Arriving in Australia | A guide for international students

Packing | Budgeting| Travelling with family| Airport arrivals| Orientation| Enrolment| Accommodation| Working in Australia| Health and safety|

Packing

Depending on your airline, you’ll likely be allowed to bring up to 32kg of checked luggage with you.

Make sure you pack for the weather conditions. While the temperatures vary depending on where you live in Australia, all ACU campuses are in temperate or sub-tropical zones that experience four seasons:

• Autumn (March to May): mild to cool weather (11 – 20 degrees Celsius)
• Winter (June to August): cold and relatively wet (six – 18 degrees Celsius)
• Spring (September to November): mild and often wet (10 – 22 degrees Celsius)
• Summer (December to February): hot (14 – 30 degrees Celsius)

Don’t forget to pack SPF 50+ sunscreen (you can also purchase some from a supermarket or pharmacy when you arrive). The Australian sun can be very harsh, even on cloudy days.

Read more about Australia’s weather and climate

Budgeting

Cost of living

The cost of living for a single international student is approximately AUD $29,710 per year. This includes rent, food, transport and other essential living expenses. It does not include tuition fees, textbooks, the cost of running a car, or social activities. The true cost of living depends on the type of lifestyle you lead.

This Cost of Living Calculator can help you plan your budget.

Cash and card payments

Australia is increasingly moving towards electronic payments, but cash payments in Australian dollars are still accepted at most retail venues. You can exchange cash before leaving home, withdraw cash on arrival, or use your credit and debit cards (merchant fees of 1–2 per cent apply for most card transactions).

Opening a bank account

Once you arrive in Australia, you can open a local bank account. Having an Australian bank account means you won’t pay international transaction fees on your purchases. If you find a job, your employer can easily deposit your wages.

Most Australian banks are only open during business hours, Monday to Friday. Major banks include:

• Commonwealth Bank of Australia
• National Australia Bank
• ANZ
• Westpac
• Suncorp
• ING

Visit the website of your preferred bank for instructions on how to open an account.

Travelling with family

If you intend to bring dependent family members (your spouse and/or children aged under 18) with you to Australia, you should first check with your nearest Australian consular office whether your visa allows for this.

If it does, you’ll be responsible for supporting your family members while you’re here. Here’s what you need to know.

Visas
Please visit the Department of Home Affairs website for more information.

Health insurance

You must have valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for yourself and all dependent family members for the duration of your ACU visa. Please check your CoE for details of your OSHC. If you have a child while you’re in Australia or if dependent family members join you in Australia after you begin your studies, you will need to update your OSHC to make sure they’re covered.

Work rights

Your spouse may be able to work in Australia, though please check with the Department of Home Affairs. 

Children

If you’re travelling with your children, you will need to investigate options for childcare and/or school, depending on their age/s.

• Childcare: Childcare can be expensive and difficult to find. Refer to the Australian Government’s website for information about childcare services, vacancies and fees in your local area.
• School: If your child is school starting age, it is a legal requirement that they attend school. Please use the links below to find out more about schools in your chosen Australian state:
  • New South Wales (North Sydney, Blacktown, Strathfield)
  • Victoria (Melbourne, Ballarat)
  • ACT (Canberra)
  • Queensland (Brisbane)

School fees: If you’re on an international student visa, you will need to pay international school fees. Refer to the above-listed state government websites for more information.

Airport arrivals

Restrictions

As an island nation, Australia is vigilant about preventing the introduction of pests and diseases into the country. If you have any food, animal or agricultural products in your carry-on or checked baggage, you’ll need to:

• declare them on your Incoming Passenger Card (you’ll receive this on the plane before you land)
• show them to quarantine staff when you land in Australia OR dispose of them in quarantine bins at the airport.

Please read your Incoming Passenger Card carefully and make sure you’ve filled it out correctly. If you don’t declare prohibited items, you can face fines or even jail time.

Read more about Australia’s biosecurity and border controls
Airport pickup

If you’re arriving in Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney, you can book an ACU airport pickup (charges apply).

If you’re travelling to a different ACU campus, or if you’d prefer to travel from the airport independently, you can catch a taxi, use a ridesharing app like Uber or DiDi, or use public transport. 

Orientation

Orientation is a week-long event at the start of every teaching session. It’s where you’ll learn about life in Australia and ACU, including information about:

• your student visa, including your work rights
• your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), what it covers and how to use it
• ACU’s academic, social and support services
• campus life, including clubs, societies and student events
• your new city and the community and government services you can access
• Australian culture and what to expect
• your ACU International Student Adviser and other staff who will be part of your Australian journey
• how to enrol in your classes (if you haven’t already).

It’s also a great opportunity to meet the other students who will be part of your ACU experience.

Read more about ACU Orientation

Enrolment

Most students can enrol in ACU classes before arriving in Australia via the ACU Student Portal. ACU will email you a month before your course starts with detailed enrolment information. Once you’ve finished enrolling, you’ll be able to view your ACU timetable.

Credit transfer

If you’ve previously completed similar subjects at university level, you may be eligible for credit towards your ACU degree. This is called ‘credit transfer’ or ‘recognition of prior learning’.

To apply, you’ll need to bring the originals or certified copies of your academic transcript/s from your previous university. If you have other documents that provide details about your previous studies, you should bring those with you too. You can apply for credit at the time of application or after you have enrolled.

Enrolment help

In some cases, you may need to attend an enrolment session before you can finalise your classes. These sessions run at the start of each teaching period, and they’re a great place to get help with the enrolment and credit transfer process. Details of these sessions will be sent to you via email a month before your classes start.

ACU Student ID cards

All ACU students need an ID card. You can use it to access ACU facilities, including after hours, and to borrow resources from the library. You can also add funds to your ID card so that you can use the university’s printing and copying services and pay library fines (if required).

To apply for a student ID card, visit the AskACU page to learn how. You can collect your ID card from the AskACU Centre on your campus after 24 hours.

Accommodation

There are many different accommodation options available in Australia. The ACU Rental Advisory Service can help find housing that best suits your needs and budget. It is important to ensure you have secured accommodation prior to your arrival in Australia.

Accommodation types

ACU student housing

ACU runs on- and off-campus student residences in Canberra, Sydney and Ballarat. We can also connect you with privately-run student housing services in Brisbane and Melbourne. Student residences are fully furnished with all utilities included.

Homestay accommodation

Live with an Australian family for four to six weeks with a homestay placement. You can practise your English and learn about Australian life and culture in the safety of a family environment.

Private rental

A private rental is an agreement between you and a landlord. You can rent a whole apartment or a room in a shared house. In most cases, you will need to pay extra for utilities such as internet and electricity.

Read more about student accommodation

Booking your accommodation

It’s safe to book ACU student housing and homestay accommodation before you arrive in Australia. However, if you’re planning to arrange a private rental, please wait until you’ve seen the property in person before you sign an agreement or pay any money. This can help you avoid the risk of scams.

Working in Australia

Working on an international student visa

If you’re on an international student visa:

• you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight during the semester and unlimited hours during university breaks
• you cannot start working until your course start date (not the start date of your CoE)
• your spouse (if you’ve travelled to Australia with them) may also be eligible to work. Please check with the Department of Home Affairs.

Before you start working, you’ll need a tax file number from the Australian Taxation Office. It’s free to apply. Your employer will ask for this number before you start working for them.

In some cases, you might also be eligible for superannuation, a form of retirement savings that’s paid by your employer. You may be able to claim this back when you leave Australia.

Your work rights and responsibilities

Australia has strict laws designed to protect you at work. Businesses that abide by the law will:

• pay you the minimum wage (or more)
• withhold tax from your income
• give you a regular payslip.

Find out more about your work rights and responsibilities by visiting the Fair Work Ombudsman website. You can also contact the Ombudsman for help if you think your employer is doing the wrong thing. Your visa will not be cancelled if you do this.

Looking for work

You can look for part-time jobs on popular websites such as Seek, UniHub or CareerOne. ACU’s Careers and Employability team can help you with finding a job in Australia.

Health and safety

Health

As an international student, you will have purchased overseas student health cover (OSHC) before travelling to Australia. You must have OSHC for the duration of your visa, including for any dependents you bring with you. If you need to see a doctor or go to the hospital, your health insurance should cover most of your costs.

ACU also offers a range of physical and emotional health care services for students to access at low or no cost. Bulk billing is available at ACU media centres.

These include:

• university medical centres (Brisbane, Melbourne and North Sydney campuses only)
• counselling services
• access and disability services
• campus ministry services.

Make sure you know what you’re covered for and how your OSHC works.

Visit the International Student Health Hub for more information about the Australian health system.

Safety

Australia is a safe country, ranked 22nd of the most peaceful countries in the world*. However, crime does occur, so it’s important to take steps to stay safe.

• Take normal precautions, particularly when you’re out at night, such as:
  
  
• don’t walk alone
• don’t wear headphones
• don’t accept rides from strangers
• if you’re at a bar, don’t leave your drink unattended or accept a drink from a stranger as well as monitoring your alcohol intake
• don’t give your personal information to someone you don’t know
• don’t carry large sums of money with you
• be aware of your surroundings
• stick to well-lit streets and don’t walk through parks and alleyways after dark
• keep expensive items (phone, laptop, wallet) out of sight
• avoid eye contact and conversation with people who are drunk or aggressive.

*2023 Vision of Humanity Global Peace Index

The best way to learn about a new country is to immerse yourself in the local customs. Below are some tips about Australian culture to help you start feeling at home.

• Diversity: Australia is a diverse country. Almost one in three people were born overseas, which means you’ll meet and interact with a wide range of people from different cultures, religions and language groups.
• Equality: Most Australians pride themselves on living in a culture where everyone is treated with respect, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, background or income.
• Formality: Australians tend to be very informal people. On campus, you might notice that local students dress very casually and call teachers by their first names – it’s fine for you to do the same.
• Religion: Australia is usually described as a secular country because Australians generally believe that religion and politics should be kept separate. That doesn’t mean religion isn’t part of Australian life – the most common religion is Christianity, but all faiths are welcome and respected.
• Humour: Australian humour is unique. You might find that the Australians you meet like to make jokes and tease you a bit – this is normally a sign of affection rather than an intention to offend.
• Leisure activities: Because the climate is pleasant in most parts of Australia, many people spend their leisure time outdoors. Swimming at the beach, joining a local sports team or having a picnic or BBQ at the local park are just some of the ways you can get a taste of Australian culture.
• Language: English is the predominant language in Australia, but the way Australians speak can be confusing at first. Abbreviations are common (for example, ‘afternoon’ becomes ‘arvo’ and ‘breakfast’ becomes ‘brekkie’), as are colloquialisms (for example, ‘yeah, nah’ means ‘no’ while ‘nah, yeah’ means ‘yes’). Getting used to Australian slang, and learning to use it yourself, is all part of the experience.
• Friendship: Australians are generally quite friendly, and they tend to have both male and female friends. If someone invites you out for a drink or dinner, you will normally be expected to pay your share of the bill. If someone invites you to their house and tells you to ‘bring a plate’, it means you should bring some food to share with your hosts and the other guests.

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