PRACTICE YOUR ENGLISH
We are pretty sure that one of the main reasons for your journey to Australia is your English. While we recommend you enrol in an English course, our next best advice to improve your English as much as possible is to avoid hanging around students from your own country. Your English will improve way faster, and you’ll also get to know other cultures and make friends from around the world.
You should join some language exchange groups where you can help some Aussie with your language while you learn the colloquial English language. This allows you to become fluent in the language you’re trying to learn (E.g., https://mundolingo.org/).
MANAGE YOUR MONEY
Being an international student also means being on a budget. You can spend wisely and save money by:
- Finding a job (your student visa allows you to work 20h/week. There’s no maximum for WHV, however, there is a six-month maximum stay on each job).
- Having an Australian bank account to avoid bank fees (we recommend you to be part of the Commonwealth Bank).
- Finding online deals (Gumtree for second-hand or selling goods, Groupon, Facebook Marketplace, etc.).
- Wisely choose your phone plan according to your real needs.
- Use your student card to get some deals on transport, and in restaurants, bars, cafés, gyms, etc.
- Cooking your own meals.
- Living like a local!
GET INVOLVED
We advise you to go and visit the student services at your school as soon as possible because they can tell you everything you need to know about the city and its surroundings! You can also take advantage of their resources and activities, which may lead to you making new friends! Remember: everyone wants to make friends at university. It is an opportunity to get to know people from different cultures.
BE READY TO WORK
Join us and attend one of our job sessions in your city (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast). These sessions will help you find a job in Australia. We will give you all our tips and advice to be prepared. Thanks to it, your resume will be completed shortly, and your next employer just be around the corner!
FIND ACCOMMODATION
When you arrive in Australia, we advise you to have temporary accommodation. Once you are in the country, you can start to look for a share house. It’s very important to see the flat and meet the people in it before paying the rent, “eyes closed”. Otherwise, it’s easy to get ripped off. Shared accommodation is way cheaper and more comfortable than living in a hostel or student accommodation. It’s also a good way to feel at “home” and live with overseas students.
Check those websites to find your next amazing flat-sharing and home:
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
In Australia, medical fees are quite expensive ($60 on average for general medicine and $160 on average for a specialist). As soon as you are in Australia, ensure you have access to activated health insurance and have downloaded your app insurance (available for iOS and Android. Depending on your insurance, search ‘Medibank OSHC’ or ‘AHM OSHC’).
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Australia is really tricky with temporary visitors and visa rights. Be aware and make sure to learn about your visa (E.g., percentage of school attendance, work rights, holidays…). Take it seriously, otherwise, you could go back to your country faster than you planned.
EXPERIENCE & TRAVEL AUSTRALIA
You’ve probably travelled a long way to study in Australia, so take advantage of it and immerse yourself into the Australian culture and in your local life (food, activities, places to visit…). Read local or national blogs to find where to go, what to see or eat and what to do.
We definitely recommend you have a look at this one: https://www.theurbanlist.com/
Australia is full of many places to see: from the West Coast, which can bewildering than the East Coast, which is more beach and surf life orientated, to the Outback (Red Centre and Northern Territory), land of Aboriginal culture, to the South with wine cultures.
As you can see, there is something for every taste! Don’t worry about the money, it will return. However, your time won’t!
BE OPEN MINDED
Australia is not like your home country in all aspects: from the food to the climate, to the mentality, even to the education system. It might be surprising, so don’t start to focus on the differences between home and Australia. Being open-minded abroad gives you the most opportunity and the best experience ever!
FIGHT YOUR HOMESICKNESS
Homesickness is an unfortunate fact of life, and the better you are prepared for it, the easier it will be. We highly recommend you keep in touch with your friends and family back home, as talking to loved ones can really strengthen you. We also advise you to go out, meet new people, try new things and do things that keep you busy. The busier you are, the less you will think of home, and before you know it, Australia will feel like your second home!
Are you feeling alone and don’t know what to do? Go to https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/ to join a local group of people and see what’s happening soon in your area.
WE WISH YOU A WONDERFUL JOURNEY IN AUSTRALIA!
In fact, we truly believe that Australia is THE destination that will make you richer in experiences and memories; so, all these tips are friendly and precious!
