Life in Australia

There are many benefits of studying abroad but it also comes with few challenges as an international student.

In this article, we’re going to discuss about the Top 11 challenges you might face as an international student in Australia and strategies on how to overcome them

We divide these challenges into three main categories:

• Study related challenges
• Work related challenges
• Life related challenges

Studies related challenges

When you are planning to study in any other country, it’s common that you will see some differences between the education system of the country and your home country.

This can create some sort of challenges for you as an international student in a new country.

So the challenges could be regarding understanding your homework, your assessment, exams understanding the concepts, the referencing or plagiarism.

Strategies:

If you are facing challenges in regards to your studies there is help available. Most of the universities or institutions in Australia have a really good support system available for those students who are finding it difficult to study the course or having a learning difficulty.

So if you are facing any difficulty in regards to your studies we suggest you to contact the support office from your educational institute. They can arrange additional help like tutorials or one on one sessions with study buddies that can help you to understand the concepts better.

We also suggest you to make sure that you attend all your lectures and tutorials without skipping them, so you understand the concepts better.

2. Understanding lectures or lecturers

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Sometime it can be very difficult for an international students to understand their lecturers or trainers or tutors because of the language barrier or different accent.

Some students can get frustrated with that they don’t understand the concepts and study well so they plan to change their courses after a while.

Strategies:

After the lecture or the tutorial is over, go and speak to your lecturer or trainer or tutor. You can basically thank them for the lecture or the tutorial that you just attended and then ask them general questions regarding your studies. Usually, lecturers and tutors are very friendly in nature.

It is a good idea to speak to your lecturer or tutor regarding the industry you are studying in and it’s a good starting point for you to start networking with the right people in your industry.

Usually your lecturers or tutors are professionals in the industry in Australia so you can make your first contact in industry by approaching them.

Work related challenges

3 .Finding work

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Finding work in Australia as an international student is a really difficult task and many international students face the same difficulty regarding finding work.

Strategies:

The best way to find the first work in Australia is through referrals. Referral is way of getting a recommendation by a friend or peer at their current or previous place of employment.

If you have someone who is already working in any industry and if they can refer you to the job, it is much easier to get a job. Our suggestion is to try to reach out to the people you already know in Australia and seek out some help from them.

If you don’t know anyone, then you would need to start networking with other people and try to find a job through referrals.

There are actually plenty of other ways of getting job as well. Check this video on 9 ways of finding work in Australia as an international student

4. Difference between workplace cultures

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The other challenges you could face in regards to your work life is the difference in the work culture.

Obviously, the work culture in your country could be quite different to the one here in Australia. The way Australians like to work, schedule, etiquette and expectations might be different.

Again, understanding the language of your co-workers of your managers or even customers can be challenging for you at the beginning, especially if you don’t speak English well.

Strategies:

In regards to adjustment to the work culture and language, it will take few weeks and months but you will be able to get hold of the things and start understanding accent and language once you here for a while.

You can take short English course, watch English movies or share a house with native English speakers to improve your English skills.

You can also ask for help from your work colleagues or supervisors if you are not understanding something at work.

5. Exploitation at the workplace

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Unfortunately, some international students do face exploitation at work in Australia. Although, it is illegal to exploit any worker in Australia but some businesses tend to exploit international students because of their visa limitations.

Strategies:

To deal with this sort of situation, we suggest you to check Fairwork Australia’s website. It is important that you understand your work rights even before you start working.

If you face exploitation at work, make sure to reach out to FairWork Australia as soon as possible as there is help available for international students.

You can read this article on how to avoid exploitation at work in Australia.

Life related challenges

6. Finding Accommodation

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Like finding a job, finding accommodation can be also bit challenging especially if you are planning to look for a cheaper accommodation.

Strategies:

To save money on rental costs, many international students choose to share accommodation with other people.

You can look for shared accommodation on various platforms like Gumtree, Facebook groups, flatmates etc.

7. Sharing house with others

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Sometimes sharing a house with other people can be really difficult, especially if they don’t have same understanding like you. Obviously, every human being is different and everyone lives their life differently.

Some of the challenges could be regarding their cleaning style or the cooking style or partying in the house or the common areas usage issues.

Strategies:

To avoid that, we suggest you to communicate effectively and make rules from the beginning, so everyone knows what to do, what not to do from the start.

We also suggest to check this video on how to be a good housemate in a shared accommodation:

8. Australian etiquette and rules

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Understanding the rules, regulations, systems, general manners, etiquette and Australian way of living life can be challenging to adapt for some students.

You will come across and work or live with local Australians. Dealing with them means you have to understand the accent or slang and sometime it can be a bit challenging to understand that.

Strategies:

We strongly recommend you to understand these rules, regulations and systems because the fines here are phenomenally high. If you breach any sort of law here you could be getting a huge penalty for that.

If you are not sure about the rules and regulations here in Australia, we suggest you to attend orientation that is provided by your educational institute. Usually they cover information regarding life in Australia in those orientation sessions.

If they don’t cover that in the orientation session, then you should also look for some information on their website or government websites or on our website as well.

9. Finding a Work-life balance

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Another challenge that many international students face is to manage the study work life balance.

As a student, you will not only be studying but you will have to juggle between a part-time work and socialising with other people and managing all these three things at one time can be really really tough.

Strategies:

In order to overcome this situation, we suggest you to make a weekly planner or a to-do list that will help you to keep track of the things.

It will also help you to focus on the things that you need to complete each week. There are many apps available these days for productivity. P.S (We really love Notion.so for managing our time).

So, whether it is regarding meeting friends or your studies or work, you will know all the deadlines and every important thing to keep track and make plans for them. Period!

10. Feeling Home Sick

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Homesickness is another common issue among international students. You will be away from your family and friends back home and most likely you’re going to miss them which is very common thing for any human being.

Strategies:

To overcome homesickness, we suggest you to make sure you stay in touch with your family and friends back home. Call them regularly and update them about your personal life here, how’s your life going and ask them as well what’s happening in their life.

Send them photos regularly and ask them to do the same. Social media is certainly a great way to keep connected with friends and family back home.

Again, there are plenty of other apps available to keep in touch with your family back home.

11. Settling in Australia

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Last but not the least, one of the biggest challenge that many international students face in Australia is regarding settling here.

After studying here for a while, many international students love Australia so much that they want to settle here for good and want to call Australia as their home.

Although we know that the primary aim of the student visa is just to study here but some students become eligible to apply their permanent residency after their studies through Australia’s skill select program.

Strategies:

In regards to overcoming this challenge, we suggest you to make sure to choose your course by consulting with a registered migration agent who can help you with your future careers plans in regards to your study and settling in Australia.

We hope you find this information regarding 11 challenges that international students face here in Australia and some strategies on how to overcome them as well.

If you are an international student, we would love to hear from you on what sort of challenges are you facing or faced previously. Looking forward to your comments below.

As a student, every single dollar counts and saving money is the way to go in student life. So we complied a list of student discounts in Australia that will have to save money on your essentials and other activities.

Did you know we have a dedicated section on our website, where we have partnered with one of the biggest student deals provider in the world. Sign up today for the student deals from fashion to latest tech, health and food here.

Here is a list of various retailers, food outlets and other organisations giving student discounts in Australia. At the moment, there are 30 on the list, with more being added regularly.

Electronics

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1. Apple Student Discount

Apple is one of the most popular tech company among students in Australia and they do have educational pricing (student discounts) available for students in Australia on most of their popular products like Macbooks, IMac, Ipad and iphone etc. Keep an eye on Apple’s special student offer at the start of the uni year, when they offer free Beats headphones when buying a mac or ipad. More details on education pricing here.

2. JB Hi-Fi Student Discount

JB Hi-Fi is one of the most popular electronics store in Australia. They have a dedicated portal on their website for student discounts where you can select the discounted offers and range of other offers for laptops, phones etc. If just want to see all the deal available, then you can click here for that.

3. Amazon Student Discount

In UK, US and some other countries, Amazon has a very generous student offer that include 6 month free trail and further 50% after the trail ends. But at the moment, there is no student discount for the prime membership for students in Australia. We will keep you up to date once the discount is available in Australia. You can check prime membership in Australia here.

4. Officeworks Student Discount

Officeworks provides low prices for all the study and work related stationary, furniture, electronics and pretty much everything you need for work and study. They also run special students discounts using their Back to school or Back to uni campaigns. You can check the all the student discounts and offers here.

5. Harvey Norman Student Discount

Another popular store for your electronics needs as a student is Harvey Norman. They also run promotions for student discounts at the start of the each school and uni semesters. So keep an eye on the special deals. You can visit the dedicated portal for students on their website.

6. Lenovo Student Discount

Lenovo has a great deal for student discounts on offer. At times, the student discount can be up to 50% off the retail prices that includes laptops, desktops and accessories. You can check the Lenovo student discount on our website here.

7. HP Student Discount

Another popular brand for the students and they have range of electronics on special deals and offers for the students using their dedicated education store here. You must have an edu email to access the student offers.

8. DJI Student Discount

We have a dedicated student discount for DJI products on our website. Get a 10% off on Mavic Mini and other DJI products here.

9. eBay Student Discount

EBay is known worldwide for their lowest prices but from time to time they also launch the exclusive discount codes for the students, where you can save further 10% to 15% off the items purchased on their platform.

10. Catch.com.au Student Discount

One of the biggest online retailers in Australia, catch.com.au sell everything you need from electronics to groceries and you can now save up to 10% when you signup on our website. This offer is limited time only for the student and you can access that discount here.

11. Huawei Student Discount

Huawei provides latest gadgets like smartphones, wearables, laptops and accessories at very competitive price. For a limited time, you can score up to 15% on various products using this here.

Fashion

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12 Iconic Student Discount

Iconic is Australia’s favorite online fashion retailer. They offer range of fashion clothing and accessories that suits the taste of students. They offer various student offers with up to 50% off regular prices here.

13. Boohoo Student Discount

Boohoo is a popular female fashion retailer with focus on youth fashion apparel and accessories. Unlock 55% off on dresses and shoes by clicking here. They also offer discount for males at Boohoo Men, which you can claim here.

14. Valleygirl Student Discount

Valleygirl focus on the newest trends, styles and looks you see on the catwalks and fashion magazines for the girls and the ladies. Save up to further 10% on your orders at Valleygirl here.

15. Specsavers Student Discount

If you need contact lenses or glasses, then look no further than Specsavers. Unlock $100 off Glasses when you buy one pair from the $199 range and above at Specsavers here.

You can also get 10% off on your contact lenses as well by clicking here.

16. Temt Student Discount

TEMT offers modern style for fashion savvy young women who value cutting edge design and know what they want. Unlock 10% student discount at TEMT by checking them on our website here.

17. yd. Student Discount

yd. offer trendy, stylish yet affordable clothing for men. So if you are after a casualwear for parties or a formal dress for a work look no further than this popular youth brand in Australia. Get up to 75% off + additional 10% student discount when shopping at yd. here.

Phone Plans

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18. Telstra Student Discount

Telstra is considered to be the best phone networkin Australia. Telstra offer up to 10% student discount visa their website here. You must have a edu.au email address to access their student discount.

17. Optus Student Discount

Optus gives 10% off to the students via their students hub. You will need to validate your email and choose a plan using the link given above for exclusive student discounts and offers.

18. Vodafone Student Discount

Vodafone is very famous among student community in Australia due to it’s low prices and roaming offers. Vodafone offers not only discounts to the student on their sim plan but roaming and unlimited data pack options as well. Check them out here.

Entertainment

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19. Hoyts Student Discount

Hoyts does not specifically provide discount to student anymore but from time to time they offer a generous discount on various websites like Scoopon and Groupon.

You can also get a $12.50 Hoyts standard tickets if you are using Optusperks app. Check more details here.

Hoyts has also introduced a single ticket pricing (one ticket price for all ages) and saver/super saver sessions that run 7 days a week than just Super Tuesdays.

20. Village Cinema Student Discount

Like Hoyts Cinema’s, there are no student discounts available for students at Village Cinema’s as well but you can always use the Vrewards program and get a discounted tickets.

Also, if you are member of some organisations like RACV, then you can get the standard tickets starting at $9 per session for standard tickets

21. Strike Student Discount

Looking for some indoor fun with mates? Head to Strike and get a student discount with $8 bowling sessions from Monday to Thursday before 5pm here.

Strike offers various fun activities from bowling to laser tag, karaoke to Exitus escape rooms – there’s no shortage of fun at Strike’s 14 venues across Australia.

22. Holey Moley Mini Golf Student Discount

Holey Moley Golf Club – a cocktail bar, mini-golf course, work of art and all-out cool hub rolled into one brilliant venue. Get a $9 mini golf anytime before 5 pm from Monday to Thursday here.

Travel

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23. OSA Students Flights & Hotels Discounts

Travelling is one the most popular activity among students. Whether, you are planning to travel interstate within Australia or overseas or just want to go back, we have got your back for that.

Check the latest discounts, offers and deals for student flights, hotels and car rentals from our website here.

24. Bridge climb Student Discount

BridgeClimb is an iconic Australian experience that takes you on a journey to the top of the nation’s most famous and celebrated structure – the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where you can witness the best views of Sydney!

You can a get weekend climb from $198 only or enjoy 20% student discount at BridgeClimb Sydney here.

Subscriptions

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25. Spotify Student Discount

Spotify offer 1 month free trail to students and then a premium account for a discounted rates at $5.99 per month. You can access this offer from Spotify here.

26. Apple Music Student Discount

Apple has announced a free Apple TV+ plan with any Apple Music Student Plan along with 3 months trail and discounted offer at $5.99 per month. More details are here.

Food

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27. Dominos Student Discount

Dominos Pizza needs no introduction, especially when you are a student. Their pizza’s are famous for any catch up with friends. Dominos offer generous discounts to students , you can get up to 33% off your orders when signing up here.

28. Grill’d Student Discount

Grill’d Burgers offer a free drink for students between Monday to Wednesday. You will need to join their reward program to get the Free drink here.

29. Uber Eats Student Discount

Uber Eats is probably one of the most favorite app for students in Australia to order food. Luckily, Uber Eats offer discount when you signup using the existing code/s from the current users. Get $10 off your first Uber Eats order of $20 or more using the link here.

30. Other Student Discounts

There are many more discounts on items like health and fitness, fashion, tech, entertainment, food and travel, you can access on our website. Head to overseasstudentsaustralia.com for more details.

So these are the top student discounts in Australia for international students. Which one are you looking for? We look forward to your comments below.

As many international students are facing difficulty in surviving this hard time during COVID-19, many private and local government organisations including universities and TAFEs have come together to their rescue.

So in this article, we are going to provide a list of support packages available for the international students studying in Australia. We will keep updating this list as soon as we get to know any support packages available for the international students.

So far more than $110 million has been committed by Australian universities and millions more has been approved by the various state and territory governments for helping and supporting students during this crisis.

University Support Packages

Victoria

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🎓 Monash University

Monash University has announced a $15 million Student Compassionate and Hardship Package for students suffering financial hardship due to COVID-19.

In this package, eligible students can apply for up to $7500 in grants. You can find more details about the package here: https://www.monash.edu/news/coronavirus-updates

🎓 La Trobe University

La Trobe University has launched a $550,000 COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program for the onshore students who are struggling during this crisis.

All students studying on-shore at La Trobe University can apply for these payments:

1. Crisis Support Bursary one-off payment of $3,000 to support students suffering from significant financial crisis or housing insecurity.
2. Technology Bursary designed to help you get essential equipment to enable you to continue your studies

For more information head to this page: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/admin/fees-and-money/assistance/covid-19-assistance-program

🎓 Swinburne University

Swinburne University has set up a Swinburne Student Emergency Funds where students can get a one-off payments of up to $1000 if they are impacted by this health pandemic. For eligibility and application you can check this: http://swinburne.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1651

🎓 RMIT University

RMIT’s has set up a Student Hardship Assistance and Equity Scholarship funds to support in total up to $10 million for students impacted by COVID-19.

Students can apply for two types of grants:

1. Emergency Financial Grant

For students who are impacted by job loss, housing insecurity or other financial matters associated with COVID-19.

2. Technology Grant

For students who need access to essential IT equipment to continue studying remotely, including hardware, software, subscriptions, data, internet and digital materials for up to $1,000.

For detailed information, check: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/finance/financial-support-assistance/covid-19-support-and-assistance

🎓 Victoria University

Victoria Universities COVID-19 Student Support Fund has been set up to provide students with three options for one-off grants:

• Emergency financial grant for students impacted by self-isolation/quarantine requirements or job losses up to the value of $100.
• Technology grant to support students in pursuing studies that have transitioned to digital platforms up to the value of $100.
• Crisis housing support for rental assistance grants up to the value of $500.

Further information here: https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/campus-life/advice-support/financial-advice-support/covid-19-student-support-fund

🎓 Deakin University

Deakin University has developed a support response to the COVID-19 for the students struggling in this time frame by committing $25 million. Deakin Financial Assistance has been set up to provide both financial and non-financial support.

You can find more details about the program after signing from this link: https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/enrolment-fees-and-money/financial-assistance/covid-19-financial-assistance

🎓 University of Melbourne

University of Melbourne has launched two support programs for the students impacted by COVID-19. These support programs are known as COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund and COVID-19 Student Support Fund.

The maximum benefit of these support programs are limited to the amount $7,500. For more information visit https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-support/coronavirus/financial-support

🎓 Federation University

Federation University has developed a Coronavirus Special Assistance Scheme for the students covering:

• Weekly assistance of up to $300 each (for up to five weeks)
• Funding for computer and/or technology assistance for students who are unable to study remotely
• FedLiving accommodation assistance
• Student Tuition Fee due-date extensions

For further information, check : https://federation.edu.au/current-students/starting-at-federation/scholarships/coronavirus-specialist-assistance-scheme

Tasmania

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🎓 University of Tasmania

University of Tasmania have launched a support program for students including international students. Students studying in university will be able to apply for two types of support programs:

• Fast Track Safety Net Grant Scheme where students can get a grants of up to $350 for support with living costs and study resources.
• Safety Net Grant Scheme where students can get a grant of up to $2,000

More information can be found here: https://www.utas.edu.au/alerts/coronavirus-update/students

South Australia

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🎓 University of Adelaide

University of Adelaide has launched a Students Support Package which cover three main aspects:

• Academic Support
• Wellbeing Plan
• Emergency Financial Support

Students can access the financial support for IT Support for remote learning, accommodation for students in crisis and food for students in crisis. Students can also access hardship grants as well.

Check more details here: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/covid-19/student-information/student-support-package

🎓 University of South Australia

University of South Australia has created the $10m Student Hardship Fund (COVID-19), which is open to all students (including international students) currently enrolled for onshore study at UniSA.

Check the details here: https://i.unisa.edu.au/students/scholarships/hardship-fund/

🎓 Flinders University

Flinders COVID-19 Student Support Package has been developed for the support of struggling students due to COVID-19. University has committed up to $12.5 million for this package.

The package includes:

• $1 million in emergency support payments, of up to $500, made available to students through FUSA;
• A new Matthew Flinders Scholarship program, with scholarships valued up to $2,000, to support the continuation of the studies; and
• The waiver of the Student Services and Amenities Fee for all students

https://students.flinders.edu.au/coronavirus-information/update-vc-covid19-student-support-package

Western Australia

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🎓 Curtin University

Curtin has launched Financial and Housing Support Bursary – COVID-19 to assist students who are in financial hardship as a consequence of COVID-19.

The university has not provided specific details on the bursary but it will made available to the students need. More details are: https://scholarships.curtin.edu.au/Scholarship/?id=4137

🎓 Edith Cowan University

ECU has put in place a $2 million Student Support Package for the struggling students due to COVID-19 which includes:

• Access to ECU Support Grants of up to $2,000T
• Hardship Payment Scheme for payment plan for the semester 1 tuition fee
• Grocery Grants with a $50 grocery e-vouchers
• No parking fees
• IT assistance for online learning at home.
• No late payment fees for semester one, 2020
• Reduction in SSAF (Student Services and Amenities Fee) payment

More details are here: https://www.ecu.edu.au/covid-19/information-for-students#supportForStudents

🎓 Murdoch University

Students studying at Murdoch University will have access to a $2 million Student Assistance Fund for student’s ineligible for Commonwealth Government support which includes:

• University support for the Guild Food Bank.
• An Essentials Bursary worth $25 per week to reduce food costs for international students.
• Online learning support, including a Technology Bursary for all students and access to a limited supply of laptops.

More information is here: https://www.murdoch.edu.au/pages/covid-19-advice

🎓 University of Notre Dame Australia

University has set up a fund, COVID-19 Student Hardship Assistance Fund for the needy students during the global pandemic. Student in need can apply and get an emergency grant to up to $1000.

Check this link for further details: https://www.notredame.edu.au/current-students/support/hardship-assistance

🎓 University of Western Australia

UWA has developed the COVID-19 Financial Hardship Grant for the students during the COVID-19. Further details on the grant are available to the current students using login from this page:

https://www.uwa.edu.au/students/supporting-you-during-covid-19

New South Wales

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🎓 Charles Sturt University

COVID-19 Student Support Grant has been set up by the Charles Sturt University for the students to the maximum amount of $500.

More details are: https://www.csu.edu.au/current-students/fees/costs-fees/scholarships-grants/find-scholarship/equity/covid-19-study-support-grant#tab1

🎓 Macquarie University

MQ Student Success Support package has been launched by Macquarie University which includes:

• Options to delay payment or borrow back some of your fees for the current session (including SSAF)
• Emergency support vouchers of up to $250 for urgent essentials
• Grants and interest free loans of $2000
• More flexible payment plans

More details are: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs/information-for-students

🎓 University of New South Wales

Financial Support Package is available to the students studying at UNSW which includes:

• Emergency Support Payments – $500
• Emergency E-Vouchers – $200
• Emergency Grants – up to $2000
• Interest Free Loans (streamlining and expansion of existing scheme)

Details can be found here: https://www.covid-19.unsw.edu.au/information-students#fin

🎓 University of Newcastle

University of Newcastle has set up a COVID-19 Student Hardship Fund valued at $1 million. This fund will help students from funding meals, helping pay bills, to assisting with accommodation for those in great need.

The Student Hardship Fund supports students facing hardship through $500 hardship grants and $750 laptop grants.

More details are: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/covid-19/information-for-students

🎓 The University of Sydney

The University of Sydney has a financial assistance available for the students including bursaries, interest free loans, hardship funding support and a tuition fee rebate of up to $4,000.

Find out more details here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/coronavirus-infection-university-of-sydney-advice/support.html

🎓 University of Wollongong

COVID-19 Financial Assistance Grant Scheme has been launched by University of Wollongong. International Students can apply for this grant from 8th April 2020 which can cover living expenses up to $1,500 and technological support for online studies.

Details on how to apply are here: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/hardship-support/

Queensland

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🎓 Bond University

Bond University has decided to provide financial aid in the form of a one-off 20% reduction in tuition fees for the May Semester 202.

Details about this change is available here: https://bond.edu.au/novel-coronavirus/students

🎓 Griffith University

Griffith University has committed $2m to the COVID-19 Student Support Bursary which is available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students experiencing severe financial disadvantage that is impacting their ability to study online.

For more details check this page: https://www.griffith.edu.au/coronavirus/information-for-students

🎓 Queensland University of Technology

The Emergency Student Fund has been set up by the QUT that provides $1,000 to eligible students experiencing financial hardship. Details are here: https://www.qut.edu.au/additional/coronavirus

🎓 University of Southern Queensland

USQ has announced the COVID-19 Student Support Package on 8th April which includes

• Living expenses support –a one off payment of $500 or a support payment of up to $3000 for eligible students.
• Technology packs – a single payment of up to $1000 or the provision of a personal computer to eligible students.
• Learning resource support – a single payment of up to $500 for textbooks or relevant learning resources to eligible students.

Details here: https://www.usq.edu.au/coronavirus

Other Government Support Packages

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On 4th April 2020, Australian Government has announced that any student who has been in Australia for more than 12 months and have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 can access their superannuation. Read more about the announcement here.

🏛 South Australia

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South Australian Government has committed $13.8 million support package for international students studying in South Australia. This will include:

• Matching funding to alleviate student hardship as a result of COVID-19 with all 3 public universities in South Australia .
• A $500 emergency cash grant to other international students not studying at one of the public universities, currently enrolled in a course, living in Adelaide and who meet the criteria.
• For school students living with South Australian families, a one-off $200 COVID-19 assistance payment per student will be provided to homestay families, to help support accommodation for school students.

You can register your interest for this support package by clicking the link here.

🏛 Northern Territory

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Northern Territory has launched a $20 million fund for keeping the businesses open and jobs alive. This package include people who are not covered under any Job Keeper payments like visa holder workers.

The more details on this news is available here.

🏛 Victoria

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Victorian government has launched the Working for Victoria program with $500 million fund which help job seekers in Victoria to find a job. International students are eligible to apply for this program. Overseas students register their interest for work here.

Victorian government has announced an International Students Emergency Relief Fund studying in Victoria who are facing a hardship in COVID-19 crisis. Eligible students can get a one-off payments for up to $1,100 by applying through Study Melbourne website here.

Rent-relief program is also available for eligible international students for up to $2000 one-off payment. Check the details here.

🏛 Tasmania

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On 22nd April, the Tasmanian government announced $3 million package to support temporary visa holders including international students who are suffering a severe impact due to Coronavirus.

Affected individuals can get $250, while families can get eligible to get up to $1,000. Additional emergency relief and assistance will be provided to the effected temporary visa holders apart from the one-off payment. For support in Tasmania check this website.

🏛 Australian Capital Territory

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ACT government has announced a support package for both temporary visa holders and international students worth $450,000. Eligible students who have been facing financial hardship will be able to get help from the Red Cross through the funding provided by ACT government. More details are here.

🏛 Western Australia

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Study Perth has announced a Study Perth Crisis Relief Program that supports both individual students study in Western Australia and organisations and associations that supports students with food, accommodation, rights and support and health issues. You can apply for this program through Study Perth website here.

🏛 Queensland

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International students studying in Queensland and facing hardship during the pandemic can access support from Study Queensland’s Student Hub.

On 19th May 2020, Queensland Government has announced to triple its support to international students by committing $10 million for students facing hardship during this tough times. More information can be found here.

🏛 New South Wales

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International Student Welfare Services Hub has been established by the Study NSW to provide support to international students. More details can be found here.

Study NSW has partnered with OzHarvest and Foodbank to deliver relief packages around NSW state including Newcastle, Wollongong and other regional areas.

NSW Government has also launched a $20 million housing fund for international students providing temporary housing scheme and student support services. Check more details here.

Other Support Packages

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If you are struggling for the food and other needs, then you can reach to various organisations across Australia.

🌮 Food

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• Ask Izzy – Whether you want food, housing, clothes or anything else, you can Ask it Easy at

• Food Bank Australia – Food Banks Australia is the largest food relief organisation. Check them here:

• Salvation Army: Salvos are known for helping the communities in need for the food and various other needs.

• Khalsa Aid Australia – They are delivering grocery kits to your door.

🏡 Accommodation

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• Find a bed: Find a bed is a great initiative by volunteers to connect people who need a place to sleep to people who are willing to help.

• Salvation Army: If you are in crisis, Salvation Army can help you find a accommodation.

• Australian Red Cross : Australian Red Cross helps people in Australia to find a house in difficult times like this.

• Australian Homestay Network: They offer very affordable accommodation options during the COVID-19 crisis. To help international students, they have also launched ISSN program

🧠 Mental Health

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• myCompass myCompass is personalised tool for your self-help for your mental health support. It can also help in dealing with the pressures of study.

• Youth Beyond Blue Information, online and phone counselling for young people 12 to 25 years old, who can contact trained mental health professionals 7 days24 hours.

• Lifeline Australia Lifeline is a crisis support service that provides short-term support at any time for people who are having difficulty coping or staying safe. Call 13 11 14

• Kids Helpline Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25 years. 1800 55 1800

• Headspace A free service that supports young people aged between 12 and 25 and their families going through a tough time.

• ReachOut ReachOut provides practical tools and support to help young people aged 14–25 years get through everything from everyday issues to tough times.

This post will be regularly updated as soon as we get information on any new support package for the international students.

As you are probably aware, COVID-19 (also known as Coronavirus), is affecting the life of millions of people around the globe. It is no exception that Australia is also affected by this virus and so are the lives of international students who are studying or planning to study in Australia.

In this article, we are analysing the impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on international students and international education in Australia.

What’s the latest update in Australia?

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As we know that this is a rapidly changing situation, we will try to keep you updated with the current situation in this section:

• • WHO has declared COVID-19 a Pandemic
  • Australians are advised to not travel overseas at this time
  • Large indoor gathering of more than 100 people are banned in Australia
  • Australian government enforces self-isolation for all overseas arrivals for 14 days (including international students)
  • International students working in supermarkets are allowed to work extra hours to help stock up the shelves
  • Work restrictions have also been lifted on international student nurses in Australia, to allow them to help cope with the expected rush of virus-stricken patients
  • Travel ban on all foreigner’s starting Friday 20 March 2020 9 PM
  • Strict social distancing rules are in now in place in each state and territory 
  • Public Gatherings restricted to two people

Our Government is supporting international students impacted by coronavirus and doing all we can to reduce the impact on your education pic.twitter.com/8HG78nXGK2

— Dan Tehan (@DanTehanWannon) February 11, 2020

What is COVID-19?

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COVID-19 is part of a large family of coronavirus that causes illness from common cold to severe illnesses like SARS and MERS.

If you can recall 2003 SARS virus then you already have an idea of the Coronavirus as it belongs to the same family.

This new Coronavirus is spreading fast and has infected more than 135,000 people so far and nearly 5,000 people have lost their lives. WHO has now officially declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.

COVID-19 has not been identified in the humans in the past and there is no vaccination available to cure it yet.

Where did it start?

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The virus is believed to have started in the seafood “wet market” in Wuhan city (Province Hubei) of China in December 2019.

It is also believed to have been transmitted from bats to some other animals to humans in the market. The exact cause of this virus has not been identified as yet.

What are the symptoms?

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Usually the symptoms develop within 14 days of exposure to the virus. When you are infected with Coronavirus, you usually show flu-like symptoms like:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Body aches
• Tiredness
• Pneumonia

How to avoid Coronavirus?

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The best way to avoid this virus is by maintaining high hygiene standards. Here are some suggestions for keeping yourself safe from this virus:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds (or enough for singing a happy birthday song twice while washing hand)
• Use tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have tissue around then use a flexed elbow
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose
• Avoid getting in close contact with the person who is showing flu-like symptoms
• Clean and disinfect the objects and the surfaces
• Wear masks only if you are sick or are caring for someone with respiratory symptoms
• If you are feeling unwell, then stay home

 

Why is everyone so scared of this virus?

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Some people do have this question in mind, why are so many countries and people nervous of this virus as it has lower mortality rate than some other viruses?

The main reason is that this virus is easily transmissible from one person to the other through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Also, there is a possibility of air-borne transmission of this virus.

The other reason is that there is no vaccination available to cure this virus at the moment and there is an unknown fear factor about this virus about how severe it can get before it gets controlled.

Which countries are banned in Australia for travel?

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So far, the Australian Government has banned the travellers from the following countries into Australia:

• China
• Iran
• South Korea
• Italy

But it is a rapidly changing situation so you may find more countries or continents listed here in the future.

If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident then you can still come to Australia from these countries but anyone arriving after 15th March 2020 in Australia will need to quarantine themselves (self-isolation) for 14 days regardless of the country they are coming from or citizenship status.

What is Self-isolation?

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Self-isolation is about staying away from a situations that can infect others. So basically to self-isolate, you will need to:

• Stay home and avoid going out
• if sharing house, separate yourself from others
• Wear masks when other people are around
• Avoid having visitors to your house
• Use delivery services for food and other essential items

How does the coronavirus affect international students and education in Australia?

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Obviously, Coronavirus is having a huge impact on many industries, including international education, in Australia.

If you are a student from the countries listed above, then you will need to wait in your home country until the travel ban is lifted. Even if your country is not listed among those that are currently banned by Australia and you are planning to come to Australia, we suggest keeping an eye on Australia’s Department of Health website.

There are other implications that include travelling to other countries from Australia. If you are planning to go overseas for your travel then you might have issues coming back to the country or you might have to quarantine yourself for 14 days or so. Australian Government’s official advice is to reconsider any non-essential travel overseas.

Not only Australia, but many other countries are introducing the entry or movement restrictions to reduce the spread of this virus. So even if Australia has not banned travel from your country. it is possible that your own country might restrict your travel movements. Since many countries are putting these restrictions, your airline might also cancel or alter your travel booking.

As a consequence of the virus, some universities or other educational institutions might reduce the number of courses offered to the students due to low enrolments. Also, there is a possibility that your classes or lectures might be cancelled or postponed or you might even need to study online for a while.

However, there is some positive news from the Department of Home Affairs for the international students working in the Australian supermarkets.

We’re helping Aussie supermarkets to keep essential items like toilet paper, tissues, rice and pasta on their shelves during the COVID-19 crisis. International students will now temporarily be able to work more hours. More details 👇 pic.twitter.com/PCLejRWOP6

— Alan Tudge (@AlanTudgeMP) March 13, 2020

 

International students working in the Australian supermarkets can work extra hours to help keep shelves stocked. If required, these measures can be expanded to other business sectors as well.

The restriction on international students working as nurses in Australia has also been lifted temporarily until further notice. 

Where to get the help?

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Health

If you are feeling unwell, please call your local GP before going there in person. If you don’t know your local GP practices, then you can google them.

Based on your explanation, your GP will advise the next steps or you can go to the emergency department of your local hospital as well.

As an international student, you will need to have OSHC insurance so we also suggest you to check the requirements with your OSHC provider. When contacting your provider, ask them about any costs related to the testing and if you need to be hospitalised due to Coronavirus.

We suggest you to keep an eye on Australia’s Department of Health website for the up-to-date information about COVID-19.

Study

In regards to your studies, please speak to the support office from your educational institute. They usually update students with any changes being made but we suggest you contact them if you face any issues with your health or studies.

You can check what your university is doing in response to COVID-19 here

Travel

In regards to your travel, it is important for you to keep an eye on the Department of Home Affairs’ website. Here is some more information for student visa holders from Department of Home Affairs

You can also check the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades website for any updates to travel to other countries.

We also recommend you to get in touch with your airline as well if your travel plans are changing or impacted due to COVID-19

Other

International students can also reach out for help at

• Email: [email protected]
• Call: +61 1300 981 621

More Resources

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• World Health Organisation  – Keep yourself informed about the global pandemic at this time by following the updates from WHO
• Department of Health – Australia’s official health website for health advice including any cleaning and hygenie protocols. 
• Department of Home Affairs – Immigration department website for any changes related to visas, travel and work restrictions etc.
• Study in Australia – Official website for studying in Australia providing dedicated support services for overseas students.
• Department of Education – Australia’s education website for education, skills and employment.
• Smartraveller – Official travel advice issued by Australian Government for Australians but very useful website to keep an eye on the conditions for travelling overseas.
• ABC News – Australia’s official national public broadcaster for news and stories around Australia.

Last updated: 1st April 2020

Australia is known for its bushfires during the summer seasons (December to March) but since September last year, Australia has been battling against one of its deadliest bushfire crises, which already has claimed close to a billion wild animals, thousands of homes, and several human lives, and seems to be not over yet despite the valiant efforts by the firefighters and the local and federal government.

If you’re capable and willing to lend a helping hand, please find some of the ways to support the causes you most feel for, which have been organised by the categories and the area for your convenience. We are also covering some useful tips and guide regarding the Australian bushfire season.

Which areas are affected by these bushfires?

Although, the bushfires are going on pretty much in all states and territories in Australia this season, but there are 4 main states that are severely affected by this year’s bushfire season.

• New South Wales – Mostly north coast, the mid-north coast and blue mountains area of the New South Wales state have been badly impacted by the bushfire season.
• Victoria – In southern parts of the state Victoria is severely impacted by the bushfires, especially East Gippsland and High Country (including Alpine Region).
• South Australia – Kangaroo Island has been badly damaged due to the fire and other areas including Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges, etc.
• Queensland – In Queensland, mostly southern-eastern, central, northern, and far northern Queensland including the Sunshine Coast region were affected by the blazes.

How to help the Australian bushfire victims, wildlife and firefighters?

There are many ways you can help as an international student in Australia during this bushfire crisis. However, we suggest you can help by:

• donating some money to the various registered organisations
• becoming a volunteer at one of the organisations that help bushfire victims and wildlife.
• spreading the word via your social media accounts

If you can’t afford to pay for the Australian Bush fire appeals then you can help by becoming a volunteer at one of the organisation that supports bush fire victims.

Becoming a volunteer can actually help you in lots of ways, for example:

• You can learn more about Australian slang and accent as you are likely to work with many locals. It will certainly help to boost your confidence as well.
• You also get to meet people from all walks of life and it gives you a chance to network with like-minded people who are willing to help the community.
• You represent your country and community in Australia and by helping people in need, you will help your community representation in Australia.
• It looks good on your resume. Australian employers certainly appreciate community-minded employees.

If you would like to donate money

You can consider donating money to the following organisations:

Help Victims 

• The Salvation Army
• Australian Red Cross
• Vinnies
• Givit
• Foodbank
• Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund
• Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal

Help Firefighters 

• New South Wales – NSW Rural Fire Service
• Victoria –Country Fire Authority
• Tasmania –Tasmania Fire Service
• South Australia –SA Country Fire Service
• Queensland –Rural Fire Brigade Association Queensland
• Western Australia –Department of Fire and Emergency Services

Help Wildlife

• RSPCA
• Wires
• Australian Koala Foundation
• WWF

If you would like to become a volunteer

You can apply for volunteering in the following organisations:

• NSW RFS
• VIC CFA
• SA CFS
• BlazeAid
• Australian Red Cross
• Food Bank

How to stay safe this bushfire season?

While we are in the middle of the scorching summer and there is no end in sight for the bushfire season, here are few things we suggest to stay safe in Australia:

• Download app and regularly check website from your state fire authority website –                        [NSW]  [VIC]  [QLD]  [SA]  [TAS]  [ACT]  [WA]  [NT]
• If you live in a bushfire prone area, then be ready with yourbushfire survival plan.
• Understand the Fire Danger Rating and warning signs.
• Wear masks and stay indoors if there is smoke outside.
• Always follow and listen to official news and warnings only.

Final notes

Last but not least, some scammers are using the Australian bushfire as an opportunity to scam people and take advantage of this unfortunate situation. We suggest you always check the details of the organisation before you are going to donate.

We would also like to thank all the firefighters, volunteers and everyone involved in fighting these fires and helping the community in any possible way.

If you can help us by sharing this article with others, it will be really helpful. Thank you for help.

So you have landed to study in Australia but you don’t know anyone here. You don’t know how to get around and worried about making friends. So in this article, we are looking at 10 ways on how to make friends in Australia as an international student.

1. Making friends at University

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As an international student studying in Australia, the first point of contact for you will be your educational institution. Whether you are studying in a university, TAFE or a private provider, there are usually many opportunities for making friends at all these institutions.

To make friends at your university, we suggest you attend your orientation. Now we explain a lot about orientation in detail here. But to give you a quick overview, orientation is a way of welcoming new students by Australian educational institutions. 

Another way to make friends at uni is when your classes start you can observe the people in your lectures or tutorials and approach them for a drink or sharing notes or just having a meal.

You can also join student social clubs and participate in various activities organised by these clubs. Not only it gives you some experience in dealing with people from various backgrounds but also helps in making lifelong friends.

Also, attending special events organised by your institution is a good way to network and make friends. So whether it is a special lecture, guest speaker conference, workshop, seminar, etc, try to attend as many as you can.  

2. Make friends at the workplace

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One of another popular place for lots of international students to make friends in Australia is at their workplace. 

It is quite a common culture for many workmates in Australia to mingle after work, especially for after-work drinks. But if you don’t drink, that’s fine too as you can ask your workmates to go for other activities like watching a movie, going bowling or a bite to eat. 

Lots of workplaces even have a culture to encourage staff to do other activities which help to build team bonding like barbeques, playing sports, day trips and family activities etc.

3. Choose your accommodation wisely

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Accommodation can be very critical for making new friends in Australia, so choose it wisely. While there are many types of student accommodations available for international students in Australia. You should choose the one that meets your budget, lifestyle and the one where you can make a few new friends.

Lots of international students choose backpacker hostels as their first accommodation before moving into other types of accommodations. It is not only cheaper to live rather than a hotel or private room but also an excellent way of meeting new people from other countries and cultures. 

Apart from backpacker hostels, international students also live in managed student accommodations. These accommodations are specially designed to meet the needs of the students. 

So these managed student accommodations have lots of other students from different parts of Australia and the world living under the same roof. If you decide to live in them, then don’t forget to attend all the social events organised by these facilities. 

We also know that some students will not live with other students from their own culture or country, so they can make friends from other parts of the world and it can help them to improve their English as well.

4. Facebook and Whatsapp groups

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Another way to make friends in Australia is through social media platforms. But we are specifically talking about Facebook and Whatsapp groups as these are indeed very popular networks for socialising in Australia. 

There are many groups you can join and make friends with other group members online and attend all the events organised by the group admins or members. Alternatively, you can catch up with these people privately outside the group events too.

In case, you decide to meet a person in private, we suggest you meet them in public places like cafes, restaurants, etc to ensure your safety.

5. Attend local events

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Most of the Australian cities and towns organise various food festivals, exhibitions, and other educational events during the year. Check all the local events happening in your area and visit them and make friends with locals there.

You can check all the events happening in your local community by visiting your local council’s website. We suggest you check this website for all the major events happening in each state and territory.

As Australia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, there are many cultural events that you can be a part of. So whether it is Chinese New Year, Indian Diwali Festival, Greek Festival or Spanish Fiesta, you can enjoy these cultural events and make new friends either by just attending or working at them.

These events are usually free to attend and they can be close to your neighbourhood so don’t need to travel far away from attending them.

6. Do volunteering when free 

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For some students it might seem like that volunteering is a time-consuming task and of course, it’s not paid work but it’s definitely done for a good cause. While volunteering, you will come across people who share the same common values of helping others. 

You can do volunteering either by helping an elder, disabled person or you can join a local volunteer organisation. There are many ways you can help the local community in Australia. 

It is also very much appreciated by locals and you can use the experience you gained at these volunteer events or jobs in your resumes too. 

The volunteer organisations are always needing more helping hands. So don’t be shy! Go volunteer is also a very popular platform for finding volunteer work in Australia.

7. Play sports

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Australians love their sports especially Australian Football (aka AFL), Cricket, Soccer, Hockey, Rugby and pretty much any sports you can think of. Playing sports will also mean that you will keep yourself healthy and fit.

Ideally, you can look for sports club in your local area by checking it on facebook groups or find it from your local council or a community center. Sometimes, a simple google search to find a sports club in your local area can also do wonders.

Alternatively, you can also join a gym as they regularly hold events and you can find a buddy to workout with and have a decent conversation as well. You will see familiar faces on a regular basis in the gym, so no harm in asking for a piece of quick advice or support to start a convo there.

8. Go to your place of worship

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Believe it or not but religious places are not the only way to connect with God but also with other people who share the same belief as you do. So whether you are Christian (Church) Muslim (Mosque) Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh (Temple), Jewish (Synagogue) there are many religious worship places you can visit for praying and seek friendship there 

You can always start by talking with religious leaders of the place about how you can connect with more people and attend the events organised by these places. 

Usually, people attending these religious places are welcoming and if you are regularly attending these religious places, you can make more friends there. 

9. Go to a local Library

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If you love reading books, there is good news for you as there are plenty of libraries in Australia. Not only you can read the books in the library but also you can also find other readers who have a common interest in reading similar types of books.

If you already know about the layout of the library, then you can help others who are searching for books. Again, the libraries also organise tours, events and other activities, you can be a part of these groups for these activities for making friends.

10. Be part of the meetup groups and events

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Australian cities are famous for organising lots of meetups. You can literally find many meet groups in each city. The best way to find these groups is by using online platforms like Meetup.com and Eventbrite.com.au.

These groups and events are organised by a host and you can also filter them by your specific interests. If you are confident in organising events, you can also create your own group or event on these platforms. 

While lots of these groups and events are free to attend, some of them might cost you some dollars.

So there you have them all on how to make friends in Australia as an international student. We want to hear which method did you use to make new friends in Australia.