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Departure |
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Intro
Congratulations. You have made it to the Australian University. Now the actual botherations start. You are emotionally preparing to leave the comforts of your family, the place you know and a culture in which you have lived for an unknown land which would be very different in culture. You have to start planning your journey and stay in Australia. The more imaginative or rather we would say informed you would be, the better would be the chances of avoiding some unpleasant experiences.
If you are going to Australia from a traditional country, you are bound to have cultural shock. But you can avoid it if you are prepared. This is the goal of this page. It prepares you for the things that you need in Australia and you should carry with you. This gives you a little exposure of how the Australian system works and what the Australian authorities expect from you. We want to provide you useful pieces of advice that you will find useful during your stay in Australia.
We want to tell you what you need to do after the confirmation of the admission offer to what you should do till you get settled in Australia for your classes, the aim of your stay in Australia.
Success in your professional life will depend on the academic achievements in your chosen discipline. Whatever you do in your life, socially or economically, the Australian Studies would affect your decisions. Society’s value judgments will also be influenced by the fact that you have studies in Australia.
You are the brand ambassador of your country. You will explain your educational as well as social system and get to know about foreign civilizations. You will have tremendous exposure of international culture and professional life.
Pre-departure Information
a. Apply For Your Visa
Apply electronically through approved agent or in person for your student visa 6-12 weeks prior to the course commencement date. Have the document supporting your sound financial status ready. If you have any confusion, get the required help from the local educational and visa consultant. Submit your visa application along with your passport, admission offer letter, and other relevant documents. Unlike some other country’s visa approval process, Australian visa process does not require you to attend any visa interview.
b. Book Flight Ticket
With the visa approval, you should book your ticket to Australia. You may like to do some research on airlines as many would offer you student travel discount. You may save your precious dollars.
c. Flight and Luggage
You may carry as many pieces of luggage as you want subject to the weight limit allowed. Airlines allow only carry bag of certain dimensions as the cabin luggage. Rest of the pieces of luggage would go in the luggage compartment. The point that you should carry in mind at this juncture is airlines do make mistakes while handling luggage. So put your name and destination on each piece. Also use some innovative way to mark all the pieces for easy identification when it is rolled towards you in the luggage delivery area. Many people will have same kind of suitcases and carry bags!
d. Documents To Carry In Your Cabin Baggage
Travel to Australia, as an international student would be very different from traveling between two destinations within your home country. You have a purpose of the travel and permission to do so by your home and Australian governments. You need to carry required papers with you. Please carry your valid passport to establish your nationality and identification, and student visa would facilitate the entry processes at Australian airport.
As Australia is a foreign land where you would have to show your credentials again and again, you are favourably advised to carry documents like relevant academic transcripts, Letter of Acceptance, driving license, national ID card, Letter of Scholarship, medical records of immunisations, necessary medication/prescriptions and passport size photographs in your handbag. This will save you from immediately opening your luggage to find these certificates, which indeed would be troublesome.
Have your Airport Reception and Temporary Accommodation Letters handy to use as soon as you land in Australia.
Don’t forget to put the ticket in the zip packet of cabin handbag and some Australian Dollars in your wallet.
e. Packing You Luggage
Before even shopping and bidding goodbye to your family and friends, please study the climate of city where you are going to study. Australia is a huge country and climatic conditions vary vastly. Put suitable clothes.
Please bear in mind for customs checks, your luggage would be opened repeatedly. You may find it difficult to pack if it is overstuffed. A word from wise, have some space.
f. Ready To Leave Your Home For Airport
First things first, Start quite early, very early and check that you have got all the required documents. You have not missed any single thing. It may be very bothersome on missing something important. Please make double sure you have got every required document. Also crosscheck with your travel list.
Now get dressed in comfortable clothes. Take a warm pullover. The air conditioners in flight may get chilling. Now you are ready to for a long flight.
g. At Home Country Airport
Arrive early at the airport.You will have to get your luggage checked, travel document verified and then you will get security clearance for your bags and yourself. You will then be issued boarding pass. You will have to wait for your flight in a specified secure area. You can’t meet your relatives now. Have some reading material with you to pass your time while waiting.
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| Post-departure information |
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| a. During The Flight |
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Flight will take a long time to reach to your destination. No matter from which direction or place you are traveling to Australia. You will have in flight magazines to read, or some other entertainment media. Some passengers get headaches, ask for help some medication from crew staff. Feel free to approach them if you need any other help. |
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You will have to fill in a form to declare what all you are carrying to Australia. Please be honest. Don’t hide. Declare any food item that you are carrying, the amount of cash, and if at all, any dangerous weapon.
b. At The Australian Airport
Please collect you luggage from the Baggage Claims. Then you are required to meet the custom officers at airport. Submit to them the completed questionnaire, and your passport. Custom officer will check you luggage to verify what you have declared in the questionnaire and to know what you have not. After making certain that you are not bringing something illegal or violating any law you are allowed to enter Australia, the dream destination.
c. Reaching Your Accommodation
If you had requested for airport pickup services of the university where you are going to study and it was confirmed, please wait at the airport till you locate the university representative. If you have not asked this help from university, you would have to arrange for your transportation. Go to the information booth and get their guidance. Try not to save some penny at this stage, as it may hurt you health. After all you are tired.
d. The Next Day After Your Arrival:
- Go take a stroll to know the area well where you are going live. Locate your university, department, library, and figure out how you are going to commute daily to the university, if you are living off-campus. For on-campus students commuting would not pose a big problem. Summarily acquaint yourself with the university and locality.
- Please open a bank account. National bank would be the best. Don’t forget to collect your ATM cum debit card as banks in Australia generally discourage customers visiting the bank facility. You can use your card for withdrawal and deposits at the ATM centres. Please carry your identity card, photograph and other documents.
- File your Tax File Number as an Australian resident. International Students are considered resident for the purpose of taxation. This is essential when you are looking for part time job.
Now you are ready to attend your classes. After sometime you can apply for the permission to work on student visa to the immigration office. The permission is generally granted to every student.
With this your immigration to Australia as a student is complete. You can happily stay, learn, and earn till the duration of the course. |
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