Student guide to Australia

Subclass 500 student visa via ImmiAccount. CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) from your institution required first. Financial capacity AUD $29,710/year (2026 rate). Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement is critical — Australia denies more student visas on GTE grounds than any other criterion. Post-study Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa: 2 years for bachelor/master's, up to 4 years for masters by research, up to 6 years for PhD.

Tax File Number (TFN) required for any work. Students earning under AUD $18,200/year pay no income tax. Work limit: 48 hours/fortnight during term, unlimited during scheduled breaks. Superannuation (compulsory employer contribution to retirement fund) refundable on departure as DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment) — 35% withholding tax applies.

Australia Awards (DFAT-funded, targets Indo-Pacific developing countries). Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarships (Australian government, all levels, fully-funded). Research Training Programme (RTP) for HDR students at participating universities. University-specific: Melbourne International Research Scholarship, UQ International Living Allowance, Monash Vice-Chancellor's.

Big Four: Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, NAB. Open student account online from home country up to 12 weeks before arrival. CommBank "Smart Access" and ANZ "Access Advantage" are popular. Apply for TFN simultaneously with bank account.

University-managed accommodation (residential colleges, on-campus apartments) most prestigious but limited. Private student accommodation: Scape, UniLodge, Iglu — book by May for July intake. Share-house culture strong via Flatmates.com.au. Bond (security deposit) typically 4 weeks rent, lodged with state government bond authority.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory and arranged by your university or directly with Bupa, Allianz, Medibank — covers GP visits, ambulance, public hospital. Dental, optical, physio not covered — Extras cover available separately. Average OSHC: AUD $600-$700/year for singles.

IELTS Academic 6.5+ overall (no band below 6.0) standard for undergrad and postgrad. Healthcare and education programmes require IELTS 7.0-7.5+. PTE Academic accepted at most universities (typically 58-65+). Cambridge English C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT widely accepted.

Indian groceries excellent in Melbourne (Caulfield, Footscray), Sydney (Harris Park, Blacktown, Parramatta), Brisbane (Sunnybank), Adelaide (Glenside). Halal certification widespread. Average grocery: AUD $80-$130/week. Aldi, Coles, Woolworths chains.

Australia ranks among safest 10 countries. Campus safety services standard at all universities; SafeZone app deployed at most. Avoid swimming at unpatrolled beaches — read flag warnings. Drop-bear is a joke; brown snakes are not.

700,000+ Indian-origin Australians. Melbourne and Sydney have largest concentrations. Cricket leagues, Diwali celebrations on Federation Square. Indian High Commission Canberra + Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth. Alumni networks active in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane.