What You Need To Know About Living in Australia

Studying and living abroad is a dream for many international students. But although it is a great venture, it can also come with its challenges. Moving to a new place that is different from what you’re used to can make you feel like a fish out of water. It can lead you to experience culture shock and make it very difficult for you to acclimate yourself to your new surroundings.

Hence, as an international student who wants to study in Australia, it is good to do your due diligence in researching and understanding the cultures and traditions of Aussies. Being well-informed and prepared will make it easy for you to land on your feet and excel at your studies. These are a few things you should know about living in Australia as an international student:

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation should be number one on your list if you want to live in Australia. As an international student, you should look for a place that is within your budget. Some colleges offer on-campus accommodations and this is something you can use to your advantage by socialising with the locals and other international students. But if you’re looking to have your own space, you should ask yourself a few questions:

• Is it close to the university or public transportation?
• Is it within my budget?
• Is it quiet enough for me so I can study?
• Is it close to the city/supermarkets so I can buy groceries?

The good news is that there are plenty of options when it comes to accommodation in Australia. Because a majority of Australian and international students choose to live off-campus through homestay programs, hostels, or rental properties.

The not so great news is that some of these places can be quite pricey. Although the national average for renting an apartment is pricey, there are more affordable cities to live in like Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to name a few. If you want to further reduce costs, you can share an apartment with a roommate to split the expenses.

If you need help with accommodation, we at VisaConnex work closely with many student accommodation providers and can connect you with the right accommodation provider.

CLIMATE

For most international students, living in Australia may be hard because of the climate. The climate in Australia varies depending on the area. Australia consists of a variety of environments like deserts, beaches and coral reefs. Australia also has year-round cold cities like Collinsvale, Perisher Village, Jindabyne, Lakewood Estate, Dinner Plain, and Tullah.

For example, the northern part of the country has a tropical climate, hot and humid in the summer, to warm and dry in the winter. In the southern part, however, you get cold and mild summers with rainy winters. If you like the cold then choose a university located in the southern part of the country. But if you’re coming from a country that is naturally hot and you want that feeling of warmth to remember your home, you should choose a school in the northern part of the country.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Aussies are very friendly and their national language is English. International students will find it easy living in Australia because the country is extremely culturally diverse. It is a country steeped in variations of religion, language, history, and art. International students who study in Australia will find themselves in a fascinating and diverse environment. Did you know that almost half of the Australian population were born overseas or have a parent that was born overseas?

Australia also has quality healthcare. A bustling job market and economy where international students can work part-time while they study. And an efficient public transportation system international students can use to get where they need to go, whether by bus, train, plane, ride-share or bike.

Moving to a new country or city can be a tough situation to navigate. But with some research and a little bit of help, you can make the move without any trouble.

Schedule a meeting with VisaConnex for free and we will sort things out for you from airport pickup to accommodation and more.