Pre-departure information
Before you leave home, there are a number of things you need to do to help you ease into your first few weeks of being at UniSA. This pre-departure information site is designed to help you manage you expectations and prepare for your journey to Adelaide.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What can I expect in my first few weeks at UniSA?
- What should I do to get ready to go?
- What should I bring with me?
- What should I not bring into Australia?
- Do I need to organise health cover?
- What will I need to open a bank account?
- When should I start arranging my accommodation?
- Do I need to organise insurance for my home contents and belongings?
- How can I find out more about public transport in Adelaide?
- Where can I find out more information about driving in Adelaide?
- Can I use my mobile phone while driving?
- What do I need to know about riding a bike in Adelaide?
- Will I be able to work in Australia?
- Will I experience homesickness?
What can I expect in my first few weeks at UniSA?
The Learning and Teaching Unit has developed some resources on the Adapting to Uni that provides important advice for your first few weeks in Adelaide. You are encouraged to browse through and read these resources. Please also read the web pages on Adjusting to living in a new culture and Keeping safe in Adelaide.
Attend Orientation for international students where you can meet other new international students, get help with enrolment, accommodation and adjusting to life in Adelaide.
You can also find some valuable information from Education Adelaide and the South Australian Tourism Commission.
If you are a research student you should make yourself aware of the Research Degrees website and also the Learning and Teaching Unit's Research Education and Research Degrees website.
What should I do to get ready to go?
These are a number of things you need to do before you leave home:
Visa and Passport
Organise your student visa and passport - you should have received
your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form from the University. Once you have
your CoE you will be able to begin the process to apply for your student
visa. If you are using the services of an education agent they will assist
you with the visa process otherwise you will need to complete a student visa
application available from the
Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website and forward with relevant documents to your nearest Australian
Diplomatic Mission.
Some Student visa applications outside of Australia can be accepted online. Although paper applications are accepted, the online application process is much quicker and simpler. It is recommended that you check the Department of Immigration and Citizenship web page Students Visa Online Applications to see if your country is listed for online visa applications as eligibility is subject to change.
Make sure your passport is valid for the intended length of your study time in Australia. Should it expire during your stay, you will need to have it extended through your country's diplomatic mission in Australia, or else when you return home on holidays.
Travel insurance
Make sure you organise travel insurance for the journey to
Australia. It may be useful to consider organising travel insurance for the
first week that you are in Australia. Travel insurance will cover you for
any difficulties you might encounter from the time you depart your home
country to your arrival in Australia such as lost luggage etc. and unlike
your compulsory overseas student health cover may (depending on the insurer
and type of cover) provide you with cover for a pre-existing medical
condition but it is important to check this with your insurer. Your Overseas
Student Health Cover (OSHC) will only begin once you arrive in Australia.
Other things you need to do before you leave home:
- Organise your airline tickets
- Begin looking for long-term accommodation
- Pack a document folder (offer letter, academic transcripts from previous study and identification documents)
- Check customs and quarantine regulations and separately pack any items you wish to declare. Please make sure you refer to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service website for more detail.
- Have at least AUD$2,000 available to you on arrival in Adelaide (approximately AUD$500 in cash and AUD$1,500 in ATM access)
- Have medical, optical and dental check-ups. These may be necessary for your visa; in any case they may be cheaper in your home country.
- Make a note of the contact details of your country's embassy in Australia
- If you are bringing a family you may want to look at the Immigration Department's information on Bringing family members.
What should I bring with me?
- Documentation of previous studies (if applying for status or credit). You may need a comprehensive outline of the courses you have undertaken.
- Certified academic transcripts
- A character reference from a teacher or other official (to help you apply for long-term accommodation).
- Identification such as a driving licence or credit card (to help you open a bank account).
- Home country driving licence if you want to drive in South Australia. You will have to provide a translation of your licence into English, either in the form of an International Driving Permit or by arranging for a translation once you are here.
- Important medical records (e.g. if you have an ongoing medical condition).
- Medication: If you take medication for an illness or condition, you may need to bring a supply with you as it may not be readily available, or available at the same price, in Australia. You may need a certificate (in English or translated into English) from your doctor stating that the drugs have been prescribed. Check with immigration authorities: you must declare any drugs or medicines you bring into the country. Note that any prescription medication obtained in Australia must be prescribed by an Australian doctor.
- Bilingual print dictionary (only print dictionaries are allowed in exams)
- Spare spectacles/contact lenses.
- Optional: Radio/MP3 player, camera, calculator, USB/thumb drive.
- Optional: computer (as accompanied luggage). Prices for new laptops in Australia range from approximately AUD$1000 to AUD$5000. You are allowed to bring a laptop into Australia, provided Customs officials are satisfied it is for personal use and that you intend to take it with you when you return home. You are advised to get specified items insurance for your laptop in case it gets stolen or damaged.
- Contact details for home and Australia in case of an emergency.
- You passport!
What should I not bring into Australia?
- You are not allowed to bring any fresh food or egg products (even powder form) into Australia - you must declare that you are bringing food with you on your incoming passenger card.
- There are also strict regulations on what cannot be posted to Australia - see the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service website.
- Remember that in Adelaide you can buy products from all over the world. The food item you want to bring from home is probably available here already.
- If you have items made from wood, plant or animals, you must declare them on arrival.
- Please see the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service website for more detail.
Do I need to organise health cover?
If you have already paid for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) with the first instalment of tuition fees, you should be covered as soon as you arrive in Australia. This applies even if your health cover card is not yet ready. If you need to see a doctor before you get your card, you can claim your refund at a later stage. (Note that Swedish and Norwegian students will probably have different health cover arrangements).
Your OSHC entitles you to an 85% refund off the scheduled doctor's fee. You pay the difference, as well as any extra that individual doctors may charge. Please check your policy carefully, as there are exclusions for things like dental and optical treatment. You can buy more insurance to cover these extras if you wish. If you change your address, at any time you must notify the health cover provider.
Please note - it is your responsibility to keep your cover up-to-date. You will not be sent an individual reminder notice; your card shows when your cover expires.
Further information is available from the Overseas Student Health Cover information resource.
What will I need to open a bank account?
To open a bank account, you will need at least your passport and other photographic identification. Check with a few banks about their foreign exchange arrangements, or whether they will waive bank fees for students. There are many banks along King William Street in the Adelaide city business district. You may open a bank account at any of these banks.
You might like to consider opening an account with the bank that operates an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) on your campus.
- Mawson Lakes Campus: Bendigo Bank (accepts most cards)
- City East Campus: National Australia Bank (NAB)
- City West Campus: Bendigo Bank, Campus Post Office is an agent for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and National Australia Bank (NAB)
- Magill Campus: Bendigo Bank
As an international student you are entitled to open a Student Account which offers reduced bank charges and fees.
When should I start arranging my accommodation?
You should start to arrange your accommodation as long before your arrival in Adelaide as possible. You are encouraged to attend the Accommodation Information workshop during Welcome Week, and to make use of the Accommodation Assistance provided in Welcome Areas during Orientation. U-Buddies (students already studying at UniSA) are available in Welcome Areas to provide hands-on help with this process.
New students find that establishing long-term accommodation is one of the more difficult tasks they face once they arrive. The UniSA Accommodation Services website has online information on student residences, real estate agents, tenants' rights and more. Please note that any links to real estate agents or residential colleges are independent of UniSA, so you will have to contact them directly.
You can also access the Accommodation information site which provides options for students who move to Adelaide to study. As a university student you have a range of options available.
You are strongly encouraged to obtain home contents insurance in case of damage, loss or theft or your possessions. (See below)
Do I need to organise insurance for my home contents and belongings?
The landlord will insure the building where you live, but it is important that you have contents insurance in case:
- you break something
- you are burgled
- of a house fire
It is important to take out home contents insurance and you should also take out specified items insurance for portable items such as laptops, digital cameras and bicycles so that they are covered when taken outside the home.
Insurance premiums vary between companies, so you will need to shop around and compare the different options available. You should select the best policy for your needs. You can look for Insurance Companies in the Yellow Pages telephone directory or from the SA Government website. If you are sharing a house, a joint policy for the whole household may be cheaper than separate policies for each person but you will need to agree on the value of certain items and be sure that you have all of your individual possessions insured.
How can I find out more about public transport in Adelaide?
Some useful resources to search for locations in Adelaide and for planning your travel include WhereisOnline and Google Maps By using the Google Maps, you can zoom in to street level or zoom out to state level. If you have a street and suburb name, you can type it into this City of Adelaide map to get a location. Maps of the public transport system with links to bus, train and tram timetables are also available from the Adelaide Metro website.
The University also has maps of the campuses and an indication of where they are relative to each other.
You can purchase tickets at the Passenger Transport Information Centre, the Adelaide Railway Station and at most newsagents. These tickets are transferable between train, bus and tram. You will be able to use student concession tickets only once you have obtained a Student ID card.
The Adelaide Metro Info Centre is located on the corner of King William Street and Currie Street, Adelaide is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Saturday and 11am to 4pm Sunday (Telephone: 1300 311 108). You can purchase public transport tickets from the Info Centre, as well as collect some bus, tram and train timetables and route maps all of which are also available from the Adelaide Metro website.
Where can I find out more information about driving in Adelaide?
If you have a valid overseas driving licence and are in Australia on a temporary visa, you can drive on that licence as long as it is in English or accompanied by an English translation. For information contact TransportSA on Telephone: 13 10 84, or visit them at the EDS Centre Building, 108 North Terrace, Adelaide.
You should download a copy of the Driver's Handbook or alternatively purchase a copy for a small fee available from TransportSA and most newsagents.
If you are buying a used car, the Consumer and Business Services has some important advice. You can also pay for the Royal Automobile Association to inspect the car before you buy it (Telephone: 8202 4600).
Remember: whether you are buying or renting a car, pay attention to your insurance policy (e.g. if more than one person commits their funds to rent or buy a car make sure everyone who drives the vehicle has their name listed on the policy). Be aware that compulsory third party insurance is only third party personal insurance (included in the price for vehicle registration) and will not cover any damage to property or vehicles, either your own or the other party's.
Can I use my mobile phone while driving?
It is an offence to create, send or look at a text or video message on a mobile phone while driving. If you use your mobile phone while driving you run the risk of endangering other road user's lives. If you get caught by the police for using your mobile phone while driving you will also face a legal penalty such as a hefty fine!
If you wish to make or receive a call, dial a number, or touch your phone (including its keypad), the phone must be mounted in your vehicle. If your mobile phone is used via blue tooth or a headset or earphones without touching it, the phone may be located anywhere in the vehicle, including in the driver’s pocket or a pouch they are wearing. The driver may touch the ear piece or headset to operate the phone.
You have the freedom to use a mobile phone, to make or receive calls or use your phone for any other function if the car is parked (but not stationary in a traffic queue or at lights).
What do I need to know about riding a bike in Adelaide?
Adelaide is a great city to ride in as it is relatively flat and has an increasing number of bicycle lanes and pathways. Once you arrive in Adelaide, you can get a map showing the best cycling routes from TransportSA (108 North Terrace, Adelaide, Telephone: 1800 018 313).
Remember that in South Australia it is compulsory, by law, to wear a helmet while riding. Failure to do so may result in an 'on the spot' fine by South Australian police.
It is also worth visiting the TransportSA pedestrian website for advice and information about safe walking.
Will I experience homesickness?
Once you arrive in Adelaide, one of the first things you will probably want to do is contact your parents/relatives/friends to let them know that you have arrived safely. If you need to email them you can get help to do this from the closest Learning and Teaching Unit office.
It is also a good idea to get plenty of exercise, good food and sleep. Another way of managing homesickness might be to get involved with the University - attend orientation activities, meet other new students and join a club. Exploring the city, by foot or using a free city loop bus or the free Terrace to Terrace tram service is also a good way to get to know your new surroundings. Walk around during the day to see where things are located. Take a friend with you!
For more information about the public transport system in Adelaide please refer to the 'How can I find out more about public transport in Adelaide?' under the list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Arriving in a new place usually requires some kind of adjustment so please access the information site on Adjusting to living in a new culture. It contains more detailed advice and information about how to deal with the first few days of being in a new place.
Will I be able to work in Australia?
In order to remain compliant with the conditions of your student visa, you not allowed to work until you have commenced your course (generally this is the start date on your CoE) and can work up to 40 hours per fortnight while your course is in session (excluding any work undertaken as a registered component of their course of study or training) and you can work unlimited hours during mid-semester and end of year holidays.
Higher Degree Research (HDR) students
If you are a Higher Degree Research (HDR) student on a 574 visa you will be able to work an unlimited amount of hours once your program of study or course has commenced. However, the University’s Research Degrees Committee recommends that full-time research degree students undertake paid employment for no more than 8 hours per week or for a total of the equivalent of 8 hours per week over a twelve month period. The hours of employment include marking and preparation associated with part-time teaching duties.
- Research degree students will require the approval of the University through their supervisor and, where hours exceed the recommended 8 hours, approval must also be provided by the relevant Dean Research.
- HDR students shall notify the Graduate Research Centre (GRC) of any work undertaken and any change in employment details.
- Employment cannot be grounds for an extension to scholarship or application to go overtime.
- The University may not require HDR students to undertake employment at the institution.
Some scholarship holders may not be able to work during classes as a condition of their scholarship.
It is recommended that you do not work during your first six months of study to give yourself the best chance of adjusting to living in a new country and academic environment.
If you have any questions about working in Australia, please contact the Learning and Teaching Unit on any UniSA campus for further information once you arrive in Adelaide.
Further information about Working in Australia as an international student while studying in Australia can be found from the University's website.
Further information
- More information about what to expect after your arrival in Adelaide as a university student in a new country can be found by visiting the Your first 48 hours in Adelaide information site.
- The Getting around Adelaide web resource provides more information about travelling around Adelaide and its suburbs. This website also provides more information on driving, cycling and walking in Adelaide and includes links to a number of helpful, external websites.
- Information about Living in Adelaide including climate, living costs and time zones can be found on the University's UniSA International website as well as information about Adelaide's attractions and food and restaurants.
- If you require further information please contact the Learning and Teaching Unit by email ltu@unisa.edu.au
Once you are in Adelaide, you can contact the Learning and Teaching Unit on your home campus if you have a general enquiry.
Should you require after-hours emergency assistance, please call this UniSA Security Services number:
- +61 8 1800 500 911 (UniSA Security) free call