Living and studying in Australia
Australia is one of the world leaders in education and home to almost 700,000 international students. It’s a great place to live and study as Australia has some of the lowest crime rates in the world with lots of open spaces, beautiful parks and wildlife, golden surf beaches and vibrant cities and night life. Australia is a welcoming and friendly country toward overseas visitors and our national values include individual freedoms along with protection of the rights of citizens and visitors with a transparent legal system in place. We are a multi-cultural and diverse nation with a thriving mix of regional and city centres providing a variety of landscapes and opportunities. Australia is a technologically advanced nation with great infrastructure and transportation options for students and being a country with one of the highest minimum wage rates –Australia is really a fantastic place to live and study.
This information has been sourced from Study in Australia provided by the Australian Government. If you would like more information about a specific topic, please visit the website: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/
As of October 2019, the general guide of 12-month living costs are as follows:
- For students or guardians –AUD$21,041
- For partners coming with you –AUD$7,362
- For a child coming with you –AUD$3,152.
For a specific breakdown of accommodation and other living costs, please refer to https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/living-costs and make use of the cost of living calculator provided by Insider Guides at https://insiderguides.com.au/cost-of-living-calculator/
There are a variety of accommodation options in Australia to suit every need, preference and budget. This includes, renting, purpose-built student accommodation, short-term accommodation like hotels and hostels, share houses or home stays. For detailed information about the various types of accommodation and legal obligations and rights for renting in each state and territory, please visit https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/Accommodation
Australia has great public transport options including trains, buses, taxis and other ride share options like Uber and Didi. Australia also has many cycling and walking paths and its affordable domestic flight travel means that you may like to take advantage of your time here by seeing more of the sights.
Australia is generally a safe country, but you do need to be aware of the risks and be prepared. Make sure you read the information provided at the link on the following topics:
Student visa holders can work up to 40 hours every two weeks (fortnight) during study terms and unlimited hours during school holiday breaks. For more information on popular industries for students to work in, your rights and responsibilities, your employer’s rights and information about the Fair Work Ombudsman visit: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/workOverseas
You must have student healthcare cover before arriving in Australia and for the duration of time you are in Australia–this is a visa requirement of the Department of Home Affairs. For further information about OSHC and other optional insurances visit https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/health_insurance/overseas/overseas_student_health_cover.htm
