What steps will you need to take before you can move to Australia?

If you decide to become an international student and receive an Offer of Enrolment at the Australian National University, you are required to apply for an Australian Student Visa.

Things you need to have BEFORE you apply for a Student Visa:

• An electronic confirmation of your enrolment at ANU
• A valid Passport
• Overseas Student Health Cover for the length of your course end date on your confirmation of enrolment and an additional 2 months*
• Any other further documentation needed for a Student Visa – Find more here Explore visa options for studying in Australia (homeaffairs.gov.au)
• The costs needed to pay for a Student Visa – find out more here: Visa fees and charges (homeaffairs.gov.au)

*If the course end date on your confirmation of enrolment for your primary course is ending at the end of the Australian academic year (November to December), you are required to purchase your Overseas Student Health Cover until 15 March of the following year.

Conditions you need to maintain to keep your Student Visa:

Under the conditions of a student visa, you need to be enrolled and studying in Australia in each compulsory study period, which means, you must be studying on-campus prior to the start of each compulsory study period until the end of the exam period. For more information on study periods and exam periods, click here: University calendar | Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

All International Students on Student Visas studying in Australia need to comply with the following conditions to maintain their Visa:

• Complete your course in the timeframe recorded on your confirmation of enrolment.
• Maintain your Overseas Student Health Cover for the entire time you are staying in Australia.
• Maintain enrolment in a CRICOS registered course – this means maintaining a valid confirmation of enrolment in the same Australian Qualification Framework level your visa was granted at.
• Updating the ANU with your residential address within 7 days of arriving in Australia, including any change of your contact details such as phone number and email address within 7 days of the change. You need to update the university if these change during your stay in Australia.
• If you have children in school, you need to maintain education standards and care arrangements for them whilst you are studying. If you wish to bring your children to Australia, you can find out more about this further down.
• You need to make sure you do not exceed your allowed workable hours. These will be listed on your Visa.
• Complete 6 enrolled calendar months in your primary course or apply for a release before transferring to another education provider if you wish to do so.

Depending on the type of Visa you are granted, there may be more conditions you need to comply with to maintain your Visa. It is important that you understand each of these conditions before you come to Australia and that you stay up to date with any changes that may occur to these conditions. If you wish to stay within Australia, it is important to maintain all of these conditions for the duration of the time you are in the country. To find out more about Visa conditions, click here: Visa Conditions (homeaffairs.gov.au)

You can find out more about Visas here: Visa list (homeaffairs.gov.au)

To speak with someone at the ANU to find out more, click here:

Contact | The Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

Email: future.student@anu.edu.au

Phone:

Within Australia: +1800 620 032

Outside Australia: +61 2 6125 7257

Bringing your family

Studying overseas is an exciting time, not just for yourself, but for the whole family. We understand that you may want to bring some or all of your family with you. We have provided some important information below to help you make an informed choice about who you might bring with you.

It is important that you make sure your Visa accommodates the family you wish to bring with you. Some Visas allow for immediate family to come such as your spouse and children, but you need to make sure this is the case. If it doesn’t, you will need to make sure your family has the right Visas to come with you and this can mean an additional cost.

What you need to keep in mind when thinking of bringing your family to Australia:

• The cost of getting yourself and your family to Australia, such as:
  - Plane tickets
  - Travel accommodation
  - Visa costs
  - Passports
• Overseas Health Cover for the whole family for the duration of your stay
• Rent costs for accommodation – this can vary depending on the location and size (see Example)
• Daily expenses and weekly food costs
• Your spouse’s work conditions based on their Visa type
• Enrolling your child or children into school and/or day-care
• Cost of education for your children, such as:
  - Day-care costs for ages 0-5- Day-care within the ACT costs – between $140-$160 a day *
  - Potential school costs for ages 5 years to 18 years - This cost is dependent on your Visa type and where you are living. 
  *Please note that International Students do not receive childcare support from the Australian Government. Cost’s current as of 12/23.
• Transportation Costs, such as:
  - Public Transportation costs
  - Australian Drivers Licence costs & the cost of a vehicle, registration and insurance, car seats for children etc. if you wish to drive.

Childcare and Schooling in the ACT

All children of school age must be enrolled in school, children too young to attend school can be enrolled into daycare.

• Public schooling in the ACT does come with a cost for International Students. To find out costs, please click here: International Student Fees
• There is a cost associated with daycare in the ACT, it is expensive and International Students are not eligible for Childcare Subsidies that assist with the costs of care. Here is a list of childcare locations in the ACT: Find Childcare services near you in Canberra, ACT | CareforKids.com.au
• For childcare cost estimates, there is an online calculator: Child Care Cost Calculator Australia | CareforKids.com.au | CareforKids.com.au

Accommodation

When it comes to thinking about and finding accommodation in Australia, it’s important to think about the type of accommodation you need and how you would like to live. Below are a few things to think about that might help narrow down what type of accommodation could work best for you.

• Do you want to live alone and do you feel comfortable living by yourself?
• Will you be bringing family and need extra room for your family?
• Would you like to live on or off campus?
• What is your budget? Rent costs for accommodation can vary depending on the location and size (see Example)
• Would you like to live with multiple people?
• Would living with a local family help you to feel safe and settle into a new culture?

Renting in the ACT

Rental costs within the ACT are currently fluctuating. We cannot give an exact cost of housing for you, but it would be worth googling “Current cost of Rent in Canberra, ACT” to see what the cost of housing will look like when you come. 

For rental estimates and listings, you can also view Housing Online.

There are multiple types of accommodation to consider, depending on the type you are looking for.

Living on Campus

The ANU has multiple on-site College Dorms. If you would like to find out more about on-campus living, click here.

Private Accommodation

You can find private accommodation online on sites like ANU Housing Online, Domain, realestate.com.au, Gumtree or AllHomes. The average private weekly rental costs around A$560* for a one-bedroom unit, so you’ll need to ensure this is within your budget. Rent prices can and do fluctuate.

*As of the 12/23.

Homestay

Homestays are when you are placed with a local family. It means you can live with them and they can help you get used to living in a new country and get used to the changes it brings. You can find more about Homestay here HomeStay Network

You will be provided with your own room and most families will assist you with meals as well. If you would like to apply for a Home Stay placement, you can apply here: Apply for Home Stay

Group Housing

Another option for accommodation is group housing in a share house. Share housing is when you rent a room in a house that has other rooms rented out by other people. Common spaces and bathrooms are usually shared with housemates – the people you live with. This is a cost-effective way to live as bills, rent and utility costs are split between everyone living in the house. It is also a great way to meet new people when coming into a country where you might not know anyone. The following are good places to look for share housing: Canberra Student Housing Co-operative, Flatmates and realestate.com.au  

Health and wellbeing

We want to make sure that your study experience goes as smoothly as possible. The Australian National University has multiple health services international students can access while they are here.

Your responsibility

While you are in Australia, you need to have Overseas Student Health Cover, this is so you stay compliant with your Visa, but to also make sure you have access to health services and care whilst you are in Australia.

For ANU Students, they can access the ANU Medical Centre. Most appointments at the ANU Medical Centre are covered under your Overseas Student Health Cover and this means that you won’t have to pay for the majority of appointments at the Centre. If there is an additional cost you will need to pay, the Centre will let you know before your appointment.

You can find out more about what the Medical Centre provides here:

Medical Services | Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

The ANU also has non-diagnostic mental health services for ANU Students, you can find out more about them here: Health, safety & wellbeing | Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

It is important to read the policy of you Overseas Student Health Cover carefully before you sign up. Make sure you look at:

• What they will and won’t cover
• What additional costs you will need to pay for specialist medical services
• If there are any hidden additional costs

Remember that if you are having trouble understanding Overseas Student Health Cover policies, you can call them and ask for clarification. Providers have translators available to help you if needed.

Find out more about Overseas Student Health Cover here: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) | Study Australia

ANU has a variety of health and wellbeing services on campus for students such as Gyms, Accessibility – disability support for students, Student Services, an onsite Medical Centre, onsite mental health support, and a wide range of student groups you can join to connect with others.

To see what ANU has to offer students, click here: Current students | Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

Please note that ANU is a smoke-free campus, which means that smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping is prohibited on campus. If you would like to quit smoking and need help, find out information here: Quit Smoking  

ANU resources for international students

The ANU has information specifically for International students. You can find out more below:

Information for International Students:

Information for - Prospective international students | The Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

Information for International Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students:

International undergraduate & postgraduate | The Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

ANU Student Assistance International Students Department:

ANU International Students' Department (anuisd.com.au)

International Student Checklist:

International students checklist | Orientation (anu.edu.au)

International Admissions Team:

International Admissions Team - Staff Services - ANU

Hear from International Students here:

ANU Experience - YouTube

University Calendar

The university calendar of important dates is available here: 

University calendar | Australian National University (anu.edu.au)

Canberra and climate

Canberra is a lovely place to live. Below is a list of information you may like to know about Canberra and the things that come with living here.

Canberra has four seasons:

1. Summer: December- February. It can get up to 40 Degrees Celsius during the day but usually sits around 30 Degrees Celsius. It is important to have clothing that lets your skin breathe and stops it from getting burnt. It does not rain often in summer, but when it does it usually storms.
2. Autumn (Fall): March – May. Autumn is when the weather starts to cool down, warmer clothes are needed, and people often layer their clothing so that it’s easier to get warm or stay cool as the weather changes during the day. It rains more often in Autumn than it does in Summer.
3. Winter: June – August. Winter in Canberra can be very cold, and it is important to make sure you have a lot of warm clothing. It is usually coldest overnight and in the mornings. We don’t often get snow in Canberra, but it does snow nearby and this makes the days feel even colder. Make sure you have lots of warm clothing during the winter months.
4. Spring: September- November. Spring is when the weather starts to warm up and Canberra starts to get nice and green again. It does rain often in spring and the weather goes from hot to cold. Make sure you keep your winter clothes on hand during spring as there are quite a few cold weeks across the months of spring.

More information about Canberra weather is available here.

Canberra

Canberra has a lot of natural places you can see and explore and is known as the Bush Capital. This means that we are located in a place surrounded by a lot of native plants and wildlife. The beach is 2.5-3 hours away from Canberra, and the mountains are close by.

You can find out more about what Canberra has to offer here: Canberra

You can find more about Australia here: Australia