Things to do when you arrive at the university for the first time in Australia
Starting a university is an exciting time.
Let alone if you decide to do it in another country.
So in this article, we are going to talk about the things you need to do when you arrive at the university for the first time in Australia as an international student.
Let’s talk about these things!
Attend Orientation
Most universities in Australia organise an orientation session for newcomers. So if you’re newly arriving in Australia, the chances are that you will need to attend this orientation.
Orientation is a great way to understand about your university, the facilities they offers and everything that you need to know about your studies.
They also give you tips about general life in Australia and the things that you need to be mindful of when studying at University.
They will also talk about some support systems they have for the students, so it’s a great way to get to know about your University.
Usually, orientation week is usually quite a fun fair at universities, and they organise some free activities, free food and information sessions.
So we highly recommend you attend your orientation session at your university.
Get Student ID
Student ID is an official number that identifies you as a student at your university.
Most of the time you need the student ID in order to enroll in your course. The admin team will usually take your photo and issue you with the physical card.
This card will have a unique number that will belong to you only. So make sure to keep that card safe and secure.
Sometimes you get the student card on the same day while other times they might ask you to collect it after few days.
Lots of universities also link services like printing, entry to labs and classes with the student card, so it is critical you get this card and secure it.
In case you lose this card, you could be charged a fee for an additional card issued.
Enrol Into Units
Once you arrive at the university, you are usually required to finalise their enrolment at the University.
This involves choosing your subjects (also known as units) for the term. However, some universities may not have lots of options for you to choose from, and you may have to enrol into the units you are allocated to.
So you will need to enroll in those units to get started with the university studies.
In case the university advises you that the units are full, then don’t panic. Speak to the administration team, and they will help you enroll in some other units.
Sign in to Student Portal
Most universities will have an online portal for your studies.
This platform or portal will provide you with information regarding your studies that includes:
- study materials
- lecture notes
- Assignments
- dues dates for the tasks
- recording of previous classes
- additional information regarding your studies
Activate and Check Student Email
Most universities will communicate to you through your student email ID that they will issue you when enrolling into the course.
This email ID will be only used for your communications and other information regarding your University and your studies.
So it’s very important that you access and activate this email as soon as you get access. The information regarding the sign-up for student email will usually be sent to your personal email for the first time.
Then you need to activate that student email and change the password after logging in.
Make sure to keep checking that email regularly so that you are on top of the things you need to do for your studies.
Select Your Timetable
Once you have selected the units you want to enroll in, you will also need to select your timetable.
There might be multiple options available with regard to your lectures and tutorials. So you’ll have to choose the time frame that suits your work and life the most.
We suggest you choose your timetable nice and early as a lot of times your preferred options might not be available if you are too late.
So it’s better to choose timetable quickly as soon as university allows doing so.
Lots of students who are already studying in university usually know about that, so there is a bit of competition in choosing your timetable.
Buy Textbooks
Textbooks can be an expensive affair at times in Australia.
Buying a text book can cost you anywhere from $50 to $150 for each book.
And in each term, you are required to study around 3 to 4 units. So, if you do the match, it means you can be spending anywhere from $150 to $450. (That’s a fair bit of money).
We suggest you that if you have an option to borrow the books from the library that’s great but a lot of times those books may not be available or already booked out.
So you may look up on websites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace or sometimes there are university websites that allow you to buy second-hand books from other students who have already completed their studies.
Join Student Bodies and Associations
Large universities tend to have many student bodies and student associations.
These student bodies and unions usually create a lot of fun activities during the year for the students.
Sometimes that includes discounts around your local areas for students.
You can also join these student bodies for some extra activities and some other events that you can attend, and you can even volunteer at some of these events with these unions and bodies.
It helps to build your resume and skills needed for jobs in Australia. A great plus.
Most of these student bodies are free to join, so our question is Why Not?
Know Your Support Channels
You can ask your University administration teams regarding what sort of support systems are available for the students.
Universities in Australia understand that it can be challenging for new international students arriving in Australia for the first time.So they provide support services for the students including:
- support with your assignments
- your studies in general or
- finding an accommodation
- your rights as a tenant in Australia
- finding a job in Australia
- preparing your resume and cover letter
- preparing for the interview
- health and wellbeing
- and many other aspects of life
So there are many things that you will be doing when you arrive at the university.
Sometimes you can fit all of these things in one day and at other times it could be done over multiple days.
Please note that the sequence of these activities may vary depending upon the university and the systems they have available.
Some of the things mentioned here may be done in a different order or sequence, but when you arrive at the university in Australia for the first time, most likely you will go through with all these things.
We would like to wish you all the best with your studies here in Australia.
