 6
Living in Brisbane will help you to explore some of Australian east coast's best attractions like Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Byron Bay with travel time less than 2 hours for each destination.
26 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of The University of Queensland (UQ) is the state’s most Queensland prestigious tertiary institution located primarily in Brisbane. In Australia, UQ is consistently ranked at the top for business administration, veterinary medicine and life sciences, and also has produced two Nobel laureates, hundreds of Rhodes scholars, and an Oscar winning actor.
Queensland The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public University of research university located on two campuses in the Technology Brisbane area: Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. It has faculties in accountancy, advertising, marketing, economics, �inance, management and business. QUT bills itself as a ‘a world-class university with global outlook’ with quality education at reasonable tuition fees.
Gri�ith Gri�ith University is a public research university in South University East Queensland on the east coast of Australia. The university was �irst to introduce degrees in environmental science and Asian studies. It also offers a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees in other �ields like business, health, and engineering and many more.
Universities You can also choose to study in the campuses of with Satellite Central queensland University, Australian Catholic campus University, James Cook University, Southern Queensland, Torrens University and University of the Sunshine Coast in Brisbane.
TAFE and other Established in 1882, TAFE Queensland is the parent education body for TAFE technical and further education training providers across the state of Queensland. It is one of Australia's largest education providers with a wide variety of courses, diplomas, even bachelor degrees. There are many private providers of vocational educational programs in Brisbane.
27 Transport
Brisbane has a very good public transport system offering trains, buses and ferries as the main mode of travel. For travelling on public transport, you will need a travel card known as Translink Go Card.
Overseas students in Brisbane get concession on their public transport tickets. You can travel free in the city area using the loop bus service at designated points and some ferry terminals using CityHopper ferries.
You can also use Brisbane CityCycle service as there are plenty of bike pathways available for anyone who loves cycling. It is a subscription based bike rental to suit various budget needs.
28 Key Events During The Year
February - March Brisbane Comedy Festival Like Melbourne comedy festival, Brisbane also has its own comedy festival that showcases the national and international comic talents.
May Paniyiri Greek Festival
The longest running Greek festival in August Australia is held in Brisbane every year and shares the Greek culture with Brisbane Marathon Festival, everyone through food and The Royal Intercolonial entertainment. Exhibition (The Ekka), Bridge to Brisbane
One of the premier marathon events in Australia is held annually in Brisbane. Enjoy the �inest food and entertainment from the state of Queensland at the Royal Queensland show. Although started with fewer than 5000 people in 1997, Bridge to Brisbane has grown to be an incredibly popular ‘fun run’ event held every year in Brisbane.
October Oktoberfest, Good Food and Wine Show
September Oktoberfest is a popular German festival, Brisbane Festival and Brisbane is the biggest host for this cultural event in Australia, with the This annual international arts festival famous German wears, food, and beers ignites a sprawl of performance arts, on display. Also watch the celebrity including theatre, dance, music and chefs battle it out over cuisine matches opera across the city of Brisbane. at the Good Food and Wine show.
29 Free Things to do in Brisbane
City Sounds Heritage Tours Brisbane is home to Australia’s largest Take a trip down Brisbane’s memory live music program. Enjoy free music lane with 18 suburban walking trails, sessions across different parts of along with an Aboriginal trail, to learn Brisbane CBD like Queen Street Mall, more about the fascinating history of Post O�ice Square, and Reddacliff each of these locations. Download the Place among the others. Every week brochures from Brisbane’s city council there’s a change-up of musical style, website for each location and plan a so you’ll never be tired of repetition. trail to witness historical locations.
State Library of Queensland Queensland Museum With its award winning architecture, A short walk away from Brisbane's Brisbane’s largest research library CBD, this museum holds a collection hosts a thorough collection of that exhibit the state's cultural Queensland’s cultural and heritage, natural history, science and documentary heritage, and provides human endeavors. It also houses free access to information not Sciencentre, an interactive education reserved to books, but also experience for the visitors. exhibitions, story readings, and across different multimedia.
Lagoons Cool down in Brisbane’s tropical weather at one of its famous lagoons like the Streets Beach or Settlement Cove, which are not only free to use but come with lifeguards and amenities like toilets and changing rooms too.
Other places Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Museum of Brisbane to explore Story Bridge Sir Thomas Brisbane in Brisbane Planetarium Southbank Parklands The Gabba Cricket Ground City Botanic Gardens Queen Street Mall Wheel of Brisbane Cultural Centre 30 Regional Areas Around Brisbane (Queensland)
Cairns A tropical wonder, Cairns makes for a popular study destination due to its natural landscapes and its proximity to one of the seven natural wonders of the world - the Great Barrier Reef. Apart from the reef and the sea-life, waterfalls, lava tubes, jungles and much more can be found and explored here in this region located in the far northern part of Queensland. James Cook University and CQ University have study facilities here.
Sunshine Coast In the South East Queensland, Sunshine Coast is known for its hospitality and tourism on top of its beautiful hinterland and beaches. It is also known for having the campuses of institutions like University of Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland University, and TAFE Queensland. The region’s primary industries are healthcare and retail. For a sur�ing enthusiast, cafe hopper, or nature explorer, Sunshine Coast presents a perfect opportunity, more so even because of its tropical climate.
Townsville Considered the uno�icial capital of the North Queensland, Townsville offers diverse landscapes with rainforests and sandy beaches. It also helps to have high quality educational institutions like James Cook University and Central Queensland University to make a decision about studying here. You will get the bene�it of living in a region with distinct natural wonders, like The Strand, a palm-tree lined, Castle Hill, a giant red rock formation, and even the middle section of the Great Barrier Reef.
31 Adelaide
State Area Founded Population South Australia 3,258 km² 1836 1.3 million
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Mediterranean Rank (QS) Students Relatively 26 38,000 Low
Fun Facts about Adelaide
Adelaide is known as 20 Adelaide is also known as minutes city as you can City of Churches due to reach any point in the any churches around the city within 20 mins. city area.
Adelaide is also known Adelaide Fringe Festival as an Opal Capital of is the second largest Australia due to variety arts festival in the world. of opals it offers.
32 Reasons to Top 6 study in
South Australia's vibrant capital city, Adelaide Adelaide, offers plenty for international students. It is one of the cheapest cities to live in and ranked as the �ifth most liveable city in the world.
1 Most Affordable
Living in Adelaide costs much less than any other capital city in Australia. One of the main reasons for students to choose Adelaide for studying.
Learning City 2
It is also known as learning city as it hosts more than 38,000 international students in its universities, tafes and private institutions. It is also a safe, welcoming and vibrant city.
3 Festivals
Adelaide alone hosts over 400 events every year with so many events around the state is the reason it’s also known as the Festival State of Australia.
Academic Excellence 4
Universities in Adelaide offer an excellence in education with Top 6 universities famous for their research and innovation contribution to the world.
5 Transport
You can save up to $700 per year on your transport costs as Adelaide is one of the cities that offer the same transport bene�its to students as locals. It also offers free tram and bus service in the city centre.
Weather 6
Adelaide offers Mediterranean weather with four distinct seasons. It is warm and sunny city with low rainfall which gives plenty of opportunity to travel around and do outdoor activities.
33 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
Flinders Flinders University is ranked among the world's top University 500 institutions. Founded in 1966 and located in Bedford Park (12 kms from Adelaide), Flinders is the only Southern Australian University to offer on and off campus accommodation. It has over 25,000 students, and about 20 percent of those students are from overseas.
University of The University of Adelaide is the third-oldest Adelaide university in Australia, the highest ranking university in South Australia, and is ranked among top 150 elite universities in the world. It has a long list of accomplishments, from having �ive Nobel laureates among its alumni to important discoveries such as penicillin, sunscreen, military tank, Wi-Fi, polymer banknotes and X-ray crystallography.
University of Known for its diversity and strong culture of South Australia innovation, the University of South Australia is the largest public research university in South Australia. It is ranked among the world's top young universities, has two campuses in North Terrace in Adelaide city centre and two South Australian regional campuses.
Carnegie Mellon Although Carnegie Mellon University is a US based University private research university, the Australian campus of its Heinz college was established in 2006 in Adelaide’s city centre and is the �irst American university to have a campus in Australia. The university offers two masters’ degrees and a few executive education and specialisation programs.
Torrens The Adelaide campus of the Torrens University was University established in 2012 in the CBD itself. It offers personalised access to experienced lecturers due to smaller class sizes. The university currently provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
34 TAFE and other TafeSA (South Australia) is the only Tafe in Adelaide education but for the students looking to choose vocational providers education as a preferred option, there are plenty of other vocational education providers to choose from as well.
Universities Australian Catholic University and Central Queensland with Satellite University have their campus in Adelaide offering various campus undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Transport
Adelaide’s e�icient and affordable public transport makes travelling around the city and suburbs easier. Adelaide is serviced by extensive train, tram and bus network that operates throughout the city and surrounding suburbs.
You will need to get the Metrocard in order to make the most out of public transport in Adelaide. Make sure to touch on and off when entering and exiting any mode of public transport. As an overseas student, you are entitled to get a concession fare on public transport in Adelaide. You can travel free in the city centre by using buses and trams.
With the city’s focus on ‘Going Green’ and plenty of bike pathways to use, cycling is a very popular way of travelling in the city and inner city suburbs. If you don’t have a bike then you can rent one for free from Adelaide Free Bikes also.
35 Key Events During The Year
January April Santos Tour Down Under Barossa Vintage Festival, The international pro cycling world Tasting Australia tour kicks off with the cycling race in Barossa community is quite popular and around Adelaide. for its vintage wines, and so the event celebrates the community, its heritage and, of course, the wines. February The Tasting Australia is also famous Adelaide Fringe Festival for its wine and food festival in the capital city of Adelaide. The world’s second largest annual arts event festival is held in South Australia August every year from February to March and features works of thousands of Sala Festival national and international artists. South Australia Living Arts (SALA) festival celebrates the visual arts every year across the state. March Womadelaide, Adelaide Festival December Adelaide Motorsport Festival The annual Adelaide festival brings the international talent in performance This event is the mecca for every arts to the city. Womadelaide is one of motorsport enthusiast, as the best of the several festivals happening in this past sports cars and the latest beasts month in Adelaide, and this open air in business are on display in the festival also brings best of the music, Adelaide CBD as well as Adelaide arts and dance to the city. Parklands Circuit.
36 Free Things To Do In Adelaide
Free food and wine tastings Bike around for free Adelaide is renowned for its winery Courtesy of Bike SA, you can hire a bike scene, so it’s no surprise that you for free and peddle along the Bike Art might �ind a free sip here or there. trail to witness the giant, Take the wine discovery journey at city-commissioned sculptures along 11 National Wine Centre of Australia for points, all within bike’s reach. Or you tastings at the end of interactive tour can traverse the Jack Bobridge trail or visit cellar door wineries in Barossa (named after the pro-cyclist), a beautiful Valley to sample from the source 27 km route between Gawler and itself. Visit Adelaide Central Market to Tanunda with really picturesque sample cheeses, breads, and pastries sceneries with occasional sights of from local vendors. kangaroos and echinadas along the way
The Bradman Collection Free art and culture If you’re a cricket enthusiast, you can Explore the unique offerings of South pore over the memorabilia collection Australian Museum which include of Aussie cricket legend Sir Don ancient Egyptian relics, the only Bradman at Adelaide Oval, with an surviving Aboriginal canoes, and an assortment of trophies, cricket balls 18m long whale skeleton. Or visit the and bats, and clothing gear Art Gallery of South Australia, one of personally worn by the Don, the most visited galleries in Australia complete with a multimedia clippings per annum, for a wide variety of from his famous matches. paintings, sculptures, art, drawings, and photographs from different cultures of the world. Glenelg Beach Enjoy the beautiful stretches of coastline along Glenelg, one of Australia’s most popular beach destinations. Not too far away from the CBD and accessible via public transport, the beach is lined up with cafes, funky shops, and boutiques.
Other places Adelaide Botanic Garden Adelaide Zoo to explore Victoria Square Rundle Mall in Adelaide Adelaide Central Market Himeji Garden National War Memorial 37 Perth
State Area Founded Population Western Australia 6,418 km² 1829 2.02 million
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Mediterranean Rank (QS) Students Moderate 41 55,000
Fun Facts about Perth
Perth, the sunniest capital Perth’s Kings Park is the city, enjoys an average of largest city park in the 8 hours of sunshine on world, larger than New any given day. York’s Central park.
Perth is closer to Perth is one of the most Singapore and Jakarta isolated cities in the than to its own national world with closest city capital, Canberra. being Adelaide, 2200 km away. 38 Reasons to Top 6 study in
Being much closer to Asian cities than Perth Sydney, Perth has lots to offer to international students including a laid back lifestyle, friendly people, warm weather, plenty of attractions and sur�ing.
1 Always Sunny
Perth has more sunshine than any other capital city in Australia. It has mediterranean style climate with hot summers and mild winters.
Lifestyle 2.
Perth has the highest per capita income in Australia, so it makes this city with the highest living standards in Australia. But it still remains affordable for international students.
3 Innovation
Perth is also known for its innovations in science and technology, so studying these in Perth will bring you life changing opportunities.
Top Class Education 4
Perth's universities and schools provide an excellent quality education making it a must choose for lots of International students planning to study in Australia.
5 Cheaper Transport
Like Adelaide, Perth also offers concessions to international students on all public transport fares. International Students are entitled for 40% discounts with the SmartRider card.
Multicultural 6
Perth offers a very unique multicultural environment with people from over 200 countries live, work and study here. Locals are also very friendly.
39 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public Western Australia research university. The main campus is in Perth, with a secondary campus in Albany and various other facilities elsewhere.
The university has signi�icant �igures of cultures as its alumni, including the former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke, and Nobel laureate Barry Marshall and Robin Warren.
Curtin Curtin University is the largest public research university University in Perth, with country’s third largest international students population. Its main campus is located in Bentley, about six kilometers south east of the Perth's Central Business District.
Murdoch Murdoch University is a public university in Perth. It was University established in 1973 as the state's second university. The university’s main campus is located in the suburb with the same name, along with two other campuses in Rockingham and Mandurah.
Edith Cowan Named after the �irst woman to be elected to an University Australian Parliament, Edith Cowan University (ECU) is quite a young tertiary institution established in 1991. It has campuses across two metropolitan campuses, in Mount Lawley and Joondalup, and a regional campus in the South West, Bunbury, with more than 30,000 students and roughly 6,000 of them are international students.
40 University of The University of Notre Dame Australia is the only Notre Dame private university in Western Australia, with Australia campuses in Fremantle and Broome. The university also has eight clinical schools as part of its school of medicine located across Sydney and Melbourne and also in regional New South Wales and Victoria.
Universities Central Queensland University have its satellite with Satellite campus in Perth for overseas students offering a range campus of courses.
TAFE and other Tafe International Western Australia and many private education colleges make students life easier when choosing providers vocational courses in Perth.
Transport
Travelling on public transport in Perth is quite easy as there are range of transport mode like trains, buses and ferries are available for travel. The cheapest and the best way to travel around is by getting a Smartrider card and making sure to tag on and off the card when getting on and off the p ublic transport. Overseas students in Perth gets 40% concession when travelling on public transport in Perth.
The average weekly cost for public transport in Perth can be around $20. There are free CAT buses that you can use for travelling around CBD areas and Fremantle and Joondalup. Buses are best when you are doing short trips and ferries are great for not only travelling but for the amazing views as well.
41 Key Events During The Year
January Hopman Cup (Tennis) This international mixed team tennis tournament is held in Perth at the start of every year.
February March Fringe World Festival Sculpture by the Sea, Spanning 150 venues across Perth, this Perth Festival festival is one of the local favorites. It The sculpture exhibition is a free public attracts a massive pool of local and event that transforms the Cottesloe international talents in the beach to a sculpture walk for 18 days. ntertainment business, so it’s de�initely Perth Festival is a premier multi-arts worth checking out. festival held annually.
June July WA Day Festival Good Food and Wine Show WA is celebrated on this day with food The Good Food and Wine show is the markets, concerts, and workshops in real-life version of Masterchef, open to Fremantle and Elizabeth Quay. It starts the public and with some of the �inest off in May sometimes and carries on chefs in Australia competing against until June. each other.
September September/October Shinju Matsuri (Festival Perth Royal Show of the Pearl) It’s a classic WA event, offering The end of pearl harvesting season in rollercoasters and farm and domestic Broome, WA, is celebrated with this animals, and complete with �ireworks at festival, which not only has food, art, and the end of the evening, so it’s �ireworks, but also dragon boat races. worthwhile for your experience.
42 Free Things to do in Perth
Take a dip in the Indian ocean Northbridge Piazza Go swimming, snorkeling, or sur�ing in Catch a free movie or sporting event the Indian ocean at Cottesloe beach, on Perth’s �irst permanent public LED just 15 minutes away from the city by screen 24x7 at this community locale. car or public transport. Oh, and don’t Otherwise, you can always wind down, forget to stay back for one of the most get some sun, or catch music and dazzling sunsets. cultural activities around this space.
Perth Culture Centre Kings Park Your one stop for all things cultural in One of the world’s largest inner city Perth (most, anyway). Here you will parks is here in Perth. Renowned for its �ind Art Gallery of Western Australia, scienti�ic research, horticulture and State Library of WA, the Western conservation efforts, King’s park houses Australia Museum and Perth Institute Western Australian Botanic Garden, of Contemporary art, all free to visit which has a collection of over 3,000 and enjoy. species of WA’s distinct �lora. You will �ind free guided walks at the visitor centre to enrich your experience further.
Free didgeridoo lesson Didgeridoo is an Aboriginal wind instrument that produces a deep, reverberating sound. So you can get a quick spin and a free lesson for 15 minutes at it from Didgeridoo Breath, one of the largest retailers of this instrument in Australia, in Fremantle.
Other places The Bell Tower The Bell Tower to explore Perth Zoo Scitech in Perth Museum of Perth Fremantle Prison Aquarium of Adventure World Western Australia theme park
43 Gold Coast
State Area Founded Population Queensland 414.3 km ² 1948 638,090
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Subtropical Rank (QS) Students Moderate 84 32,000
Fun Facts about Gold Coast
The Gold Coast The Gold Coast is a welcomes more than 13 culturally diverse city with million visitors every year one third of its population from all around the world. born overseas.
The residential building The Gold Coast is home Q1 is the tallest to the largest skyscraper in the subtropical rainforest southern hemisphere. remnant in the world.
44 Reasons to Top 5 study in
The Gold Coast's world-class university Gold Coast facilities and education standards with near-perfect weather, wonderful lifestyle and multicultural environment makes it a perfect place to study.
1 Diverse Student Community
There are more than 32,000 overseas students from over 130 countries currently studying in the city of Gold Coast making it a very diverse student community.
Cheaper Fees 2
On average living costs are 40% cheaper on the Gold Coast than bigger cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Likewise, university costs on the Gold Coast are very affordable with a wide range of course options which makes the decision easier.
3 Employment Opportunities
Overseas students can �ind part-time and casual work throughout the year to improve the skills and support the work experience while studying.
Lifestyle 4
The Gold Coast has a pleasant sub-tropical climate with an average temperature of 29 degrees and more than 300 days of sunshine per year. Accordingly the Gold Coast was awarded as the ‘Best Student City by the Beach and 69th overall in the Best Student Cities in the QS University Rankings.
5. High Quality Education
The Gold Coast has an excellent international reputation for its education and training institutions. The city has three research intensive universities, all of which feature highly in global rankings.
45 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
Bond Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2019, Australia’s University �irst private, not-forpro�it university has demonstrated the success of its unique teaching model: small personalised classes, access to premium facilities, innovative teaching and extensive industry engagement. The focus is on mentoring students in interactive, discussion-based sessions, making full use of the very latest learning and workplace technologies. Bond has been ranked #1 in Australia for Student Experience for the past 14 years in a row; is ranked in the Top 20 Best Small Universities in the World (THE rankings); and has 5 star ratings in every Student Experience category (Good Universities Guide).
Gri�ith Gri�ith University was created to be a different kind of University university challenging conventions, responding to trends and pioneering solutions through innovative teaching and research. Its high-quality degrees are speci�ically designed to prepare students for the future and are developed in consultation with industry, based on cutting-edge research and taught by Australia’s most awarded teachers. Ranking in the top two per cent of universities worldwide, Gri�ith consistently performs in the top 300 of the leading global indices. Gri�ith is also recognised as one of the world's top young universities, regularly featuring in the QS University Rankings: Top 50 Under 50 and Times Higher Education Top 100 under 50.
Other Aside from the city’s three universities and TAFE there institutions are more than 200 international and domestic education and training providers on the Gold Coast, including private vocational and registered training organisations, English language (ELICOS) schools and high quality independent andpublic high schools.
46 Southern Cross Southern Cross University is a progressive, young University and connected regional research university featuring state of the art health and science laboratories. The university is located near the world-famous Kirra Beach and is right next to the Gold Coast Airport. Southern Cross provides outstanding international student support and has been ranked number one for international student support for the 4th consecutive year by the International Student Barometer and number two for overall learning support. Southern Cross University is ranked in top 100 universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Paci�ic University Rankings, top 100 universities under 50 years by THE World University Rankings, and the top 500 universities worldwide.
TAFE TAFE Queensland is the state’s largest and most experienced vocational education provider. With over 122,000 students from more than 90 countries in 600+ study areas, and a completion rate of 90 per cent, TAFE Queensland has a proud history of training built on more than 130 years of experience and has been awarded, ‘Best Large Training Provider of Vocational Education and Training for four years in a row at the Queensland Training Awards. TAFE Queensland, Gold Coast offers more than 250 quality vocational education courses across four campuses on the Gold Coast.
Transport
The Gold Coast’s public transport system includes trains, trams and buses. Mostly, people prefer buses and trams when travelling within the Gold Coast and trains when travelling to Brisbane and other cities in Queensland.
To travel on public transport you will need to have a Go Card which is scanned by a digital reader as you get on and off any public transport mode. As a student you are entitled to a 50% concession when using public transport on the Gold Coast.
Bicycles are a very popular method of getting around in Gold Coast as well with more than 1,000 km of bikeways connecting Gold Coast’s key corridors.
47 Key Events During The Year
January February - March The Magic Millions Horse Quicksilver and Roxy Pro Race Carnival (World Sur�ing) The world’s richest sales based Then Gold Coast has some of Australia’s incentive horse race is held on the best sur�ing beaches and is home to Gold Coast, with only horses bought many World Champions including Mick at the Magic Millions auction (hence Fanning, Joel Parkinson and Stephanie the name). This is a day �illed with Gilmour. For sur�ing fans, this event is a tonnes of money, food, entertainment, must-go. The event is held by the World and, of course, racing. Surf League every year in Coolangatta.
February April Sand Safari The Gold Coast Film Festival Surfers Paradise is transformed into a The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s fascinating beach side exhibition with leading �ilm making destinations and the enormous artworks and sculptures Gold Coast Film Festival brings together made out of sand. a diverse selection of �ilms from around Australia and the world with a strong focus on local productions. May
Blues on Broadbeach July Blues on Broadbeach is one of Gold Coast Airport Marathon Australia’s largest free music festivals with stages located throughout the Held on the �irst Sunday of July, the Broadbeach precinct and performances Gold Coast Marathon is one of only two in local bars and clubs. The festival has marathons in Australia to hold the brought many big name and local premier International Association of artists to its stages with street Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label performers, markets and exhibitions status. adding to the atmosphere. November-December Australian PGA October Championship (golf) Gold Coast 600 (Motorsport event) This championship is part of the PGA golf tournament series in Australasia, This annual racing event for the dating all the way back to 1905. The Supercars Championship is held at tournament features some of the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit over the biggest names in Australian golf and course of a three-day weekend. from around the world. 48 Free Things to do in Gold Coast
Hinterland Arts and Culture The Gold Coast has some of the most Discover the works of some of the Gold exotic and Instagrammable natural Coast’s best and most promising artists sights you can �ind. From rainforests at HOTA (Home of the Arts) in the city’s to waterfalls, you will �ind a host of cultural precinct or take in a concert at diverse landscapes at different the venues spectacular outdoor national parks like Lamington National amphitheatre stage with the city Park or Burleigh Head National Park, skyline as its backdrop. which don’t charge you an entry fee.
Word famous beaches Local Markets The Gold Coast is renowned all around Although the convenience of a the globe for its golden beaches and shopping mall is available most of the clear blue waters. Surfers Paradise is a time, window shopping at local famous tourist destination, but away markets is quite an experience in from the city you’ll �ind many beautiful itself. Survey the local stalls at Surfers beaches like Currumbin, Burleigh Paradise or go for arts and crafts Heads and Nobby Beach, as well as the markets on the beachfront including world famous surf breaks at Kirra and Burleigh, Coolangatta and the Miami Duranbah. Marketta, which also features concerts and art installations.
O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk The �irst of its kind in Australia, this walkway is composed of nine suspension bridges and two observation decks and passes through blooming trees, vines and orchids, and lets you see the birds and animals amid the treetop canopy.
Other places Sea World Skypoint Observation Deck to explore Wet and Wild Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Gold Coast Dream World Springbrook National Park Movie World White Water World
49 Canberra
State Area Founded Population Australian 814.2 km² 1913 403,468 Capital Territory
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Oceanic Rank (QS) Students Moderate 23 19,000
Fun Facts about Canberra
Canberra has the most Canberra has a higher highly educated percentage of volunteers population in Australia. than other Australian cities.
Canberra has the Canberra is also known highest percentage of as Bush Capital as it is people using bicycles covered with parks, than any other city. lakes, rivers, hills, etc.
50 Reasons to Top 6 study in
Canberra, Australia's capital city is Canberra known for its educated residents, world-class universities and natural beauty that makes studying here a great study option.
1 Young City
Canberra is not only 106 years old city but 25% of its population consists of students only. Thus making this city very youthful with lots of opportunities.
Safe and Vibrant 2
Canberra boasts one of the lowest crime rates in Australia. Also it is a city with many events, galleries, museums, wineries and gardens, all within an hour's drive from the city center.
3 Accommodation
Canberra has one of the largest on-campus accommodation facilities in Australia which makes moving to a new city much easier for students.
Top Class Universities 4
Canberra has some of the best universities in the world. Also, modern infrastructure and the largest Free Public WiFi in Australia helps you to achieve the best.
5 Job Opportunities
With the lowest unemployment rates and the highest average full time job salary, you will have plenty of work opportunities around Canberra during student life and after graduation.
Eco-friendly City 6
Canberra is one of the few planned cities in the world which is clean and sustainable as well. Around 53% of the area in the city is covered by parks and natural reserves.
51 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
Australian Australian National University (ANU) is known for its National outstanding research and post-graduate programs. It University is the only university created by the Parliament of Australia in 1946. The university consistently ranks as Australia’s number one university in the QS World University Rankings.
University of University of Canberra (UC) is famous for its quality Canberra teaching and focus on professional development of the students than just academic learning. UC offers more than 300 courses including some of the courses not offered by other universities in Canberra with a strong practical focus.
TAFE and other For students interested in studying vocational education programs in Sydney, Tafe NSW and many other private providers providers provide high quality training programs.
Universities Apart from those two universities from Canberra, there are with Satellite campuses from Australian Catholic University, Charles Campus Sturt University and the University of New South Wales.
Transport
Canberra is well connected with the bus service that operates throughout the city and the surrounding areas. There is also a light rail services that run between Canberra city and Gungahlin.
You will need to use get MyWay card in order to travel on public transport in Canberra and as an overseas student you are entitled to full concession. You will need to tap on and tap off when getting on and off the public transport. The weekly cost for public transport can be between $30 to $40.
With 500 kms worth of bicycle paths all around the city and surroundings, cycling is another very popular way of travelling around Canberra. 52 Key Events During The Year
January February Summernats National Multicultural The most popular car festival in Festival Australia is held in Canberra. Exotic dancers, �loats, and parades Featuring everything from custom are common sights to see on this cars to burnouts, it is a big tourist occasion celebrating the diversity of draw for the city. cultures in Australia.
March April Enlighten Festival, Canberra National Folk Festival Balloon Spectacular This festival is a celebration of the View a wide range of architectural Australian folk culture, including a gamut projections and events with Enlighten of traditional activities and artefacts festival, and huge hot air balloons in such as market stalls, circus performers, different shapes are a sight to behold and ndependent performers. in the annual Balloon Spectacular event held at the old Parliament October-November house in Canberra. Canberra International Film Festival September-October Floriade Spring Festival The annual �ilm festival held in Canberra is a celebration of cinema The spring season is celebrated in across an 11-day program, featuring Canberra with the Floriade, with over �ilms from Australian and worldwide a million �lowering bulbs decorated as well as additional events like with artistic features. Food, wine, workshops and panel discussions with music, and recreational activities are a range of professionals involved in also part of the festival. the �ilmmaking business. 53 Free Things to do in Canberra
New Parliament House Royal Mint Since 1988, the New Parliament House Experience mighty robots (including on Capital Hill has been the meeting the legendary Titan robot that can lift place of Australian Parliament. Attend a tonne) at work in minting the the billing debate from a gallery, circulating coins in Australia and learn explore some of Australia's most how they are made with a free guided compelling artwork, and stroll through tour offered at the royal mint. the halls and spaces that won design competitions.
Canberra Space Centre Learn about amazing space exploration facts and Australia’s role in braving against the �inal frontier at this Space Centre, located at Canberra’s Deep Space Communication Complex. If that alone doesn’t make it worth a free visit, then you de�initely will change your mind after you learn that they house an actual piece from moon!
Australian War Memorial Enjoy nature If you’re an Australian history buff, Canberra offers a wide variety of then the war memorial de�initely natural experiences, from the neatly should be on your list. From galleries ordered national botanic gardens and and friendly volunteers, learn about Arboretum to the remote wilderness the brave individuals of this country of Namadgi natural park, you can �ind who participated in wars. Also take a Mother Earth’s touch abound and well moment at the Roll of Honour wall, nourished in the capital city of which lists over hundred thousands of Australia, free of charge. the fallen heroes.
Other places Lake Burley Gri�in National Portrait Gallery to explore National Gallery National Museum in Canberra of Australia of Australia Australian National Zoo National Garden and Aquarium Questacon 54 Hobart
State Area Founded Population Tasmania 1,696 km ² 1804 222,000
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Oceanic Rank (QS) Students Relatively 100+ 11,000 Low
Fun Facts about Hobart
city - Hobart is the After Hobart's ports., the second oldest capital city next stop is Antarctica as founded by European it is one of the most settlers after Sydney. southerly port.
The Tasmanian Devil, The main centre of the found only in Tasmania island of Tasmania, is the largest Hobart, is known for its carnivorous marsupial. convict history.
55 Reasons to Top 6 study in
Australia's second oldest capital city, Hobart Hobart, has not only nature as its advantage, but affordable high standards of lifestyle with fees much lower than the other capital cities make it a must study option.
1 Australian Culture
Less number of international students in Hobart means there will be more authentic Australian experience for students studying here. It helps to build English language skills and make local friends.
Affordable 2
Standard of living in Hobart is high but the cost of food, transport, accommodation and other health amenities are much lower compared to the other capital cities in Australia.
3 Natural Paradise
With beautiful beaches, lovely mountains and shining lakes, Hobart has a lot to offer for the nature lovers. You will get the cleanest air and purest water here.
Scholarships 4
University of Tasmania provides lots of scholarships for international students studying in Tasmania and fees are much lower compared to other universities.
5 Range of Courses
One of the oldest universities in Australia, University of Tasmania, has a huge range of courses which students can choose from.
Safe City 6
Hobart is home to safe and welcoming communities. The cities vibe is relaxed and locals are friendly in nature. You can travel freely around the city at night as well.
56 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of Hobart and Tasmania’s only university is University of Tasmania Tasmania. 1 in 5 students studying in Hobart are overseas students. University of Tasmania features some of Australia’s best courses in the �ields of naval architecture, Antarctic science and maritime technology management.
TAFE and other TasTafe also provides various vocational programs to the education overseas students in Hobart. There are very few number providers of private RTOs and English providers in Hobart.
Transport
Buses are the common mode of public transport in Hobart. You can pay for your fare by cash or using ‘Greencard’. We suggest you get ‘Greencard’ as fares are 20% cheaper with the card. You are entitled to student concession when studying in Hobart as an overseas student.
You can buy the card from Metro shop, agents, online or by calling them. You should tap on when getting on the bus but you don’t need to tap off when getting off. Average weekly cost can be around $15 to $20 depending on how much public transport you use.
Like most of the other Australian cities, riding a bike is popular among the students in the Hobart. Walking is another popular way of getting around the city area in Hobart.
57 Key Events During The Year
January February Hobart International Australian Wooden Boat Tennis Cup Festival, Regatta Day Hobart International is a tennis The Australian maritime culture is the tournament exclusively for women, focus of the Wooden boat festival, held at Hobart International Tennis where hundreds of wooden boats sail, Centre, and is a run up to Australian and the festival goers learn to build a Open as part of the series. boat in a jiffy. Regatta day is Tasmania’s oldest aquatic and March sporting event, hosting a series of 10 Days on the Island competitions and displays in Hobart. This biennial festival is a statewide arts event, where for ten days, the artists from exotic islands all over the world (like Hawaii, East Timor, Ireland and many more) exhibit their art creations.
June Dark Mofo The Museum of Old and New Art hosts this annu winter festival. So prep up for art, music, and food to savor at this festival.
October Royal Hobart Show The Royal Show exhibits the rural life in Tasmania, with events like livestock contests and wood chopping as popular displays.
December Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Taste of Tasmania
Hobart is the �inishing line to the famous yacht race that commences from Sydney. Taste of Tasmania is Australia’s longest running food and wine festival. 58 Free Things to do in Hobart
Visit Mt Wellington Visit Australia’s oldest Located in southeast Tasmania, this Catholic church summit is top at the list of many �irst Witness one of the oldest functioning time visitors. Enjoy spectacular views Catholic churches since the 19th of the entire city from the peak. For century and its fascinating Early better part of the year it's snowy, so Gothic Revival architecture, highly there might be limit on how far up you reminiscent of the medieval English can drive. Otherwise, you can settle style. Enjoy a little quiet and the for Mt Nelson, which is a miniature beautiful vistas offered through its version of Mt Wellington and not too stained glass inside the church. far from the Hobart CBD. Kingston Beach Spot dolphins and whales from the shores of this wonderful beach, just 16 km south of the Hobart CBD. Take a dip during warm summer or simply enjoy the vistas during the chilly season.
Visit Battery Point Rektango music event Step back in time with the suburb of Enjoy a wide variety of music genres Battery point, where you will �ind the from funk to disco is this weekly event charms of an old English village with in Salamanca Art Centre’s courtyard. sandstone buildings and gardens Courtesy of the musicians themselves, adorned with lavender and roses, this event is open to everyone from established since 1830. 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Friday nights.
Other places Royal Tasmanian Museum of to explore Botanical Gardens Old and New Art Maritime Museum Maritime Museum in Hobart of Tasmania of Tasmania The Cascade Brewery The State Cinema Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery 5956 Darwin
State Area Founded Population Northern 3,163.8 km ² 1869 145,916 Territory
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Tropical Rank (QS) Students Relatively 100+ 2,600 Low
Fun Facts about Darwin
Darwin has been named Darwin has been re-built after Charles Darwin 4 times since 1897, 1937, even before he became 1974 due to cyclones and famous for his theory of second world war. evolution.
Darwin also has the More than 26% people highest number of speak a language other indigenous people living than English at home. in the city, 9.7%, more than any other capital city.
60 Reasons to Top 6 study in
With tropical climate, mining resources, Darwin highest employment rates and closeness to Asia, Darwin presents a very unique studying experience to overseas students.
1 Close to Asia
For many students who come from Asian countries, going back home is not only quicker but cheaper also. Darwin is Australia’s gateway to Asia.
Absolutely beautiful 2 While studying in darwin, you will be able to explore the stunning beauty of northern territory including Uluru, Kakadu National Park, Litch�ield National Park and Nitmiluk National Park.
3 High Quality Education Charles Darwin University, the only university in Darwin, is ranked among the top 2% of the world's universities. It offers specialised courses including indigenous culture and health.
Diversity 4
Darwin is home to 145,000 people from 60 different countries. Darwin city celebrates its diversity and cultural richness every year at Darwin Waterfront Harmony Soiree event.
5 Tropical Climate Darwin enjoys warm tropical weather all year round with an average temperature around 30s. It also has only two seasons, Dry (April - October) and Wet (November - March).
Employment Opportunities 6
Darwin has many internships, work placements, casual and part time employment opportunities for international students.
61 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
Charles Darwin Darwin is the home to one and only university in the city University Charles Darwin University.
Charles Darwin University (CDU) is known as one of the most research intensive universities in Australia. It is also known for its teaching and learning innovations. In 2018, it was ranked third for graduate employment and salary outcomes.
CDU has three campuses in the Darwin city itself. The university offers a range of programs like business, IT, education and law.
Murdoch There is no government TAFE in Darwin but there are University many other private vocational education providers in the city providing range of vocational programs to the international students.
Charles Darwin University also provides various vocational programs including hospitality and trades.
Transport
The main mode of public transport in Darwin in buses. In order to use public transport, you will need to get a ‘Tap a nd Ride’ card. You can buy a card from the main bus terminals or in the bus itself (cash only).
As an overseas student in Northern Territory, you will be eligible to get discounts on public transport as well and $7 (in 2018) can give you unlimited rides per week. Make sure to tap on the card when boarding and tap off when getting off the bus.
Cycling is also a preferred way of travelling around the city among overseas students in Darwin. It’s warm climate and excellent cycle paths makes the life of the bicycle rider easy. 62 Key Events During The Year
April May Arafura Games Garrmalang Festival,
This is an inclusive sports event where Territory Taste Festival the disabled and able bodied athletes compete in the same program. It is Garrmalang festival is an exclusive held every two years in Darwin. arts festival featuring the works of only indigenous artists and performers, organized and run by the July indigneous managers and Darwin Beer Can Regatta, administrators. Territory Taste Festival celebrates the local produce, Territory Day 1 restaurants, and trade stalls. Darwin Beer Can Regatta features fully functional vessels made out of cans, plastic bottles, and even milk August cartons that compete against each Darwin Festival, Darwin other over at Mindil beach. Territory Day celebrates the local lifestyle, Aboriginal Art Fair landscape, and people with a Darwin Festival showcases the �ireworks display at the end. multicultural aspects of Northern Territory over a period of 18 days with outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance, and comedy routines.
The aboriginal art fair provides an opportunity to explore the traditional fashion, dance, music, �ilm, and workshops as well as purchase artwork directly from the indigenously owned community Art Centres.
63 Free Things to do in Darwin
Museum and Art Gallery George Brown Darwin of the Northern Territory Botanic Gardens
Explore Darwin’s own brand of In the vicinity of Museum and Art Gallery culture in this museum where you and Mindil Beach, you will �ind these can learn about a taxidermy gardens with their exotic collection of crocodile named Sweetheart to plants from Northern Territory and Australia’s biggest natural disaster, tropical regions from around the world. Cyclone Tracy, among other local If you’re willing to spend a little, you can artefacts and exhibitions. even do a segway tour here.
Mindil Beach Markets Charles Darwin National Park Considered one of the best evening Not too far away from the city is this events in Darwin, you won’t �ind a dull national park, which also doubled as a moment at these local markets, from �ield of bunkers to store ammo during performance artists in the streets to a the second world war, one of which is tequila sunset view in the horizon, now open to exhibition and details the operating every Sunday and Thursday. history of the war in Asia Paci�ic region.
East Point Reserve If you’re into military history, then Darwin would be one of the most fascinating places for you, especially East Point Reserve, which has a rich background as a strategic naval location for British and Australian allied forces during the second world war. You will �ind the Darwin Military museum here that details the history of the region. If history doesn’t pique your interest, then you can still enjoy Darwin’s most popular beach Fannie Bay or explore the wildlife that calls Darwin its home, including wallabies, bandicoots, and possums.
Other places Darwin Military Museum Crocodylus Park to explore Crocosaurus Cove Aquascene Fish Feeding in Darwin Darwin Wharf Precinct Lake Alexander 64 Newcastle
State Area Founded Population New South 261.8 km ² 1804 540,796 Wales
Climate Student Cities International Living Cost Subtropical Rank (QS) Students Relatively 100+ 7082 Low
Fun Facts about Newcastle
There’s a saying in People from Newcastle Newcastle that‘ everything are called Novocastrians. is 20 minutes away’ due to the lack of tra�ic jams experienced in Sydney.
A 40,000 ton container ship called Pasha Bulker Newcastle is Home to washed up on Nobby’s Australia’s biggest KFC. Beach during a severe storm in 2007.
65 Reasons to Top 6 study in
Newcastle is the second largest city in New Newcastle South Wales as well as the second oldest city in Australia. The city has gone through a huge amount of urban renewal in the last few years and boasts all of the things you would expect from a larger city but with signi�icantly more affordable living costs, especially student accommodation. 1 Affordability Student accommodation close to the main campus starts from only A$90 per week for your own room, meaning that over the duration of a student's degree, they can save upwards of A$30,000 in housing costs alone compared to other cities. Jobs 2 It’s a common misconception that jobs are hard to get in Newcastle. With only one university in a city larger than Canberra and the centre of Australia’s largest regional economy, the fact is that employers are always keen to hire international students. 3 Campus Life Campus life in The University of Newcastle is really amazing as it is set among 2 square kilometres of natural forest, making it one of the most unique campus in Australia. The main campus is called Callaghan and is the second largest campus in Australia after Murdoch in Perth.
Home to Australia’s Best City Beach 4 Forget Bondi, Newcastle’s Merewether Beach was voted ‘Best City Beach in Australia’ by Tourism Australia. It also has a bunch of other beaches including Nobby’s Beach, Newcastle Beach and Redhead Beach all of which have the bene�its of hardly ever being crowded.
5 High ranking and international reputation The University of Newcastle is ranked 207th in the world by QS World Rankings, meaning that it is ranked higher than over 99% of the world's universities. It’s best ranking is for Automation Control Engineering. At 8th in the world on the 2019 Shanghai Subject Rankings, it is higher than Harvard, Cambridge and Stanford.
Graduate Salary 6 Uniadvisor recently published the �indings of a survey of students across Australia and found that graduates of the University of Newcastle came number 1 for best paid graduates in Australia. 66 Universities and Vocational Education
Institution Description
University of Originally part of the University of New South Wales, the Newcastle University of Newcastle has been an independent public university since 1965. It’s ranked in the top 0.8% of the world's universities by QS World Rankings 2020. It has two campuses in Newcastle, one on the NSW Central Coast as well as campuses in Sydney and Singapore. University has two campuses in Newcastle as well as one in the central coast.
TAFE and other TAFE campuses in Newcastle are named Hunter TAFE as education Newcastle is the main city of the Hunter region. There are providers numerous campuses including in the inner-city suburbs of Newca stle West, Tighes Hill and Hamilton. Students can study Certi�icates, Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and even some bachelor degrees.
Located just south of Newcastle in the Lake Macquarie region, Avondale University College was previously known as Avondale College of Higher Education. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
There are few other private education providers providing range of courses to overseas students.
Transport
Newcastle uses the NSW tap on/tap off Opal Card system similar to the one used in Sydney. The recently completed Newcastle Interchange station runs regular trains to inner city suburbs, Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast, Maitland and Sydney.
Newcastle also has a light rail network with a tram stop right outside the university’s CBD campus. In addition, there is a large network of bus routes, many of which go to the main Callaghan campus. The university provides a free bus for students to get between the CBD and Callaghan campus. Ridesharing services like Uber and Didi are also available in Newcastle.
Newcastle is home to the second busiest airport in NSW with �lights to Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, Byron Bay, Albury, Dubbo, Auckland and more with new international links likely to come from 2021 after a planned expansion of the runways. 67 Key Events During The Year
February Surfest
The biggest surf festival in the southern hemisphere.
May Lovedale Long Lunch, Hunter Valley
Chefs from vineyards across the Hunter Valley put on the most popular dining experience of the year!.
September China Week
The university organises China week every year complete with a city parade.
November Newcastle 500 Supercars
The �inal event of the supercars season is in Newcastle in November each year. Part of the city centre is closed off for the event.
Various Music Festivals
Various music festivals are held in Newcastle. The most famous artists perform outdoor concerts in the Hunter Valley.
68 Free Things to do in Newcastle
Newcastle Museum Blackbutt Nature Reserve Learn about the history of Australia’s Your chance to see native animals second oldest city, including like kangaroos, koalas, reptiles and pyrotechnical re-enactments of the wombats in a natural habitat. Entry former steel works of Newcastle. is free.
Hang-out at the beach ANZAC Bridge and Bathers Way Novocastrians are spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches. The inner The recently constructed ANZAC city Nobby’s and Newcastle Beaches bridge offers amazing views of both are popular for beach sports like the city and the Southern Paci�ic volleyball while Merewether is popular ocean. Bathers Bay has kilometres of with surfers and cafe dwellers. Further pristine beaches attracting swimmers, out from the city centre, Redhead bathers and surfers. Beach is a beautiful white sand beach without the crowds.
Newcastle Ocean Baths or Merewether Ocean Baths
Newcastle has two full enclosed natural ocean swimming pools. Merewether Ocean Baths is the largest saltwater baths in the Southern Hemisphere.
Other places Fort Scratchley Darby Street cafes to explore Whale and Dolphin Honeysuckle - harbourside in Newcastle Cruises at Nelson Bay bars and restaurants Hunter Valley Zoo Hunter Valley Gardens Tree top adventure park Camel Rides and Quad Biking at Port Stephens sand dunes 69 Key Regional Areas
QLD NT Queensland Northern Territory Bundaberg Alice Springs Cairns Darwin Gold Coast WA Mackay Western Australia Rockhampton Perth Sunshine Coast Fremantle Townsville Toowoomba NT NSW New South WA Wales Armidale SA Byron Bay Coffs Harbour Lismore Newcastle SA Port Macquarie South Australia Wollongong Adelaide VIC Wagga Wagga Victoria Ballarat TAS Bendigo Tasmania ACT Geelong Burnie Australian Capital Shepparton Hobart Territory Launceston Canberra
70 Education System
Primary Education (Age – 2 to 12) Kindergarten to Year 6
Secondary Education (Age - 12 to 17) - Year 7 to Year 12
Vocational University Education (Age - 17+) Graduate Diploma, (Age - 16+) Certi�icates, Bachelor Degree, Master Diploma, Advanced Diploma Degree, Doctoral Degree
Certi�icates ranging from Bachelor Degree from 3 MONTHS TO 12 MONTHS 2 TO 3 YEARS
Diploma and Advanced diploma from Masters Degree from 6 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS 1 TO 2 YEARS
Doctoral Degree from 3 TO 5 YEARS
71 Students Visa Types
Types of Visa you can apply Types of Visa you can apply There are a few visa options for students who want to study in Australia. Each of the visa options has different requirements for when you are studying here. Make sure to comply with your visa requirements at all the time.
All student visa applications whether made directly by the student or an agent must be lodged online by creating immiaccount on the immigration website.
The table below will help you decide the right visa for your study in Australia. Please note that the costs of each visa usually change every year in July.
Who should Stay in Can I work Visa Type Visa Subclass apply this visa? Costs Australia with this visa?
Student If you are planning to From (Subclass 500) study long term in Up to 5 years Visa Australia $575
If you are planning to Depends on the Student provide care to From (Subclass 590) student visa holder’s Guardian student under 18 $575 years visa and age
If you are planning to take part in the From Training Visa (Subclass 407) Up to 2 years structured workplace $285 based training
If you have �inished From 18 Temporary your study and From (Subclass 485) months to 4 Graduate planning to work in $1535 years Australia
If you are planning for From Up to 12 Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) short term study $140 months
If you are planning to Working (Subclass 417 holiday, work and From Up to 12 short term study in months Holiday Visa and 462) Australia (Conditions $450 apply)
For up to date information head to Department of Home Affairs website at
IMMI.HOMEAFFAIRS.GOV.AU
72 Application Process
1 2 3 4
Choose the Check visa and Plan your Apply for the course and your institution budget for course directly institution requirements tuition fee and or via an agent cost of living
8 7 6 5
Prepare your Receive Accept the Receive your visa documents Con�irmation of offer and pay letter of offer Enrolment the fees (eCOE)
9 10
Apply for a Get approval for student visa student visa
73 Scholarships Overseas Students can apply for various scholarships to study in Australia. These scholarships are provided by Australian government, education providers and other public and private entities.
1 Australian Government Scholarships
Australia Awards Australia Awards is an Australian Government’s prestigious scholarship offered to students from over 55 developing nations to study in Australia. This scholarship covers not only tuition fees but airfares, living costs, oshc and provides students stipends also.
Check more information at australiaawards.gov.au
Destination Australia The aim of this scholarship is to attract and support local and international students to the regional areas in Australia. There will be 1000 scholarships worth $15,000 each year and students can study from Certi�icate IV level and above. You will need to apply for this scholarship directly to the eligible institutions More details can be found out at education.gov.au/destination-australia
Australian Government Research Training Programs (RTP) This scholarship provides stipends and cover the tuition fee for the students who are planning to undertake Master’s or Doctorate Degree by research. You will need to apply for this scholarship directly to the participating institutions. For more details visit: education.gov.au/research-training-program
2 Australian Government Scholarships
Most of the Australian education providers have scholarships available for overseas students in australia. You will need to con�irm and apply for that when you are applying for your course. Usually, the scholarships are given on academic merits so having a good marks in your previous study helps.
3 Public and Private Entities Scholarships
You should check with various public and private organisations that provide scholarships to overseas students. First point of research should be your own home country government as they may have assistance or scholarships available for the students. For example, eligible students from Indonesia can apply for BPI (LDPD) scholarship program.
74 Student Visa Application
Student Visa Eligibility Checklist Personal Documents You must have all the documents to apply for a student visa which includes birth Certi�icate, Passport, National Identity Card, CV (Resume) etc.
Enrollment in a registered training course You need to enrol in a course of study which is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
English Pro�iciency You must provide evidence of your english pro�iciency by undertaking Englist test (IELTS or PTE or TOEFL or OET or CEA).
Financial Capacity You must have an evidence of enough funds to cover your airfares, course fees, insurance and living costs.
Genuine Temporary Entrant You must provide a personal statement that you are genuinely intending to study and improve your skills and knowledge. And not using student visa as a way to stay in Australia.
Health Requirements You must undergo or be ready to undergo a health examination for the student visa.
Character Requirements You must be able to provide a police clearance certi�icate for assessing your character.
Overseas Students Health Cover You must organise an appropriate Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC) while studying in Australia.
Welfare Arrangement for Under 18s If you are under 18, then there must be evidence for a welfare arrangement including accommodation etc. in Australia.
Arrangements for Accompanying Family Members If you are bringing family members on your student visa, then you must have enough funds to support their living as well.
Student Visa (Subclass 500) Visa Conditions
You can work up to 40 hours per fortnight when your course is in session and unlimited hours during o�icial school holidays. A fortnight is a 14 days period starting on Monday. You must not start working until the course of study commences. You must remain enrolled in a registered full time course. You must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance (OSHC) during your stay in Australia. You must inform your education provider about your address where you live in Australia within 7 days of arriving in Australia including any change in address. You must maintain satisfactory attendance in your course and course progress for each study period as required by your education provider. You must not involve in any activity that is disruptive or threatening to Australian community. You must continue to satisfy the criteria requirements of the grant of the visa including your �inancial capacity.
75 Various Costs
When it comes to cost of studying in Australia, you Tuition Fee Accommodation Costs Other Living should consider Expenses Will vary based on Will vary based on three main quali�ication and different accommodation Will vary based on costs: institution option city and lifestyle
Education costs
School $7,800 to $30,000 English Language Approx $300 per week Studies depending on course length
Vocational Education and Training (Certi�icates $4,000 to $22,000 I - IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma)
Foundation Courses $15,000 to $39,000 Undergraduate $20,000 to $45,000 Bachelor Degree
Postgraduate $22,000 to $50,000 Masters Degree
Doctoral Degree $18,000 to $42,000
Minimum cost of living
In order to get a Australian You - $21,041 student visa, you must meet the �inancial Partner or spouse - $7,362 requirements as set by The Child - $3,152 Department of Home Affairs. From October School age children - 2019, the 12 month living $8,296 (for school fee) cost for the student visa is:
76 Various Costs Living Costs
Accommodation
Hostels and Guesthouses $90 - $150 per week
Shared Rental $95 - $215 per week
On campus $110 - $280 per week
Homestay $235 - $325 per week
Rental $185 - $440 per week
Students Apartments $250 - $450 per week
Boarding Schools $11,000 - $22,000 per week
Other living expenses
Groceries and Eating Out $80 - $280 per week
Gas, Electricity $35 - $140 per week
Phone and Internet $20 - $55 per week
Public Transport $15 - $55 per week
Car (after purchase) $150 - $260 per week
Entertainment $80 - $150 per week
Source: Study in Australia - www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
Note: Costs may vary based on the course, city and lifestyle you choose
77 2 Before you leave
Things to plan Planning for arrival Packing Checklist Accomodation Learn Australian Things to Plan 9 Things to consider before leaving your home country
1 Passport and Visa Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months prior to your entry arrival in Australia, and that you have all your visa documentations.
2 Student Enrolment and Other Documents You will need your electronic Con�irma tion of Enrolment (eCoE) and other documents, which you would have received from your institution. Make multiple copies in case you lose one.
3 Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) it is a legal requirement for entry to Australia on a student visa, so make sure you have your health cover policy arranged before you leave home.
4 Travel Insurance We recommend you to take travel insurance, which covers things your OSHC may not – such as cancelled �lights, lost documents, dental or optical care, etc.
5 Airfares Check the date and time of your �light. Keep your �light details in a safe and secure place along with your passport and visa.
6 Contact Details You may want to have a list of emergency contact details for family, as well as your embassy, accommodation and institution details.
7 Australian currency It is recommended to have some Australian currency on you prior to leaving your home country.
8 Airport Transfer Make sure to arra nge your airport transfers before leaving your home country. Con�irm with your institution if they offer pick up from airport.
9 Accommodation details Make sure you have the address of where you will be staying as well as their phone number and payment con�irmation.
79 Comprehensive Packing Checklist
Documents Hoodies Towels, Hand towels, Handkerchief Passport Jackets Snacks Laptop Formal Dress or Suit Backpack Camera Raincoat Swimwear Adapter Traditional home country dress Accessories Undergarments Shoes Basic Utensils Shirts Medicines with Scarf, Beanie T-shirts prescriptions Gloves Pants Feminine hygiene products Sweaters
80 Planning For Arrival What you can and can’t bring in Australia?
Most of the airlines have a standard baggage requirements of 23 kg luggage and 7 kg of hand bag. But some airlines allows for extra luggage if you are a student, it is better to ask your airline booking agent or check the terms and conditions of the airlines yourself.
Australian border protection and biosecurity authorities are very strict in regards to what you can bring and what you can’t. So make sure not to bring any item that is not allowed in Australia to avoid penalties.
It is illegal to carry drugs including marijuana, cannabis, heroin, cocaine and amphetamines in and out of Australia. Also, do not bring any food, fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry, pork, eggs, dairy products, live plants or seeds as they might pose threat to local agriculture and farms.
Before your �light lands in Australia, you will need to complete an Incoming Passenger Card which will require you to declare the items you are bringing in your baggage. If you are unsure about certain items, it is a good idea to declare them. If you don’t tell the truth you may face serious penalties.
Your baggage can be assessed by biosecurity o�icer, x-ray or a detector dogs even if you have nothing to declare. If you are carrying items that are prohibited in Australia and you have not declared, then you could face penalties like:
on the spot �ine for up to $340 Criminal charges with �ines more than $420,000 10 years imprisonment. From 17th April 2019, new laws are in place that Australian airport authorities can cancel or shorten visitor visas if a visitor fail to declare prohibited items upon arrival.
Why i need to declare it? Australia has a very unique environment including some of its landscape, animals, birds and its agriculture produce. And to protect them from any unwanted diseases and pests, Australia has very strict biosecurity laws in place for importing any products.
Make sure to read step by step guide on what to do when you arrive in Australian airport for the �irst time on our website.
81 List of items that you can and can’t bring in Australia.
Items you are Items you are Items you are allowed to bring allowed to bring not allowed to without declaring with declaring them bring at all.
Duty free items Fresh fruits and Clothing like Alcohol, vegetable/ tobacco and perishable general goods items Shoes - Alcohol - 2.25 lts Home made food - Tobacco - 25 - cigarettes or 25 gms Personal Food from hygiene Prescription the plane medicine Gifts, Firearms, weapons, Souvenirs Currency more explosive material Electronic than $10,000 AUD Soil/mud/clay equipment attached to the like laptops, shoes phones, camera Samples for business Illegal pornography Leather items including any child like shoes, belts Exceeding Duty pornography free limits of Certain foods Illicit drugs that are $900 commercially prepared and Vitamins and Animal products packed supplements like chocolate, confectionery, coffee, tea, cosmetics, juice Medicines like Plant materials and and soft drinks, maple syrups, panadol, live plants vegemite or nutella, chips paracetamol Currency less etc for Pets and animals than $10,000 personal use AUD Fake designer goods Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of items you should bring or not bring to Australia. For a more detailed list of items, please check Australian Border Pirated CDs/DVDs Force website, at https://www.abf.gov.au
82 Accommodation
Short Term Student Apartments Accommodation Cost Cost $250 to $500 per week $90-$150 per week Types Types Apartments Hostels and discounted hotels Location Location Usually in the city centre Usually in the city centre Recommended time Recommended time Medium to Long Stay Short Stay Student apartments usually offers facilities Temporary housing which may be like 24 hours onsite support access, bills, offered through your institution while furnished living spaces, study areas and you get settled in your early stages here. social events, pretty much everything you need at one �ixed price.
Private Rentals On Campus Cost Cost $185 to $440 per week $110 to $280 per week Types Types Apartments, Units or Houses Apartments or bedroom units Location Location Mostly not in the city centre Usually in the university campus Recommended time Long Stay Recommended time Medium Stay You can rent or lease a property by yourself or with friends. This can be done Most universities have comfortable through a real estate agent or privately. and furnished apartment-style living When renting a property you will need to on campus or close by, sometimes pay asecurity deposit or 'bond' (which is with cleaning and meals included. usually four weeks rent), as well as rent in advance (also usually four weeks). Homestay Cost $235 to $325 per week Types House Location Usually not in the city centre Recommended time Short Stay With homestay, you will live with a family in their home. Homestay can be a good option for younger students as you will have all the comforts of an established home, often with meals and cleaning included. 83 Important questions to ask yourself before renting in Australia
Do you know your rights and Does the rent meets your 2 1 responsibilities as a tenant? budget?
What utilities like gas, water What public transport 4 3 or electricity or internet options are available around included in the rent? the property?
How far it is from your How far it is from your 6 5 university or workplace? university or workplace?
How many people and who 8 Is the area safe enough to live? 7 will share the accommodation with you?
Is the accommodation fully or Is the property comfortable to 10 9 partially furnished or live, sleep and study? completely unfurnished?
Does the accommodation 11 provider provides meals also?
84 Tips for renting in Australia
Know your rights as a tenant. Seek advice from your 2 1 Check them on your state’s education provider or Residential Tenancy institution if you are looking for Tribunal website. a student accommodation.
Be wary of the rental scams Always inspect the property 4 3 before signing up for a lease. including online scammers and Don’t trust the online dodgy landlords photos only. Deposit the rental bond with 6 Go through the terms of the the agent/landlord and get a 5 tenancy agreement or lease receipt for that. documents carefully before signing them. Check before signing the lease 8 on who is responsible for the Make sure to pay the rent on utilities like water, electricity 7 time, usually paid in advance and gas. Usually, it is to be paid (weekly or fortnightly or by the tenant (you). monthly). If you notice any defects in the 10 property not listed in the Make sure to get the condition condition report then you 9 report before signing tenancy should add them to the report agreement. It tell about any and inform the agent or physical defects in the landlord about it. property.
Note down on who will be 12 Tenancy agreement should responsible for what kind of 11 mention about the inspection maintenance. Usually, the of the property. Your landlord landlord is responsible for the or agent must give you enough major maintenance but tenants notice for the inspection might be responsible for some during your stay. minor maintenance.
If you would like to extend your You and your landlord/agent 14 13 lease, your landlord/agent should give su�icient notice to might increase your rent. each other for terminating the tenancy agreement.
If you have a dispute with your 15 landlord/agent which can’t be Don’t leave anything for the 16 resolved, then you should last minute. Always plan ahead contact Residential Tenancy so you properly consider and Tribunal in your state or territory. go through all the options. 85 Learning Australian Learning Australian Slang!
It is usually challenging for anyone to pick up the accent of the local people when they visit a new country and so is the case for any visitor and overseas person to understand an Australian Accent.
Watching and listening to Australian television and podcasts can help you to become familiar with Aussie (Australian) words, accent, and culture. Here is a list of the key Aussie slang that you will need to be friends with before you land in OZ land.
1 Aggro 2 Ambo 3 Barbie 4 Bickie Aggressive Ambulance Barbeque or Biscuit or Angry ‘Cook Off 5 Bloke 6 Boardies 7 Bottle-O 8 Brekkie Man or Guy Board Shorts Bottle Shop/ Breakfast Alcohol Store 9 BYO 10 Chewy 11 Chockie 12 Cuppa Bring Your Chewing Gum Chocolate Cup of Tea Own
13 Digger 14 Deli 15 Devo 16 Flat Out Soldier Delicatessen Devastated Very Busy
17 Footy 18 G’day Mate 19 Kindy 20 Lingo Football (AFL) Hello friend! Kindergarten Language
21 Lippy 22 Maccas 23 Mozzies 24 No Worries Lipstick McDonald Mosquitoes No Problems
25 Op Shop 26 Pokies 27 Pollie 28 Postie Opportunity Poker Machine Politician Postman Stores 29 Preggo 30 Rego 31 Roo 32 Sanger Pregnant Registration Kangaroo Sandwich
33 Servo 34 Sickie 35 Smoko 36 Sunnies Petrol Station Sick day Smoke Break Sunglasses
37 Ta 38 Thongs 39 Tradie 40 Typo Thank You Flip-�lops Tradesman Typing error
41 Uni 42 Veggo University Vegetarian 86 3 After you arrive
First Few Days Banking Support Services Communication Study environment Australian Culture Shopping Transport Working Healthcare Safety First Few Days
Getting Used to Your New Home and Surroundings
After arriving in Australia, the �irst few days you would adjust to your new home and surroundings. It can be overwhelming for new students to adjust to their new home.
Try to get a local guide or a map to get used to the surroundings and understand the area you are living in. Google Maps is a great way to get around and you can easily �ind the destination you are travelling to.
Orientation
Many universities and institutions organise an orientation, also known as O -Week or Welcome Week. Although, the purpose of this week or orientation is to help students settle into their new study schedule and system, there are many other things that usually happens in the orientation week (especially in TAFEs and Universities).
Usually, you will only need to attend orientation once in your educational institute. As a newcomer to the country, we highly recommend you to attend the orientation as it helps you to meet other students and make new friends, administration staff members and teaching team and understand your own institution better.
88 What exactly is Orientation or O-Week?
Orientation or O-Week (for tertiary students) is a way to learn more about the institute you are going to study, your course, services and support system available for you as a student.
If the studies where they will explain more about the institution, your studies, providing you with a time table and a student card (which can be useful for many exclusive discounts and offers).
How long is it? When it is?
!"# $#%&'" () '"# (*+#%','+(% -.-,$$/ Orientation is conducted before you 0,*+#. )*(1 (%# +%.'+'-'# '( '"# start studying at any institution in ('"#*2 3.-,$$/4 )(* 5*+0,'# 6($$#&#. (* !"#$%&'(&) *+% ,+#$ +- $./ "0(1/%#($(/# '*,+%+%& 5*(0+7#*. (*+#%','+(% 6,% &02 3!*4# (0 !"#$%&'(&5 $./ 678//9 (# in one of the weeks in February and $,.' ,%/8"#*# 9#'8##% : '( ; "(-*. :"';) *+% <%(1&$/ (0#$($"$(+0#5 ($ "#"&''; !" # $ #%& ' (! ) " r T A FEs # *$ 5 '"#$) '%+ #) *(%+,*&$+ -$.("$ &1$ 3%+0#*.+'+#.4 +' -.-,$$/ $,.'. )*(1 , 0/= #$"2/0$# #$&%$ $./(% >+"%#/) 7,/ '( (%# 8##<2
89 What’s usually covered in it?
There are many things that are usually covered during the orientation. Here are some of them:
One of the �irst thing that is You will also get to know 2 1 discussed in the orientation about your course, course session is about the structure, holidays, educational institute, its assignments, exams and history, key people and the other important information policy and procedures. about your course.
There will be speci�ic You will be shown around the 4 3 information about your campus (including health and classes that includes your safety induction), your class timetables, classroom classroom and you can get to and lecturer information. meet your teachers.
You also get to see all the You will also be informed 6 5 facilities like library, computer about the student support labs, photocopy facilities, services like job application canteens or cafes, kitchen, help, counselling and other hangout areas etc. support services.
If there are any student clubs Many of the student-related 8 7 or unions in the institute, you businesses and services will will be informed about them have lots of free goodies and you can join them also. available for the students.
Usually, one of the Apart from the information 10 9 administration team members related to studying, there will will take your photograph and be lots of other information prepare you a student ID. about working and living in Australia will be provided.
90 Support Services In order to protect overseas students from getting exploited, various institutions, s tudent associations, state governments and the federal government provides various support services.
Support Service How do they help How to reach them
Overseas Students This ombudsman can help you in dealing with problems with private ombudsman.gov.au Ombudsman institutions and education providers.
It is a government initiative if your institution could not deliver your Tuition Protection course of study, then government tps.gov.au Service either help you in completing course elsewhere or help you in getting refund of uncompleted studies.
Most of the educational institutes Please check your Institution support provide support to overseas students university or services for completing their studies and adjusting their life in Australia. institute’s website
National student associations like Student Australian Federation of International www.a�is.org.au Students and Council of International associations Students can assist you in living and www.cisa.edu.au/ studying queries as well.
Disability support If have a disability and require humanrights.gov.au assistance then you can contact you institution or approach Human Rights Commission to assist with your queries.
If you are studying in Australia through an Australian scholarship Childcare then you might be eligible for some australia.gov.au assistance for Childcare as well.
Getting Help If you are ever confused with the things and not sure what to do, it is better to ask your teacher/trainer/professor or administration team members of your institution. They are u sually very helpful and will try to guide you in the right path if you need some advice .
91 Study Environment Difference between University, Tafe and a College
You can study in either university, tafe or a private college. Usually, the courses d elivered by these institutions are different. Whichever provider or level you choose, you must comply with the requirements of the study level. Here are some differences between the university, college and tafe.
University Tafe Private Colleges
Quali�ication Highest level of Wide range of courses Specialised industry quali�ications like Usually VET (Vocational focused VET(Vocational Delivered Bachelor Degree, Master Education and training) Education and training) Degree, Associate programs like and Elicos courses but Degree and PHD Certi�icates, Diploma some college also deliver and Advanced Diploma higher degree programs
Independent study and Classroom based study Classroom based study Learning Style less contact hours and hands-on training and individual attention
Duration of Undergraduate: 3-5 years Certi�icates: 3 months Same time frames as Post Graduate: 1-3 years to 1 year mentioned for university the Courses PHD programs: 3-5 years Diploma: 6-18 months and tafe, depending on Advance Diploma: what course they are 1 -2 years delivering
Academic Starts - Feb, July Starts - Feb, July and Starts Jan. Usually and Nov (Summer Nov (Summer Intake) - 3 intakes every 5 to Year Intake) - 3 terms terms 10 weeks
Lecture - 200 students Combined Lecture and Classes - around 20 to Class Sizes Tutorial - 30 students Tutorial - 30 students 25 students
Assessments Exam, Theory and Assignments Practical Elicos - Entrance exam, Practical assignments, and theory, Class tests class work, homework Class participation and �inal exams. Other are same as tafe and uni
Who Runs Usually run by the Usually run by the state Usually run by the Them? federal government or territory governments private providers
Referencing Lot of assignments will require you to do research and it is very important to provide your sources of information. This is known as referencing. Failure to do so will lead to plagiarism. and Plagiarism Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else's work or idea and claiming it as your own. This is a serious offence and you can even lose your visa as a result of it.
It is also illegal to get assignments done from other people or companies and you can be expelled from your institution if you get caught. 92 Study Environment Australian Study Environment
Australian study environment is most likely to be different from your home country so it is better to learn how things work in Australia. Most of the study done in the institutions/university is in a casual environment.
Some tips for studying in Australia:
Australian education system encourage independent learning. Most institutions value asking questions and active class participation. There is no dress code for studying in Australian colleges and universities. Usually, the timetable is very �lexible ranging from 7 am to 11 pm. Your classes provides a foundation for building knowledge, so you must attend all classes. Make sure to manage your time by creating a weekly schedule and commit to it. If you don’t have a computer, printer or access to wi�i, don’t stress as you can get access to them at your local libraries. No need to ask for permission when you come in or go out of the class. Don’t copy paste or submit your friend's or someone else’s work, you will be caught out with plagiarism which can jeopardize your student career. Reference your sources of information. If unsure, ask you university library. If you don’t understand something, ask your tutor/trainer/professor. Don’t be too serious, go and talk to classmates and make new friends. Most of the universities and educational institutes grade students based on various assignment tasks, exams, class participations. Make sure to check the grading system of your institution as it can be confusing for newcomers. You will need to do lots of research in completing your assignment tasks. Assessments usually have strict deadlines but if you need an extension, don’t hesitate to ask your tutor or institute explaining them about your circumstances. In exceptional circumstances, you can also defer the course but it needs to be approved by your education provider. The secret to success in your studies is to ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTIONS.
93 Australian Universities Map
Northen Territory Queensland Maroochydore Darwin Townsville University of the Sunshine Coast Charles Darwin University James Cook University Brisbane Rockhampton Gri�ith University CQ University Australia Queensland University Westren Australia of Technology Perth University of Queensland Curtin University Edith Cowan University Toowoomba Murdoch University University University of Westren Australia of Southern Queensland
Freemantle Gold Coast University of Notre Dame Australia Bond University New South Wales Lismore Southern Cross South University Australia Armidale Adelaide University of New England Carnegie Mellon University Flinders University Newcastle University of Adelaide University University College Londo of Newcastle University of South Australia Bathurst Torrens University Australia Tasmania Charles Sturt University Sydney Victoria Hobart Ballarat University of Tasmania Australian Catholic University Federation University Australia Macquarie University University of New South Wales Melbourne Indicates that the University of Sydney institution is a University of Technology, Sydney Deakin University member of the elite University of Westren Sydney La Trobe University “Group of Eight” - RMIT University the group of Wollongong “Australia’s Leading Monash University University of Wollongong Swinburne University of Technology Universities” University of Melbourne Canberra Victoria University Australian National University
University of Divinity Australia Capital Territory University of Canberra 94 Top 10 Universities in Australia 2020
University Location World Rank Group of Eight
Australia National Canberra 29th University
University of Melbourne 38th Melbourne
University of Sydney Sydney 42nd
University of New Sydney 43th South Wales (UNSW)
University of Brisbane 47th Queensland (UQ)
Monash University Melbourne 58th
University of Perth 86th Western Australia
University of Adelaide Adelaide 106th
University of Technology, Sydney 140th Sydney (UTS)
University of Newcastle 207th Newcastle (UON)
Source: Qs World University Rankings 2020, https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-ranking s/top-universities-australia-2020 95 Banking Banking System in Australia
The banking system in Australia is fairly straightforward. Australia has a similar banking system to other western countries. Australia has similar banking system to the other western countries. There are 4 big banks known as BIG 4 and l ot s of other smaller banks where you can open an account in.
The BIG 4 banks in Australia are:
Commonwealth Bank ANZ Bank NAB Westpac
There are also many other smaller banks like Bank of Melbourne, Suncorp, Bendigo Bank, Bankwest, ING, Me Bank, Adelaide Bank, Bank of Queensland, St George Bank, Bank SA. Having an account with bank means easy access to the money for paying your expenses. Also many employers deposit your salary in your bank account, so it will be helpful when you start working.
How to open a bank account
Opening a bank account in Australia is a If you open your bank fairly simple process. You can open a bank account online, then you account for up to 12 months before coming need to make an to Australia. You can also open a bank appointment at your account by visiting a branch or online as localbranch to show them well. Whether you open an account in the documents. If you are branch or online, you will need to provide going to open the bank the following documents: account by visiting the branch then you can get the account up and running in no Electronic time by bringing documents Passport Con�irmation mentioned above. We of Enrolment suggest you open the bank (eCoE) account within the �irst 6 weeks of arriving as you Letter Email might need to provide more of Offer address identi�ications for veri�ication purposes after that.
96 Meeting the 100-Point Requirement
We suggest you open the bank account within the �irst 6 weeks of arriving as you usually need to provide only a passport for your identity veri�ication.
However, if you don’t open a bank account within 6 weeks of arriving then you will need to meet the 100 point ID requirement. You can use the following documents to meet those point requirements: 70 pts 40 pts Birth Certi�icate/ Drivers Licence (full / Passport Citizenship probationary / Certi�icate learner)
25 pts 25 pts Any card on which Documents on which your name appears: your name and Medicare card/Library address appear: Car card/Student card registration/Utility bill/Rental receipt
Once your identi�ication is con�irmed then you will get your Debit card in your mail usually within 7 days. Although you can start using your account usually right away using online banking and apps.
Features to look for in the bank account Online and before opening a No monthly fee mobile banking bank account
Whether you choose a No ATM transaction account, Debit card withdrawal fee savings account or any other type of account, make sure to look for No fee international these features in your ATM network money transfers bank account: 97 Types of Bank Accounts
There are three main types of bank accounts you can open as an overseas student in Australia.
Transaction Saving Student Account: Account: Account: Transaction account is Saving account is Student-speci�ic account an everyday account useful for when you are is usually offered to that is used for your planning to save students only. It is a day to day banking money and keeping transaction account needs like paying bills, large sums into this loaded with some extra withdrawals using account earn you bene�its like no fee and ATMs etc. interest as well. other added bene�its.
Accessing your money You can access your money online, via Australian ATMs or branches. Most of the people Currency carry less amount of cash as usual payments are done via cards. ATMs of The main currency of Australia most of the banks are easily accessible (AUD) is the dollar and it comes 24 hours a day at various locations like in the denomination of $5, $10, shopping centres, 7-11, convenience $20, $50 and $100 notes. Coins stores. You can also. withdraw (cash out) are issued in denominations of money upto $500 from your local 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2. supermarket without any fees.
Opening hours
Most of the banks operating hours are between 9.30 am to 4 pm from Monday to Thursday and 9.30 am to 5 pm on Fridays with the exception of some banks opening longer hours on weekdays or opening on weekends.
98 Communication
Mobile Phones Australian telecommunication providers use 3G and 4G networks to power the mobile phone services in Australia. Although 5G network is getting rolled out but it is still in the early phases. So if you are bringing phones from overseas make sure it is compatible with the local network in Australia.
There are many providers of the mobile phone plan services like Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, Amaysim, Boost Mobile, TPG, Kogan, Dodo, etc.
We suggest you to compare the plans before choosing the provider which will help you to choose the best plan that suits your needs.
Getting a SIM Card One of the �irst things you will need when you land in Australia is an Australian SIM card so you can start communicating with the family and friends here and overseas. There are two main types of accounts you can sign up with:
Prepaid Contract (Post paid)
Prepaid services, as the name Contract usually means that you will suggests, means that you pay in sign up for an agreement with a advance and use the service until you provider for a certain period of time. The run of your credit or the time limit and timeframe of the contract can range then recharge when you can or want from 6 months to 24 months. As it is a to. It gives lots of �lexibility to the users long term agreement so we suggest as you are not obliged to recharge the you to check the terms and conditions same amount of money every month. before you sign up for a contract.
You can buy these SIM cards from The bene�it of signing up with this kind supermarkets or convenience stores of account is that you will usually get a and they can be easily activated online mobile handset also at much or over the phone. You will need to discounted rate and then you have to provide your ID (like your passport) in pay a �ixed amount every month which order to activate the services. will help you in managing your monthly budget.
99 Internet Internet is freely accessible at all major international airports in Australia for a certain period of time. Free internet is also available at various city centres across major cities in Australia.
Students can also access the internet at their institution or university, local libraries or fast food outlets like McDonald’s.
In case you want to sign up for internet services you might to check if you can sign up for an NBN plan or ADSL plan. Like mobile services, there are many providers of these services as well like Telstra, Optus, Internode, TPG, Dodo, Iprimus, Belong, Myrepublic, Amaysim, etc.
NBN ADSL
National Broadband Network is It is older type of broadband internet Australia’s fast speed internet services connection which offers less faster providing between 12 Mbps to 100 speeds but at a lower rates as well. It is Mbps speeds which is still not available in most areas where NBN available in all areas as yet. Depending services has not reached yet. on speed and data requirements, you might have to pay extra to access high speed services.
100 Australian Culture
Culture and society
Australia prides itself as one of the most diverse and welcoming cultures in the world with 25% of Australians born overseas. Here are some guidelines that you need to keep in mind while settling in Australian culture.
Australians are generally very Many Australians don’t follow 2 1 friendly, open minded, honest, any speci�ic religion, though down to earth and more they openly accept the relaxed in their approach. practice of every religion.
Australians love their sports It is polite to handshake right 4 3 like cricket, AFL and rugby etc. hand when you meet someone in Australia. Australians also like to have an 5 eye contact when talking with Not looking in the eyes could 6 someone. mean that you are lying or hiding something. It is recommended to say “Hi” 7 or “Hello, how are you?” Australians are famous for 8 instead of “G’day” or “G’day using lots of slang, so be mate” as it sounds patronizing prepared for some colourful from a foreigner. conversation with locals.
Australians don’t take things so They love making fun and their 10 9 seriously and enjoy their lifestyle. sense of humor is amazing but it can also be challenging for a The secret is not to take things newcomer to understand the 11 so seriously as Australians like Australian humor. to make fun with friends, people they know and Most of Australians don’t 12 sometimes even with strangers. accept any discrimination, racism and they are very open You need to be mindful of on their views about it. 13 personal space when interacting with Australians. Tipping waiters and waitresses in 14 They don’t like to get too close the restaurants is not necessary. to the people they don’t know. When boarding public 16 Always arrive on time or bit transport, you must give way 15 earlier when meeting with to exiting passengers �irst Australians. They don’t like late before getting in. Also, always comers. follow the queue.
101 Shopping Shopping in Australia Australia is a famous destination for lots of shoppers from overseas. So while you are here as a student, you can take advantage of this opportunity and do some shopping. You can �ind all the world’s leading brands in Australian shopping centres as well.
Most likely, shopping experience is going to be different in Australia than the country you came from. There is a very casual and friendly atmosphere in the shops or stores. There is not a lot of push from salespersons to buy the items but they are there to help if you require any assistance. Most of the payments are done with cards using EFTPOS (Electronics Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) terminals available at most stores. You have to queue up to pay for the items. Australians don’t like queue jumping or pushing each other to get ahead when shopping.
Buying Groceries Shopping Centres To survive, you will need to buy food and Most of the major metro and regional if you are not eating outside every time cities have various shopping centres (which can be expensive) then you most to meet all your shopping needs likely will need to buy some groceries. under one roof.
There are 4 major supermarkets where The majority of the shopping centres people buy their groceries from in in metro cities are usually open Australia, named, Woolworths, Coles, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, Aldi and IGA. You can easily �ind one or with some opening until late on all of these supermarkets near you. Thursday and Friday nights. Most of theshopping centres are also open on You can also �ind products from your Saturday and Sunday but opening home country in these supermarkets hours will vary depending on the city but we suggest you to �ind your country you are living in. grocery stores as it is usually cheaper than these big supermarkets.
102 Factory outlets If you are looking for a bargain or are after some inexpensive shopping then you should head down to some of your nearest factory outlets. They usually sell overstocked, out of season and previous models and design at much discounted rates. Outlets like DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) are really popular among overseas students and residents alike.
Online Shopping Online shopping is getting really popular among Australian consumers. There are plenty of websites available www.ebay.com.au to help you satisfy your online shopping cravings. One of the most www.amazon.com.au popular websites among overseas students for shopping used items like electricals and furniture is etc. is www.kogan.com.au Gumtree.com.au. Some of the other most popular websites for online www.gearbest.com shopping in Australia are: www.asos.com.au
www.missguidedau.com
www.groupon.com.au
www.catch.com.au
Weekend markets Many suburbs in the major metro and regional cities run small community-based markets selling vintage clothing, fruit and vegetables, homewares, books, plants and homemade food during the weekends. They are also known as weekend markets. These are a great way to explore your new neighbourhood.
103 Top 10 Saving Tips
Course textbooks In order to save can be expensive. So money for the always look for used accommodation, look textbook for buying for a housemates and or renting. share your expenses with them.
If you want to save Doing your food money on public shopping at the end transport, try living of the day and buying closer to your cheaper supermarket institution or value brands helps in university. saving money on groceries.
To save money on Avoid getting haircut clothing, you can at expensive salons shop second hand and look out for some clothes at op shops training schools as like Salvos and they might need hair Vinnies for affordable models for their pre-loved items. training purposes.
Understand the Rather than going out power of your with friends over the student card and look weekend, consider to for student speci�ic get together during deals or discounts. the week as restaurants and bars often offer cheaper meals and drinks.
Compare the You can also check electricity, gas, various websites or internet and mobile apps for saving plans regularly and money in your city. switch to the one You can check that offer better deal. student deals on our website as well.
Tip - Would you like to save more money while shopping? Check our comprehensive guide on saving money in Australia with 60+ tips on our website. 104 Average Cost of Basic Items (Price in AUD)
Milk Bread Water $1.20 - $3 $1.50-$3 $1-$3 per litre per loaf per bottle
Butter Sugar Eggs $3 - $5 $1.20 - $2 $3.50 - $6 per 500 gm per kg per dozen
Apples Bananas Coffee $3 - $5 $2- $4 $1 - $4 per kg per kg per cup
105 Transport Transport System Most of the cities in Australia are well connected and provides safe and reliable travel to the commuters. There are a variety of Public transport services like train, tram, buses and ferries that are available in Australia.
Cost of each service will vary in each city and the type of transport services you are using. Each state and territory has its own transport network authority and they are responsible for managing the public transport system in their state.
We covered more details about transport in each city in our city guide also. This table gives a quick guide to some key facts about each state and territories transport system.
Governing Types Of Public Concession Type Of State Authority And Transport for Overseas Cards Used The Website Available Students
Only available New South Transport for NSW Trains, light rail, to tertiary Opal Card Wales www.transportnsw.info Buses, Ferries students with some conditions
Only available Public Transport Victoria Train, Tram, to tertiary Victoria Myki www.ptv.vic.gov.au Buses students with some conditions
Only available Translink to tertiary Queensland Go Card Train, Buses www.translink.com.au students with some conditions
Available to all South Adelaide Metro Train, Tram, Metro Card overseas www.adelaidem etro.com.au Buses Australia students
Available to all Western Transperth SmartRider Train, Buses overseas www.transperth.wa.gov.au Australia students
Available to all Metro TAS Tasmania Greencard Buses overseas www.metrotas.com.au students
Australian Available to all Transport Canberra Capital MyWay Buses overseas www.transport.act.gov.au Territory students
Available to all Metro TAS Tap and Tasmania Buses overseas www.metrotas.com.au Ride card students
106 Driving In Australia, overseas students are usually allowed to drive on their home country licence. You might need to check with local road authority o�ice to con�irm it. If your licence is not in english, we suggest you to get a certi�ied translation of it before coming to Australia.
You must carry your licence at all times when you are driving in Australia. Australians drive on the left side of the road with majority of cars having a steering on right hand side.
Also, there are strict laws about driving and penalties are really high so make sure to follow the local road rules like wearing driving belts, no mobile phone usage etc., when driving in Australia.
Taxi Ride Sharing Services Australian taxi network is quite Ride-sharing service is legal in comprehensive. Taxis are also known as Australia. So when considering to “Cabs” in Australia. You can hail a taxi travel, you can choose to use from the Airport, city centre, shopping ride-sharing services. Lots of malls, train stations and from various students like to use ride-sharing locations etc. You can also hire a taxi by services than taxis as they are a much phone booking or using smartphone cheaper option to travel. apps for the taxi company or just hail from the side of the road. When booking a ride-sharing service, you Although, most of the students avoid will need to use the app or hiring Taxis as they are quite expensive website that ride-sharing in Australia. It is important to provider. There are many understand that taxi fares are not ride-sharing services negotiable and you have to pay what the providers in Australia like meter is showing. Also, keep in mind Uber, Ola, Didi, Bolt etc. that you will usually need to pay an extra fee if you are using taxis late at night, from the airport, using toll roads or if pre-booking.
107 Travelling Interstate As Australia is a huge country, most of the travellers prefer to use airline services when they travel interstate. You don’t need to carry a passport when travelling interstate, however you should always carry some sort of ID’s like driving licence, Working with Children Check etc.
There are mainly 4 airlines that you can use when travelling interstate:
Qantas Jetstar Virgin Australia Tiger
Bikes Australian cities are also famous for easy travel access for bikes. If you like riding bicycles then Australia is a great place for you. It is not only cheaper but much healthier option totravel as well.
You can actually buy a new or used bicycle from online marketplaces like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace or from stores like Kmart, Target or Big W.
It is very important to follow the road rules when riding a bike in Australia. You must wear a helmet and have lights at the front and back of the bicycle. It is a good idea to get yourself a lock for the bike to avoid any possible theft.
108 Working
Finding a job in Australia can be very exciting and challenging. As you know that you have landed in a new country with a different set of rules and way of running a business, it can take a while for you to �ind a job on your own. But we have got you sorted in this section by covering all you need to know about working in Australia. Can I work in Australia? As an international student studying in Australia, you are entitled to work 40 hours per fortnight while your course is in progress and unlimited hours while you are on an o�icial school break.
Although, you are not allowed to work before your course commences. If you decide to work before the start of your course you might end up getting in trouble and face penalties.
What kind of jobs can i expect as an overseas student?
There are no limitations on what kind of work you can do as an overseas students in Australia. Some of the most popular jobs in Australia among overseas students are:
Waiters Kitchen assistants Baristas Advertising distributors Bartenders Event workers Cooks Labourer Cleaners Newcastle Food delivery Removalists Shop assistants Baby sitting Receptionists Gardener
109 What do you need to apply for the jobs?
Valid Visa - You can only work legally in Australia if you have a valid student visa. Also, make sure to abide by the rules and conditions of the visa as set out by the Immigration department.
TFN/ABN - You must get a Tax File Number (TFN) before you start working. Some employers may require to work as a contractor then you should get an Australian Business Number (ABN) for that.
Resume - You will need a Australian style resume for applying for jobs. A Resume is a document that summarises your work experience, education, skills and achievement for your employer.
Cover Letter - Some jobs may require you to apply with a cover letter. A cover letter is a document that is sent to the employers along with a resume to provide additional information on your experience and skills.
Bank Account - Most of the employers will usually pay your salary in your bank account. You can check how to open a bank account in the banking section of this guide
Superannuation Account - You have a right to get 9.5% Superannuation (it is a retirement fund which basically helps you when you retire) on top of your salary if you earn more than $450 per month.
How much will I get paid? Fairwork Australia sets out the minimum wage in Australia. Every year on 1st July, Fairwork increase the wage by certain percentage. The current minimum wage from 1st July 2019 is $19.49 per hour.
For example, If you work 40 hours per fortnight at the minimum wage of $19.49, then your fortnight income will be $779.60 (40 hours x $19.49) and your weekly income will be $389.80 ($779.60/2). Also, your yearly income based on similar calculations will be $20,269.60 ($389.80 x 52 weeks). 110 How to avoid Exploitation at work?
Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind to avoid exploitation at work:
International students have It is not illegal to get paid in 1 the same rights at work like 4 Cash as long as your everyone else. employer is reporting the taxes and paying your Your employers should give superannuation. 2 you a pay slip within one day of getting paid. Your employers cannot 5 deduct money from your You are entitled to get extra 3 salary if you break something money known as penalty rates or if there is a shortage in for working in the evenings, cash registers. nights, early mornings and Always be wary of your work weekends due to 6 inconvenience caused by rights and check Fairwork working during those hours. Australia for more details.
If you believe you are not getting minimum wages, rights and conditions and getting exploited at work, please contact Fairwork Australia for free advice and information.
Any practical tips to get a job in Australia? Prepare yourself even before you land in Australia. Start searching on various job websites before coming to Australia. It’s ok if you don’t have a perfect English. Be proactive. Follow up. Your attitude matters a lot. Don’t be shy and hide behind the walls.
Do some short courses that might help you land a job. Actively look for job in festive seasons and holidays seasons like Christmas, Easter and school holidays.
111 How to Find a Job in Australia?
1 Referrals The best way to get your �irst job in Australia is through a reference from someone you already know, it can be a friend, teacher or your peers.
2 Networking Networking can be another great way of �inding a job in Australia. Networking is meeting new people in your industry or area of work and establishing a relationship with people that can be mutually bene�icial for both parties. You can network by attending events, seminars, becoming a member of a professional body and online using Linkedin etc.
3 Door knocking It is quite a traditional way of �inding a job but it still works. Some students would take their resume and hand it to the businesses where they would like to work.
4 Students Support O�ice You can contact the student support o�ice of your college/institute/university. This can be a really useful way since lots of businesses approach the institutes directly for their recruitment. Also, check your institutions notice board for any job advertisements there.
5 Job Websites One of the most preferred ways of applying for jobs in Australia is via online as most of the businesses prefer candidates to apply that way. We recommend to look up job on these websites to �ind part-time work in your city:
seek.com.au au.jora.com au.oneshiftjobs.com au.indeed.com gumtree.com.au adzuna.com.au
6 Business websites Not only the job advertising websites are useful but some businesses only advertise jobs on their own portals and websites. Some of these popular Australian business includes Woolworths, Coles, Myers, Aldi and David Jones, etc.
7 Contractor If you can’t �ind work as an employee, then working for yourself is the best way to go. You can work as a contractor for various businesses in Australia. You can �ind some contracting work for businesses like Uber Eat, Deliveroo, Airtasker.
112 8 Freelancer If you have more skills than doing general tasks than you can decide to work as a Freelance. Freelancer positions are getting popular by the day. You should look into websites like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer and 99designs.
9 Recruitment agencies There are some dedicated recruitment agencies like Spotless and Sidekicker that can help to �ind a job as well. You should always look for opportunities to approach them and make sure to send your updated resume for any possible positions.
10 Volunteering If you don’t have any experience working in Australia, then getting yourself a volunteering work can be a great start. Volunteering is obviously not a paid job but it is certainly a way to help the community. It will not only look good on your resume but also help in building your con�idence and communication skills. You can look for volunteer positions on websites like govolunteer, seek volunteer and volunteering australia.
Bonus - : Download a free template of Australian style resume and cover letter from our website at overseasstudents.com.au
113 Health Healthcare System As most of the overseas students study for a long period of time in Australia, it is very important as an overseas student to know how the healthcare system works in Australia.
In Australia, healthcare is publicly funded by Medicare Australia, which means for most of the healthcare issues, Australian won’t have to pay out of pocket expenses. But student visa holders are not entitled to this system and they would need to arrange their own insurance.
Go through the terms of the 5 tenancy agreement or lease documents carefully before signing them.
What is OSHC? Who provides OSHC? One of the key requirements of your There are only 5 providers of this student visa is to obtain Overseas insurance in Australia and you must Students Health Cover (OSHC) before purchase OSHC from you come to Australia for your studies. It them only. They are: is an insurance designed to cover the needs of the healthcare expenses AHM CBHS (including hospital care) of international students who are planning to study, live Allianz Medibank and work in Australia. Bupa NIB
114 What does OSHC cover? Check the table below to see what’s covered and what’s not covered in the OSHC. Please note that this is a general guide and we suggest you to con�irm with your OSHC provider for what’s covered and not covered by your insurance.
What’s covered! What’s not covered!
Cost of treatment (including Cosmetic, beauty and laser surgery hospital expenses)
Cost of GP and specialists Extra’s like Dental, Optical and consultation fees Chiro, etc.
Infertility treatments like IVF Cost of medical drugs (limited) or ARS
Implanted prosthesis Any treatment outside Australia
Compensation treatment Ambulance costs covered by other insurances
Tip - You can always buy private health insurance separately if you would like to cover expenses for additional treatments.
Does every student need to have an OSHC?
It is a requirement of an Australian Immigration that every international student and their family members must have OSHC while they are in Australia on a student visa. However, the students from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Nether- lands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy or New Zealand are exempt from this insurance.
All OSHC providers must abide by the deed which sets out the conditions that registered Australian health funds must comply with in order to provide OSHC policies.
115 When you feel sick
We all have those times when we get sick and would like to see a medical professional. In these times, it is recommended to visit your local medical centre �irst and ask for an appoint- ment with a GP (General Practitioner). This is usually less expensive option and you can claim part of medical visit bill from your health insurance (OSHC). You can visit your university or institution website as they might guide on �inding the right GP as well.
But it is still better to con�irm with the medical practice you are visiting for the claims or if you have time then you can call your OSHC provider to �ind out the local medical practice that accepts your OSHC card. Consultation fees generally range between $40 and $100.
When you visit GP, they will guide you through the next steps, if they consider it necessary then they will refer you to a hospital, if they feel otherwise then they would recommend you to take medicine and stay home.
Going to the hospital
In the event of an emergency or life-threatening situation, you should ring 000 and call an ambulance for bringing you to the hospital. You can also call 112 if you are out of mobile network coverage.
In an emergency situation, you can go directly to the emergency department of a hospital where the medical professional will assess your situation. Quite often, hospi- tals are very busy, so you may have to wait for your turn as more serious patients are addressed �irst. So you have to be calm and patient!
It is advisable to �ind out the nearest public hospital and con�irm with your OSHC provider on how much hospital expenses will be covered before this kind of event occurs. Public hospitals can charge you a fee for visiting and getting treatment.
If you are not satis�ied with your OSHC provider, you can always reach out to Private Health Insurance Ombudsman for help.
116 Safety
Be Emergency Smart If you face any emergency or life threatening situation, you should take the following steps:
Call 000 from any phone or mobile – it is a free call even from a mobile phone.
Operator will ask you which of the following services you need: Police, Fire Brigade or Ambulance.
Tell the emergency service you need to speak to the operator.
If you don’t speak English, just tell the operator your language and wait for instructions.
Answer the questions the operator asks.
Operator will inform the emergency services and guide you through the steps you will need to take before the emergency service arrive at the scene.
Be Fire Smart You should be �ire smart even if you are living in a city or urban area. Follow these tips for �ire prevention:
Check that smoke alarm is working. If it’s not then report it to your property agent or landlord.
Keep all clothes and curtains at least one metre away from the heater.
Improper use of power boards and double adaptors can lead to �ire. Use a single extension cord rather than joining shorter cords.
Always stay in the kitchen while food is cooking. Turn off the cooking appliance before you leave the kitchen.
Do not smoke in bed. Dampen cigarette butts before putting them in the rubbish.
Don’t lit open �ire on days of total �ire ban. 117 Be Street Smart Be Road Safe When you are going for a night out or Here are some common road rules that coming back home late night from you must follow in Australia in order work, follow these tips: to avoid accidents and penalties:
Try to avoid being out alone at night. Drive on the left side of the road.
Plan your trip to back home. Don’t drive while or after drinking. Pre-arrange taxi or your transport. Always wear safety belts while in Travel in a group or with friends. the car (including passengers). Keep your bag and belonging Kids younger than 7 years must close to you. be in their own special car seats. Don’t show off your expensive Don’t litter or throw anything from phones or valuables. your car on the road. Don’t carry large amount of money Always carry your driver's licence with you. while driving. If possible, leave your valuables Never use a mobile phone while at home. driving. Always use pedestrian walkways Always be careful of speed limits and stay in well lit areas. and make sure to follow them.
Avoid too dark and secluded Wear helmets even when riding a areas like parks and alleys. bike as it is mandatory.
118 Be Sun Smart Be Beach Smart Sun in Australia can be really hot in Australia has wonderful beaches and summers and can cause skin they attract lots of tourists. But it is cancer. To avoid such problem important to be safe around beaches follow these steps: as well. Here are lists of tips that can be helpful: Apply sunscreen if you are going out in the sun. Be sun smart in the beach. Wear UV protective sunglasses If you don’t know how to swim, and hats to avoid direct contact. don’t go in the deep water.
Avoid spending lots of time in Always stay between the red and the sun between 10am to 3pm. yellow �lags as marked by the Keep yourself hydrated with lifeguards. lots of water and other liquids. Follow the signs posted by the local authorities strictly. Always check the weather forecasts before going out. If possible, swim with friends and look after each other. If you need help, raise your hand above your head and wave. Follow the instructions of the Australia lifeguards.has wonderful beaches and they attract lots of tourists. ButSupervise it is important the childrento be safe aroundat all beaches as well. Heretimes. are lists of tips that can be helpful: If you notice someone drowning, then call help from lifeguards or call 000.
Try to learn how to identify ‘rip’ currents and avoid them at all costs.
119 4 After Finishing Study
Graduation Applying for PR Further Education Going back home Extend the stay Graduation
So you have just �inished your studies and you are about to graduate? Congratulations! This is the time when every student look forward to in their life. All the hard work is summed up in this one day of your life.
Plan ahead for the things - Don’t keep the things till last minute, if you need to buy a new dress, shoes or have to rent a gown or cap, make sure that you are on top of the things a few days prior to your graduation.
Dress Smart - It is usually better to wear formal dress like a suit or at least a shirt and pants for males and formal dress for females.
Get your hair cap-ready - Usually, you will be required to wear a graduation cap, so make sure that your hairs are ready for that. It is better if you can trial that at home before graduation.
Don't stress too much - - Going to the stage, facing big crowds and your university o�icials can be nerve wrecking for some people. All we suggest you to focus on that it is only 30 seconds on the stage and you don’t even need to do much except going and taking your degree.
Invite your family and friends - - It is a big day in your life, so invite your family and friends to join on this special day. If your parents are coming from overseas, then make sure to organise their visa few weeks prior to the ceremony.
Arrive nice and early - To reduce stress, make sure to arrive nice and early so you can settle yourself in your seat and relax before the event starts. Rushing last minute before the graduation ceremony starts is never a good idea.
Take lots of photos - This is very important. Take lots of group photos, solos and sel�ies to remember this day for the rest of your life. And if you can afford, get at least one professional/o�icial photo for yourself.
121 Further Education
After completing the current study, lots of overseas students plan to continue their study inAustralia. You will need to explore the options that you have for further studies in Australia.
1. You can plan for going to the next level of your current course or study. For example, if you have �inished Bachelor degree in Business and now you would like to do Masters in the same �ield.
2. If you are not happy with the current study stream, you can also change your career stream to something completely different. For example, you were studying Diploma in child care and you didn’t �ind that career as interesting as you thought and might like to change it to completely new career stream like Diploma in accounting. You can also undertake a short course that might enhance your 3. chance of getting your dream job easier. Lots of tafes, universities and vocational education providers run short courses throughout the year and you might �ind the one that will be helpful for your career.
If you decide to continue your studies in Australia, then you have to consider the following:
If you don’t have long enough You will need to have enough 1 visa to complete the new 3 money to pay for your studies course, you will need to apply and living costs. for a new student visa. You can apply that before your current You will also need to renew 4 student visa expires. your OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover) You will need to apply for the insurance. 2 new course you would like to study.
122 Extend the Stay
If international students don’t have plans to study further and they are not prepared to go back home yet, then they can extend their stay for working or travelling in Australia. Let’s explore some options for that:
Working Holiday Visa Belgium Canada Republic If you would like to travel around Australia of Cyprus and work at the same time, you can apply for a Working Holiday Visa or Work and Holiday Visa. Although, this visa is only available to the citizens from eligible countries and between the ages of 18 to 30 (except Irish and Canadian citizens till Denmark Estonia Finland the age of 35).
It can let you stay and work for 12 months and if you like, you can apply to extend it for a further 12 months. You must not be accompanied by dependent children. Check the list of eligible countries on France Germany Republic Department of Home Affairs website. of Ireland
In order to apply for this visa you must be Hong Kong Special the citizen or passport holder of one of Administrative Region of the the following countries: People's Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
Taiwan (other The United than an o�icial Kingdom of Great Republic or diplomatic Britain and of Korea passport) Northern Ireland
Italy Malta Netherlands Norway Sweden Japan 123 Temporary Graduate Visa
Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) allows international students who studied in Australia for at least 2 academic years to stay and work temporarily after studying in Australia. This visa has two streams - Graduate work stream and Post-study work stream.
Graduate work stream allows students to gain valuable work experience and improve their english skills while they are working on their application for skilled independent visa. It usually lasts for 18 months.
Post-study work stream is for those students who don't want to stay in Australia permanently and would like to work after studying in Australia. This visa usually lasts from 2 to 4 years depending on the courses students have completed.
The duration of this visa will depend on your level of quali�ication:
Diploma or trade quali�ication – 18 months
Bachelor’s Degree (with or without Honours), Master’s Degree by Coursework – 2 years Master’s Degree by Research – 3 years Doctoral Degree – 4 years
From November 2019, students who are planning to study in regional area univerities will be eligible to access an1 to 2 years in Australia on a post-study work visa.
124 Travelling in Australia
While studying, many international students do not get an opportunity to travel around Australia. So after �inishing their studies and before starting a job, they like to take a break and travel around australia.
Australia is a beautiful country and has many natural and man made attractions to explore. You can experience the world class cities and natural attractions in Australia before going back home.
International students can apply for a Visitor Visa (subclass 600) that allow them to stay up to a maximum of 12 months in Australia for the travel purposes. Please note that you can’t work on a tourist visa in Australia.
125 Applying for PR
If your study was in the nominated skilled occupation list, then you might be eligible to apply for the Australian Government’s skilled migration program which can help you achieve permanent residence and citizenship in Australia.
One of the key bene�its of studying in Australia is that it has a very attractive migration program and it gets millions of applicants every single year to meet its shortage in certain skills and areas.
You can achieve permanent residence by applying for an expression of interest in Australian Government’s Skillselect program. Skill select is an online service by Australian Immigration department which allows intending skilled migrants to apply for the expression of interest.
After completing your studies, you are usually eligible to apply for one of the following visas:
Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494)
Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491)
You might be eligible to apply for other visas as well depending on your individual circumstances but these are the most common visas applied by overseas students after their studies.
126 Regional Area Migration
In order to meet the shortage of skilled workers in regional areas and reducing the growing pressure on major cities like Melbourne and Sydney, Australian Government has announced major changes to its regional area migration.
Australian Government has announced two new regional visas, Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494) for meeting those needs.
Although Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491) is a provisional visa but it gives a pathway to a permanent skilled visa (subclass 191).
For the purpose of these visas, all parts of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane will be considered as regional area.
The eligible candidates applying for these visas will need to stay and work in a regional area for at least 3 years before becoming eligible to apply for a permanent residence (subclass 191).
For more information on all these visas, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
127111 Going back home
If you have no plans of working, travelling or studying in Australia then you must plan to go back home. However, before you leave, we suggest you to go through with the following:
Education provider Accommodation Get an o�icial academic Let your landlord or property transcript from the education manager knows about it, at provider. least few weeks (ideally 4 to 8 weeks) before you decide to Make sure you provide the leave in writing. education provider with the overseas address, in case they Clean your house or room need to communicate with you. yourself or hire someone to do end of lease cleanin. Join alumni groups or associations before you leave to Make sure the lease is either keep in touch with your terminated or transferred to classmates and fellow alumni.. someone else.
If you are not planning to attend Get your bond back from the the graduation ceremony, then landlord. you must advise your education provider of how you are Make sure all the utilities like planning to receive your degree gas, water, electricity, landline or certi�ications phone and internet are disconnected and paid before Ask your education provider, you leave. lecturers, teachers for academic references. If you have furniture, make sure to sell or donate it before you Return any borrowed items and leave. books from the library.
Check if there is any other fees or charges due with your education provider.
128 Going back home
Work Tax Notify your employers as per If you have worked during the the agreement in the contract year and have paid some of employment. It is ideal to taxes, then you can do early give at least 4 to 8 weeks tax return lodgement before notice as well in writing. you go.
Ask your employers, Make sure to give your supervisors, managers to give overseas account if you are you a professional reference. having a tax refund.
Apply for all your leave Claim your superannuation entitlements or any other that you might have things you are entitled to. accumulated in your superannuation fund. Arrange to collect your �inal pay from your employers. Claim TRS from the items you have bought up to 60 days prior to departure from Australia. (Conditions apply)
Others Make sure to close your bank If you are bringing lots of account before you leave belongings back home, then Australia. check the freight charges for that. Usually, it is cheaper to Arrange to collect your �inal use the shipping company pay from your employers. then post o�ice or air freight.
Sell or donate your personal belongings like clothes and other accessories.
129 . Additional Resources
Useful contacts and websites Comprehensive Student Checklist Useful Contacts and websites
Types of Services What they do Contact details
Emergency For calling Police, Fire or Ambulance 000 services
Department of Home affairs For comprehensive information on 13 18 81 - Immigration & range of visas www.homeaffairs.gov.au Citizenship
Australian For �inding any information about www.australia.gov.au Government Australia or government o�ices
Study For o�icial information on studying in www.studyinaustralia.gov.au in Australia Australia
Australian Taxation For issues related to tax affairs and 13 28 61 O�ice (ATO) superannuation www.ato.gov.au
Fairwork For wages and working conditions 13 13 94 Australia related issues www.fairwork.gov.au
Overseas For issues related to the complaints 1300 362 072 Students against private education providers www.ombudsman.gov.au Ombudsman
Safework For health and safety at work and www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au Australia workers compensation issues
1300 224 636 For depression, anxiety related issues Beyond Blue www.beyondblue.org.au
Council for For helping in the interest and the cisa.edu.au International needs of the international students Students Australia
Australian Federation of For enriching students experience in www.a�is.org.au International Australia Students
Overseas Students For news, updates, information and www.overseasstudentsaustralai.com Australia free downloads
131 Comprehensive Student Checklist
Before You Apply
Research about Australia Submit all the documents by the deadline Check your student visa eligibility Research your study options and scholarships Understand the admission requirements Research on what you could earn while studying Arrange for the English ests Research on job opportunities in Australia Choose your education Research the cost of the living provider Research the types of Apply for the course accommodation Receive and accept COE Apply for your student visa (Con�irmation of Enrolment) Arrange for OSHC
Before You Leave
Finalise packing Open a bank account
Look up Australian customs Prepare a set of photocopied and quarantine requirement documents Save the documents in cloud Plan on arrival date and time as well Arrange your accommodation Research more about your institution Book your �lights Exchange some currency Book your airport pick-up
132 After You Arrive
Attend school orientation Submit all the documents by the deadline Get used to your new home and surroundings Find a part-time job Get a mobile sim card Find a permanent accommodation Learn about the working Learn the Australian Slangs system in Australia Update your resume and Create an Australian Style cover letter Resume and Cover Letter Learn about the available Open or Activate your transport systems Bank Account Learn about the healthcare system Open a Superannuation Learn how to be safe and what fund account to do in case of emergency Apply for TFN Learn about the local community (Tax File Number) and get involved
After Finishing Your Study
Celebrate graduation with Apply for a work visa family and friends Apply for a temporary graduate visa Plan to go back home Apply for permanent residence (PR) Decide to study further
133