Australia Institute of Business & Technology Australia Institute of Business & Technology STUDENT GUIDE SYDNEY IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY Emergency Services Dial 000 for Police, Fire or Ambulance AIBT Policelink 131 444 for non emergency INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT International Student Support can assist students settle into life and study in Aus Student Assistance Line +61 468 691 910 24/7 Service UNDER 18 YEARS We help facilitate adequate homestay arrangements for under 18 years students and maintain suitable accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements. Mr. Unwana-Abasi Johnsoni +61 1300 128 199 [email protected] COUNSELLING SERVICES Talk to our counsellor about coping with your studies or stress management. This is a free and confidential service Mr. Zohrab Balian +61 421 341 300 [email protected] JOB PLACEMENT Our Program assists international students to further develop their communication skills in a professional setting and gain practical workplace experience to enhance their career opportunities Dennis McBurney +61 1300 128 199 [email protected] DISABILITY SERVICES We support students with disabilities giving them an equal opportunity to participate and succeed in their selected courses of study. Student Support +61 1300 128 199 [email protected] ACCOMMODATION There are several accommodation options to choose in Sydney. The price of accommodation can vary from $100 per week to over $400 per week depending on the suburb, area and location. Utilities such as electricity are charged separately while in the case of shared accommodation even water and internet might be charged separately. In New South Wales, a refundable rental bond of 4 weeks applies to all new tenants. Most rental properties require a bond, and is usually equivalent to the amount of four weeks’ rent. If you have a limited budget, you may consider sharing a house or apartment with several friends, or ACCOMMODATION PRICE looking for share house accommodation. This allows Hostels and you to split the costs among several people. $130 to $180 Guesthouses Some places may ask you to sign a lease committing to six months or 12 months, while others may be more flexible. If you leave early in your lease term, Share Rental $120 to $300 (called breaking lease) your landlord or agent may seek compensation. On Campus $210 to $400 Another thing to consider is location. It is important to think whether your accommodation is close to shops Homestay $350 to $450 and restaurants, and how long it takes to travel to school and work. Consider living close to your place of study, otherwise look into public transport options. Rental $190 to $450 Purpose-Built Student $210 to $510 Accommodation ACCOMMODATION RESOURCES: Real Estate: realestate.com.au/rent Gumtree: gumtree.com.au Flatmates: flatmates.com.au For Chinese Students: Ozyoyo: ozyoyo.com TIPS: INSPECT THE PROPERTY BEFORE HANDING OVER 1 ANY MONEY READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY BEFORE 2 SIGNING IT 3 PAY ON T I ME KEEP THE PROPERTY 4 CLEAN AND TIDY KNOW YOUR RIGHTS 5 AND RESPONSIBILITIES PUBLIC TRANSPORT Getting to AIBT is easy using public transport. Sydney City trains and buses connect you easily from one destination to the other. Opal.com.au A comprehensive bus service runs throughout the city, connecting outer and inner suburbs to the CBD, major shopping centres, railway stations and ferry terminals. Special NightLink bus services run after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays for late-night travellers. PURCHASING AND REGISTERING YOUR OPAL CARD Go to Opal.com.au You can order an Opal card online through their website. Transportnsw.info is the website you can use to arrange your trip and find timetables for all trains, buses & ferries. OR for more info visit Opal.com.au/en/get-an-opal-card TRAIN A train station is located STATION across from Westpoint shopping centre. (it’s a 10 minute walk to AIBT.) WESTPOINT SHOPPING CENTRE AIBT Your Opal can be topped up either in selected stores (list of stores can TOP UP YOUR be found on www.retailers.opal.com.au) or online after logging into OPAL CARD your account. OPAL TRAVEL APP FOR YOUR PHONE Opal Travel is available free from the App Store and Google Play. • see your balance, Weekly Travel Reward progress and top up with a touch. • Receive upcoming stop alerts and find out about service disruptions. • Plan your bus, train, ferry and tram journey and get fare estimates.. • Find nearby stops, stations or terminals. Blacktown’s major shopping centre is located just metres FOOD AND from AIBT. 17 Patrick St, Blacktown GROCERIES NSW 2148, NSW. Australia. +61 28825 2400 Sydney is home to a diverse group of people representing majority of the races across the world. This makes this multicultural city a plethora of fine cuisines and dining. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you hail from, there’s something for you to try that will make it feel like home. Do you enjoy cooking your meals, fresh food such as meat, milk, vegetables, cheese and other condiments are available to you off the RETAIL AND shelves at affordable prices. There are large GROCERY STORES supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles, and if you prefer Asian food, IGA offer a variety of food and spices. Thinking of having a chat with friends, ALDI grabbing a drink or coffee? There are a lot Full range of grocery products at low prices. of coffee spot and relaxation points across the city. Here in Sydney you need to keep COLES hydrated always and having a glass of water Coles Supermarket offers a range of features for healthy living. can prove helpful. The New South Wales government has done enough to ensure WOOLWORTHS that most taps are safe to drink from. As the “Fresh Food People”, the scale and quality of fresh food offering is unrivalled by other supermarkets. KMART Menswear, womenswear, kidswear, beauty, footwear, toys, and sporting goods. Food in Westpoint shopping centre (Blacktown) BURGER FUEL • Burgers NANDO’S • Portuguese Style Glazed Chicken GUMBALLS TEA • Wraps • Chinese Dessert • Pitas BOOST JUICE GRILL’D ISTANBLUE TURKISH KEBAB • Fresh Juices • Burgers • Kebabs • Smoothies • Chicken Burgers • Wraps Max brenner NOODLE AND DUMPLING MASTER ROLLS • Coffee and Tea • Noodles • Japanese • Chocolate and Desserts • Dumplings • Korean • Take-away HUNGRY JACKS COFFEE CLUB (THE) SUBWAY • Burgers • Coffee and Tea • Chicken Sandwiches • Sandwiches • Frozen Drinks COFFEE HIT SUMO SALAD KFC • Coffee and Tea • Gourmet Salads • Pastries • Chicken SUSHI MARU • Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps • Japanese Style Sushi GLORIA JEAN’S COFFEES MAD MEX SUSHI HUB • Coffee • Burritos • Japanese Style Sushi • Pastries •Tacos CRYSTAL SEAFOOD • Nachos STARBUCKS • Curries MCDONALD’S • Coffee • Naan • Burgers • Frozen Drinks PANAROTTIS PIZZA PASTA • Pastries • Chicken • Shakes • Pasta • Coffee TUTTI FRUTTI • Pizza • Frozen Yogurt HI THAI YUM CHA CUISINE • Stir-fry, curry and noodles. • Chinese Style Seafood TELECOMMUNICATIONS AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A MOBILE PHONE FOR YOU TO BE CONTACTED. COMMON NETWORKS PROVIDERS: Telstra Australia has many mobile service providers offering various plans. Looking to buy a new sim card, purchase Optus a new phone or access roaming services on a local network? These services are available from a wide array of network providers. Vodafone Virgin Mobile Here is a list of some affordable plans readily available: Lyca Mobile MOBILE SERVICE SIM ONLY PLAN DATA CALLS AND TEXTS PRICE $ PROVIDER (MONTHLY) Telstra 15GB Unlimited 40 Vodafone 9GB Unlimited 40 Optus 12GB Unlimited 40 Virgin 2.5GB Unlimited 30 Amaysim 5GB Unlimited 29.90 Kogan 5GB Unlimited 29.90 BANKING To open a student account, you need to prove you’re a student with the following WHAT DO I NEED TO documents: OPEN A STUDENT • eCOE ACCOUNT? • Visa • Passport The biggest banks in Australia are all Australian-owned and are known as ‘The Big Four’. Banks now offer accounts with freebies such as zero monthly fees, zero ATM fees, etc. It’s always a good idea to shop around and select a bank which suits your requirements. ANZ Commonwealth Bank Westpac National Australia Bank (NAB) All banks have several branches and ATM locations in major shopping malls which is convenient when you shop. Medical and OSHC i For more information about Overseas Student Health Cover, visit the As an international Department of Health website at: student studying at AIBT you are required to have www.health.gov.au health insurance known as Overseas Student Health AIBT is also able to assist Cover (OSHC) for the full you in arranging this cover. period of your student visa. This insurance will provide cover for any basic medical and hospital care while in Australia and may also include extras such as dental, optical, and physiotherapy depending on the level of insurance purchased. If you need medical help in Sydney, make an appointment to see a doctor, also known as a general practitioner (GP), at your local medical centre. Some medical centres near AIBT: Bupa Dental +61 29671 9800 Blacktown Health Care +61 29676 5585 There is a national after hours GP service contactable through 13 SICK (13 74 65) It is important you contact your OSHC insurer before being admitted to a private hospital. While private hospitals will still provide you with medical attention, be aware that not all of their services will be covered by OSHC and you may have to pay extra for these services. TO REGISTER BUPA Go to bupa.com.au Input Membership Number To find a Bupa preferred provider. Go to: bupa.com.au/find-a-provider JOBS Australia has many opportunities for international students studying in New South Wales. Offering job opportunities in fields ranging from tourism, agriculture, resources, construction and a fast-emerging research and bio- industries sector.