LIVING AND STUDYING IN AUSTRALIA
Australia is one of the world leaders in education and home to almost 700,000 international students. It’s a great place to live and study as Australia has some of the lowest crime rates in the world with lots of open spaces, beautiful parks and wildlife, golden surf beaches and vibrant cities and night life. Australia is a welcoming and friendly country toward overseas visitors and our national values include individual freedoms along with protection of the rights of citizens and visitors with a transparent legal system in place. We are a multi-cultural and diverse nation with a thriving mix of regional and city centres providing a variety of landscapes and opportunities. Australia is a technologically advanced nation with great infrastructure and transportation options for students and being a country with one of the highest minimum wage rates – Australia is really a fantastic place to live and study.
Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Sydney is located on the south-east coast of Australia and has more than 4.5 million inhabitants. It is widely considered to be one of the most livable and beautiful cities in the world.
In fact, when most people think of Australia, it is Sydney that first comes to mind, with its beautiful beaches and the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
This information has been sourced from Study in Australia provided by the Australian Government. If you would like more information about a specific topic, please visit the website: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/
COST OF LIVING IN SYDNEY
Accommodation costs are approximately:
Hostels and guesthouses: $90 to $150 per week
Shared rental: $85 to $215 per week
Homestay: $235 to $325 per week
Rental: $165 to $440 per week
Other living expenses are approximately:
Groceries and eating out: $80 to $280 per week
Gas and electricity: $35 to $140 per week
Phone and Internet: $20 to $55 per week
Public transport: $15 to $55 per week
Car (ongoing cost): $150 to $260 per week
Entertainment: $80 to $150 per week
*These prices are a rough guide according to the current market (2020)
For a specific breakdown of accommodation and other living costs, please refer to https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/living-costs and make use of the cost of living calculator provided by Insider Guides at https://insiderguides.com.au/cost-of-living-calculator/
CULTURE
Australia is a multicultural country and Sydney has a rich cosmopolitan culture. People from around the world have migrated to Australia for many years and have brought with them their culture and wonderful food. In Australia, the main language is English and the official currency is the Australian dollar (AU$).
Weather
The summer months in Australia are from December to February, autumn is from March to May, winter is from June to August and spring is September to November. Winters are pleasant and summers are hot with a huge number of options to cool down thanks to Sydney’s location on the
Australian coastline.
ACCOMMODATION
There are a variety of accommodation options in Australia to suit every need, preference and budget. This includes, renting, purpose-built student accommodation, short-term accommodation like hotels and hostels, share houses or home stays. For detailed information about the various types of accommodation and legal obligations and rights for renting in each state and territory, please visit https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/Accommodation
TRANSPORT
Australia has great public transport options including trains, buses, taxis and other ride share options like Uber and Didi. Australia also has many cycling and walking paths and its affordable domestic flight travel means that you may like to take advantage of your time here by seeing more of the sights.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Australia is generally a safe country, but you do need to be aware of the risks and be prepared. Make sure you read the information provided at the link on the following topics:
· Emergencies
Police, Fire & Ambulance: 000
Alcohol & Drug Information Service: 1800 422 599
Ambulance Bookings: 13 12 33
Cancer Council: 9334 1900
Centrecare Pregnancy Support: 9283 3099
Emergency Dental Info (after hours): 9369 1111
Emergency Prescription Service: 9235 0333
Medicare: 12 20 11
Poisons Information Hotline: 13 11 26
Rape Crisis Centre: 9819 6565
Royal North Shore Hospital: 9926 7111
St Vincents Hospital: 9339 1111
Sydney Hospital Emergency: 9382 7111
· Home safety
· Fire
· Transport and personal
· Sun and water.
WORKING ON A STUDENT VISA
Student visa holders can work up to 40 hours every two weeks (fortnight) during study terms and unlimited hours during school holiday breaks. For more information on popular industries for students to work in, your rights and responsibilities, your employer’s rights and information about the Fair Work Ombudsman visit: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/work
OVERSEAS STUDENT HEALTH COVER (OSHC)
You must have student healthcare cover before arriving in Australia and for the duration of time you are in Australia – this is a visa requirement of the Department of Home Affairs. For further information about OSHC and other optional insurances visit https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/Insurance