Life in Australia

Australia’s biggest sales day is here.

The Boxing Day.

Like Black Friday Deals, we are giving you a quick guide on what is Boxing Day and our Top 10 Boxing Day Deals you might want to snap.

What is Boxing Day in Australia?

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First of all, let’s be clear, Boxing Day does not mean something like this:

It is actually celebrated on a day after Christmas Day, 26th December each year in Australia and across many other countries around the world.

The tradition came in around 1800s when wealthy people started giving their servants a day off after Christmas Day and a boxed gifts (usually leftovers from Christmas Day).

And hence, a Boxing Day. (See the connection, Boxing = Boxes 🙂

While that tradition has long gone, now a days, it is a public holiday in Australia and is one of the biggest sales event of the year.

In 2020, it is expected that shoppers will spend around $2.75 billion on a Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is also famous for a cricket test match between Australian cricket team & a visiting nation team and a Sydney Hobart yatch race.

Here are our top 10 Boxing Day Deals for 2020

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So here are our hand picked deals for you for Boxing Day 2020 (prices in AUD):

1. Google Pixel 4a with 5G for $658 at Amazon
2. Realme 6 for $319.20 at Amazon
3. Apple iPhone XR for $699 at JB Hi-Fi
4. GoPro Hero 8 Black for $364.19 + shipping at Amazon
5. Samsung Galaxy S20+ 128GB Smartphone $969 Delivered at Amazon
6. EKO 65-inch UHD Android TV with Google Assistant for $649 at Big W
7. Lenovo Tab E10 10″ Tablet for $97 at Amazon
8. Fitbit charge 4 for $149 (was $250) at Amazon
9. 60% off shoes and accessories at Adidas eBay store
10. Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2nd gen) for $199 at Catch (Don’t forget to get 10% further off with discount code for students from here).

You can also check other fashion, tech, travel related deals on our student deals page as well.

List of Top Boxing Day Sales Retailers in Australia

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• Amazon
• Big W
• Bing Lee
• Catch
• David Jones
• eBay
• JB Hi-fi
• Harvey Norman
• Myer
• Officeworks
• Target
• The Good Guys

DISCLAIMER: This list may contain links from our affiliates like Amazon and others, sponsors, and partners. If you use these products, we will get compensated – but there’s no additional cost to you.

Please note that as the Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes to an end for the year 2020, some of the deals mentioned might not be available anymore.

Finally, the day has come.

The biggest sale of the year has arrived “Black Friday and Cyber Monday”.

In this article, we are going to look at what is Black Friday and Cyber Monday and some of the most popular Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for the students in Australia in 2020.

What is Black Friday?

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Black Friday is a day after Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year in the United States. This year Black Friday will be celebrated on 27th November 2020.

It is considered to be the start of the shopping season for Christmas in United States and many retailers start the season with exclusive deals on this day with huge discounts.

It is a day when consumers can save big money on appliances, fashion and other accessories.

While it is an American tradition, it has gained more popularity in Australia since 2013.. Many retailers like JB HI-FI, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys along with their American counterparts like Amazon and eBay launch exclusive deals for Australian consumers on Black Friday for last few years now.

Most of the retailers open their stores early on Black Friday and close them late as well to make it easier for the shoppers. These days you can score many deals online so you don’t necessarily need to go to the store to get a bargain.

What is Cyber Monday?

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Cyber Monday is celebrated on Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States as well. This was primarily designed to encourage people to shop online rather than Brick and Mortar stores.

This day started in 2005 and quickly gained popularity with the increase in number of internet users. This year Cyber Monday will be celebrated on 30th November 2020.

How to use cashback websites to maximise your savings during this Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?

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Before you buy anything online, make sure to sign up and check if there is cashback offer available on these websites. This will be additional saving on top of discounts from those brands. Sign up is free and if you sign up using the links below, you can score referral bonus up to $15 as well.

ShopBack – Get $15 bonus when you spend $20 or more through ShopBack using the link here.

Cashrewards – Get $10 referral bonus after spending $20 or more within 90 days and additional savings using the links on the website. Sign up here.

Update: For Today (27/11/2020) only, After sign-up on Cashrewards use the link below to get $10 bonus with every $10 spending on any online store.

Activate this new reward and read the full terms here.

Here is a quick step-by-step guide for using cashback websites:

Step 1: Make a list of things you want to buy during the sale. It helps you to stay focused on the things you need.

Step 2: Join Cashback websites like Cashrewards and Shopback for free (using the link given above). If you are joining for the first time, you can get referral bonus when you sign up using the link above.

Step 3: Look up for the store you would like to shop and click on the link provided in the website.

Step 4: Complete your transaction.

Step 5: Repeat this process if you want to get cashback on your purchases.

List of Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for students in Australia in 2020

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Here is a list of top Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Please note that these deals will be updated regularly so please come back to check more deals here. Some deals have an exclusive discount for students so make sure to make advantage of that.

Tech Deals

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Amazon Deals –

• Amazon Echo Show 8 for $109 – https://amzn.to/33j8MRo
• Echo Show 5 for $49 – https://amzn.to/2VhlwDH
• Echo Dot 4th Gen for $49 – https://amzn.to/2Je18AF
• Echo Dot 4th Gen w/ Clock for $69 – https://amzn.to/3m94LpW
• Echo 4th Gen w/ Premium Sound for $119 – https://amzn.to/33lwFrj
• Echo Dot 3rd Gen for $34 – https://amzn.to/3m955oE

Check all the Amazon Devices Black Friday Sale here

• Samsung Galaxy S20FE 5G Smartphone128GB, Navy for $849 – https://amzn.to/3lclM14
• Fitbit Versa 2 for $196 – https://amzn.to/3o4eheF
• 50% off on video games,
• 33% off on Samsung Note 20 phones,
• 40% off on Panasonic Lumix Camera,

All the Amazon Black Friday Deals

JB Hi – Fi Deals –

• Lenovo Duet Chromebook (128GB) for $374 (was $499).
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 256GB $999 (was $1999)
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G for $899,
• Google Nest Hub for $79,
• Nest Mini for $39,
• Echo Dot for $34,
• Echo Dot with Alexa for $49,
• Echo with Alexa/Clock $69.
• Samsung Q60T 75″ QLED Ultra HD 4K Smart TV for $1,888
• Nintendo Switch Console Neon for $399

Check the whole catalogue and other deals here.

eBay Deals –

• Nintendo Switch Console + Mario Kart Game + 3 month free online for $349,
• FIFA 21 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for $25,
• Apple AirPods (2019) for $99 and Apple AirPods Pro for $249 (Limited Quantity)
• Samsung Galaxy A51 for AU$399
• Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Space Sim Duo for $179

More details on eBay Black Friday Deals here.

Officeworks –

• GoPro HERO7 Action Camera with 32GB SD Card Silver for $297.
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G Smartphone 128GB Navy for $748.
• HP 15S-DU1016TU Notebook 15.6″ Core i5/8/256 GB for $688.

Check the complete catalogue here.

Telstra –

• Google Pixel 5 for $749,
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G for $849
• OPPO Find X2 Pro 5G for $1199 
• Samsung Galaxy A51 for $399 

Check all the Black Friday deals from Telstra here.

Catch Deals – Catch has reduced Apple AirPods Pro to $319 (a saving of $80). They are also offering Apple AirPods 2nd Gen at $209 (with a saving of $40). Plus don’t miss out on exclusive 10% student discount. Get your exclusive code here.

Dell – Dell 24″ 1080p IPS 75hz AMD FreeSync for $138.93 Delivered (was $249) using the code: LOVEKEANU More details are here. Upto 35% on other products like laptops, monitors etc here.

The Good Guys – Dyson V7 Motorhead Cordless Vacuum for $379 (was $599). Check out this deal here.

Microsoft Store – Up to 20% off on Microsoft Surface from $974 here, Up to 40% off on Gaming and other accessories at Microsoft store here.

Lenovo – Lenovo Thinkpad E595 8GB 512GB SSD for $799 Delivered and up to 55% off Black Friday Sale at Lenovo here.

Becextech – 60% off sitewide + Extra $20 off student discount here.

Dick Smith – Take an Extra 20% Off Top Appliances using code: COOLBF here.

Fashion Deals

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Boohoo – 60% off everything and 10% student discount when using this link here.

Missguided – 50% off everything + Extra 10% Student Discount here.

The Iconic – 30% off selected styles on Black Friday sales here.

Boohoo Man – 50% off menswear + extra 5% student discount here.

Crocs – 40% off sitewide and free shipping with orders from $50. More here.

Adidas – 30% off storewide here. Early access to the sale for Creators Club members.

Nasty Gal – Massive 60% off on Nasty Gal. Details here.

Cotton On – 30% off everything on the website here.

Bonds – 40% off sitewide on Bonds website from 27th November here.

Nautica – 40% off sitewide on the website here.

Ally Fashion – 50% off Online Exclusives here

Other Deals

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100% Cashback on 3 years + 3 months plan for Cyber Ghost VPN by Shopback.

Here is how to score this deal:

1. Sign up for Shopback using this link.
2. Go to the Cyber Ghost VPN deal page.
3. Click on the “Shop Now” button, next to ” 3 Year Plan + Bonus 3 Months for $121.29 (83% off) – New CyberGhost VPN Customers”. You will be directed to Cyber Ghost VPN Deal
4. Press “Claim Deal Now” on the Cyber Ghost deal page.
5. Choose the 3 Years + 3 Months Plan and pay for the service.
6. Once paid, check back on the Shopback for the tracked link.
7. Get your cashback for the deal within 60 to 90 days.
8. Enjoy Free VPN for next 3 years and 3 months.
9. Make sure to cancel the plan befoore the expiry to avoid recurring payments in the future.

Amaysim – 1-year Prepaid Plan with Unlimited calls and text with 120 GB data for $100 but use the Shopback to get $60 cashback making it $40 for a whole year. And with sign up bonus of $15, it will be only $25 for the year worth of plan. Use this link to get a $15 sign up bonus now.

Fossil – 30% off storewide (excluding Gen 5 and Hybrid) using Code: “Cyber30” Click here to buy.

UGG Express – Extra 20% off AUD$140+  Sitewide using Code: BLKF20% here.

Chemist Warehouse – 10% off storewide in Store and online on Black Friday. Some exclusions apply. More details here.

Koala Mattresses – Up to 20% off on Koala’s mattresses and other accessories here.

Booktopia – Up to 80% off on millions of books at Booktopia here.

More deals to follow soon.

Last updated: 26 November 2020

DISCLAIMER: This list may contain links from our affiliates like Amazon and others, sponsors, and partners. If you use these products, we will get compensated – but there’s no additional cost to you.

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 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