Arriving in Australia

Arrival to Australia requires some procedures that international students must pay attention to:

• Obtaining a study visa: International students need to obtain a valid student visa to study in Australia. This requires applying for a student visa (Subclass 500) which can be obtained by applying online or through the Australian embassy or consulate in the student's country.

• Health insurance :International students must obtain private health insurance to cover the period of time they will spend in Australia. Insurance can be purchased from approved insurance companies in Australia.

• Housing arrangements: International students should plan to live in Australia before they arrive. You can choose between living in university housing, living in a private apartment, or sharing housing with classmates.

• Financial arrangements: International students must plan For the monthly expenses they will incur during their studies in Australia, including tuition costs, accommodation, living, entertainment, health insurance and transportation.

• Transportation and transportation arrangements: Students must International students plan to travel within Australia, whether by renting a car or using public transport such as buses and trains.

• Culture and language preparation: Students should International students are prepared to adapt to Australian culture and language, and can benefit from the courses and programs offered by universities to learn the language and adapt to daily life in Australia.

Bank Account
The bank that is recommended for international students in Australia to open an account with is the Westpac, as the major bank is a fee – free account.
A student can prepare a bank account up to three months in previous with Westpac Bank, or when a student arrives. The account can be open in few minutes, and when doing so, no Australian addresses are needed from behind seas before arriving to Australia.

In terms of interests, Macquarie Saving Account has a lower interest, which stands at 1.35%; but for the first four months, it is less than this, reaching to 1.5%.
Loans are not allowed for international students, as your service supplier must pay for the fees; but a student should look for financial assistance, or scholarships submitted by providers. Also, government, in some cases, may have funds for international students scholarships.

The following documents, as an international student, must be available to open a bank account:

Student visa

Passport

University declaration

Student card or driving license

Mobile Phones and Internet
Mobile phone and internet in Australian telecommunications is the responsibility of suppliers in using 3G and 4G networks to sustain the different services; so be sure your phone brought with you can be used in Australia effectively. The suppliers are of different types of mobile phone services such as: Amaysim, Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, Vodafone, Optus, Telstra and others.
An Australian Sim Card is the first thing a student should have when landing in Australia so that a student can start interacting with his relatives, friends... and any body beyond the seas.

Prepaid services is available when a student pays in advance, and can use it until it is run out of credit, then it can be recharged again for another use, and of course, a student is not forced to recharge the same sum of money a month.
The contract system is to sign a contract with the service supplier for a period of time which can last from 6 months to 24 months, so it is advisable to check about terms and conditions before having the contract signed, since the period of the agreement is long.

The Internet is free and open to everyone, as it is easily accessed at international airports in Australia for a predetermined time. In some cases, if a student wants to sign up for the internet services, a student can ask if he can make this for ADSL plan or NBN plan.
The providers of the internet services are so many and can easily be met such as: Optus, Internodes, TPG, Iprimus, Belong, Amaysim...
ADSL is an old type of internet which is slower than NPN. It can be found in each regions; but NPN internet services have the ability to broadcast at higher speeds which is still not available but in few areas.

Australian Borders
It is the Australian Government which is responsible for protecting Australian borders from being invaded by smugglers, illegal migrations, illegal entrance of international students and preventing people from exposing themselves to risks. Established in 2013, Operation Sovereign Borders is an army committed to guarding borders.

Transportation System
Transportation system in Australia comprises buses, trams, trains, public and private car services which are ready to convey a student from one space to another.
The type of transportation system and the place of living determine the costs of conveyance, all of which are available on the web page for each state or territory in Australia.
A student can apply for transport concessions taking into account the place of living in Australia, as CISA (Council of International Students Australia) backs campaigns of concessions which are of international students’ initiatives, and not related to any other destination. For more details, just click the following link: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/live-in-australia/transport

Driving
Driving is the easiest choice if a student is able to own a car, particularly if a student lives in a non-metropolitan region where public transport is rare. For more information, just click the link below:
https://www.studiesinaustralia.com/Blog/about-australia/driving-in-australia-as-an-international-student