Australia is known globally as one of the world’s most diverse and welcoming countries.
It is the sixth largest nation in the world by area and the biggest island nation with a total population of 24.5 million. It is the third most popular international student destination in the world beside UK and USA and one of the safe and best countries in the world to live and study.
Australia has six of the top 100 universities in the world and have one of the best higher education system. It has seven best cities out of 100 cities in the world for students based on student mix, affordability, quality of life and employer activity which are all important elements for students when choosing the best study destination.
Being an international student in Australia means you can rely on receiving world class education as Australia continues to be a top study destination for international students with relatively lower tuition cost and living.
Sydney
Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Its current population is 5.23 millions. It is Australia’s international gateway for business and tourism and is widely recognised as one of the world’s great cities.
It has emerged as a global financial, cultural and education hub for people from all over the world and is currently ranked one of the top five study destination that offers outstanding educational opportunities.
The city is built on hills surrounding Port Jackson, which is commonly known as Sydney Harbour, where the iconic Sydney opera house and the Harbour Bridge are prominent structures. It is a beautiful city with all the parks, sporting venues, scenic places and beaches including the famous Bondi and Manly beaches.
Sydney has an excellent public transport system which is a comprehensive network of train, bus and ferry services. light rail lines, airport links, sightseeing buses and taxi services complement the network. the population is approximately 4.7 million.
For further details refer this website: http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
Climate
Sydney has a temperate climate with warm summers and cool winters, with rainfall spread throughout the year. Below is a guide to the average daily temperatures
- Spring = Sep – Nov (12 – 26 degrees Celsius)
- Summer = Dec – Feb (17 – 32 degrees Celsius)
- Autumn = Mar – May (17 – 28 degrees Celsius)
- Winter = Jun – Aug (9 – 18 degrees Celsius)
For further details refer this website:https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,Sydney,Australia
Living Expenses
International students are required to demonstrate and/or declare that they have genuine access to sufficient funds to be granted a Student visa. This includes funds to cover tuition fees, living and travel expenses. Students may have to demonstrate sufficient funds to cover these expenses for themselves and their accompanying family members while staying in Australia.
For more information please visit;
Accommodation
International students are required to arrange temporary accommodation for their initial period in Australia until permanent accommodation can be established. Temporary accommodation can be a hotel, hostel or a share accommodations. Students can find temporary accommodation through:
International students are also able to rent an apartment or flats and the costs varies depending on the conditions and the location. For rental properties please visit;
If you know someone in Australia, this is a great way to settle into life here. Your friends or family can provide advice, support and encouragement during your initial days in Australia.
For more information regarding accommodation, please contact; admissions@rockfordcollege.edu.au
Visa Condition
Visa Conditions
If you are granted a visa, you must abide by its conditions. Failure to comply with these conditions could result in the cancellation of your visa. These conditions include (but are not limited to):
- Complete the course within the duration specific in the CoE
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Maintain approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) while in Australia
- Remain with the principal education provider for 6 calendar months, unless issued a letter of release from the provider to attend another institution
- Notify your training provider of your Australian address and any subsequent changes of address within seven calendar days.
For a full list of mandatory and discretionary student visa conditions please visit https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Overseas Student Health
One of the student visa condition is that all international students must have adequate health insurance known as Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of the visa to cover them and their family members during they stay in Australia.
OSHC can assist international students to meet the costs of medical and hospital care if needed while in Australia.
International students can contact below registered health insurers to arrange the OSHC and to get the detail information about what expenses are covered.
| Health Insurer | Insurers website |
| AHM OSHC | www.ahmoshc.com |
| BUPA Australia | www.overseasstudenthealth.com |
| Medibank Private | www.medibank.com.au |
| NIB OSHC | www.nib.com.au |
| Allianz Global Assistance | www.allianzassistancehealth.com.au |
Rockford College is proud to partner with BUPA as the leading health insurance provider in Australia and we are able to assist our students who requires OSHC.
For more information, please visit;
Working In Australia
International Students have work limitation while the course is in session and unrestricted hours during course break. This is one of the student visa conditions. International students who are found to breach the student visa conditions may have their student visa cancelled. This is to ensure, students are mainly focused on their studies.
For more information, please visit Department of Home Affairs website.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions
Australian workplace laws provide basic protection and entitlements for all workers in Australia, including workers from overseas. International students have the same entitlements to minimum wages and conditions as an Australian workers, as well as superannuation, workers’ compensation and work safety protection under Australian workplace and taxation laws.
Minimum wages and employment conditions for different occupations or industries, known as industrial awards, are set out by Fair Work Australia and are available online at https://www.fairwork.gov.au/awards-and-agreements
Australian laws also protects international students from being discriminated at work against race or visa status.For more information about discrimination at work, visit https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employeeentitlements/protections-at-work/protection-fromdiscrimination-at-work
If at any time you feel you are being unfairly treated by your employer, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and complaints assessments. Fair Work Ombudsman can be contacted at 13 13 94 from 8am-5:30 pm Monday to Friday inside Australia (except public holidays).
The Fair Work Ombudsman is an independent legal agency that provides information and assistance for workers and employers to ensure they comply with Australian workplace laws.
Seeking assistance to resolve a workplace issue will not automatically affect your student visa. For more information please visit: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employeeentitlements/protections-at-work/protection-fromdiscrimination-at-work