Widely regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities and the live music capital of the world, Melbourne is a bustling hub with an abundance of culture, food, sport, art, and music. A true cultural melting pot, the city is known for its diversity.
As a requirement of the student visa application, international students are required to demonstrate and/or declare that they have genuine access to sufficient funds to cover the cost of living while in Australia.
As of October 2019, the 12-month living costs are: $21,041 for students or guardians; $7,362 for partners; $3152 for children.
For further details, please refer to the Study in Australia website.
The Study Melbourne website also provides information and advice about managing money, banking, financial aid and work opportunities which may assist with making decisions about living costs while studying at Collarts.
Collarts does not provide accommodation to students. However, we are able to provide information about sources of student accommodation—please refer to the FAQ page for more information.
Victoria has well-defined tenancy laws that support the rights of landlords and tenants. For more information go to the Consumer Affairs Victoria website, or if you are experiencing a problem with your landlord, call them on 1300 55 81 81 (or +61 3 8684 0735). The Tenants Victoria can also help.
For 24-hour phone service from your country’s representative in Australia:
A competitive environment exists in Melbourne for the provision of goods and services. It is advantageous to compare prices and shop around before you buy. If you have any consumer-related complaints, the following bodies can assist to resolve the dispute:
If you require legal support, Victorian Legal Aid have lawyers who can talk to you about how the law applies to your legal problem.
Visit their website or call 1300 792 387.
In Australia, the emergency number is 000 (Triple Zero) and is to be used in the following situations:
If the answer is YES, call Triple Zero (000). Triple Zero calls are free. It is important to only use the emergency 000 number for genuine emergencies.
When you call Triple Zero (000):
For Police Assistance, please use the following numbers as appropriate:
A number of key stakeholders in Melbourne and Victoria, such as government, police, businesses and resident groups, work together to increase safety in the city through community awareness and education.
There is much information available, but we provide links to download some fact sheets on how to protect yourself, your property and your vehicle.
KEY RESOURCES:
The Victims of Crime Helpline provides 24-hour information, referral and support to victims of crime on telephone 1800 819 817 and information can also be found on their website.
Support and counselling are available for victims of sexual assault. Please visit the Sexual Assault Crisis Line website for further information or if you need urgent help call toll free on 1800 806 292.
For a more comprehensive list of emergency numbers and contact details, please see the Emergency & Police Assistance tab.
If you have been granted Permission to Work, there are restrictions on the number of hours you can work while studying at Collarts:
Your working hours should meet your visa conditions and a part-time job must not interfere with your course of study, as study is your number one priority. It is not designed to subsidise your course or living costs.
Students should also check the Department of Home Affairs website for more details including information on work entitlements for you and your dependent family members if you have permission to work. Click here to check.
You can also refer to the Fairwork Ombudsman for information about your workplace rights.
Students can apply to the Department for permission to work in Australia once their course has started. To work in Australia, you will require a Tax File Number (TFN). For information on how to obtain a TFN, visit the Australian Taxation Office website or call 13 28 65.
Employment opportunities are widely publicised through websites such as Seek or CareerOne. If you are interested in volunteering, visit Victoria's Volunteering Portal to find and register for volunteering opportunities in and around Melbourne.
The health care system in Australia initially may appear quite complex. As an overseas student, you are required by the DHA to have health insurance at all times while on a student visa. This insurance is called Overseas Students Health Cover, known as OSHC. The facilities and services you have access to will depend on the health insurance provider you choose for your OSHC.
OSHC covers you for certain medical costs if you need to visit a doctor or go to hospital whilst you are studying in Australia. Or you may like to visit OSHC Australia where you can compare quotes for your OSHC in one place, which can be helpful when making a decision for coverage to suit your circumstances. Or you may go directly to a number of providers including:
If you visit a doctor, although you have private health insurance, you may not be refunded the full fee. Some doctors charge more than the basic scheduled fee recommended by the Government. Normally you will get back 85% of this fee from the health fund. Always ask before making an appointment whether that medical practice charges the scheduled fee or bulk bills i.e. bills your medical fund direct. Doctors and medical practices, locations and telephone numbers can be found in the Yellow Pages Online.
Each public hospital has a 24-hour Emergency Department where you can seek help after hours and during weekends. Expect to wait a long time to see a doctor at a public hospital except in the case of an emergency. Your health insurance covers the total cost of your stay and treatment in a shared ward at a public hospital. Private hospitals are very expensive for treatment and accommodation. Your health insurance will cover some of the cost of a private hospital, but you will have to pay the difference. Hospital names, locations and telephone numbers can be found in the Yellow Pages Online.
The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman deals with complaints from the private health sector—if you have a problem or wish to make a complete, visit their website or call 1800 640 695.
All motor vehicles regardless of whether they are imported or manufactured in Australia must be registered to be allowed on public roads in Victoria. For information on how to register a car in Victoria, visit the VicRoads website.
In order to drive in Victoria, you need a valid permit or driver’s licence. If you have entered Victoria under a temporary visa, you can drive on your overseas driver licence for as long as it is current providing it is in English or accompanied by an English translation or International Driving Permit. If you have entered Victoria under a permanent visa, there is a limited time on which you can drive on your overseas driver licence but after this time you must apply for a Victorian driver licence.
For information on overseas drivers in Victoria, visit the VicRoads website.
For students wishing to open a bank account, a good starting point is the Australian Banking Association website which lists twenty-five member banks.
Melbourne is a multi-faith society where most religions of the world are practised. All faiths have places of worship and they can be easily located online.
If you require interpreting and translating services, visit the national Translating & Interpreting Service (TIS) website and click on ‘Interpreting and Translation’ or call 131 450.
Information on other interpreting and translating services may be found at the following websites:
There are a number of online maps, which will give directions from your location:
You can also access public transport timetables via the Public Transport Victoria website.
Flying over from the Philippines, international student Paulo shares why he chose to start his career in Entertainment Management in Australia.
International student Sara shares her experience studying at Collarts, travelling all the way from Denmark and starting her career in Music Performance in Australia.
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