Indians International students in New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia (SA)
Background:
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Australia has become one of the preferred destinations of Indian
students for pursuing university and higher studies, and for gaining
vocational skills. India continues to be the second-largest source
country for international student enrolments in Australia. As per
estimate, 30,000 Indian students are studying in New South Wales while
11,000 are in South Australia.
Advisory for students
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Students (and their families) are advised to carefully go through the
guidelines given below, which are intended to make them aware of what
they need to know before applying for studies and visiting Australia
when got admission in Australia.
Before arriving in Australia
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Students wishing to study in Australia are advised to be fully
informed of all the actual costs involved in studying in Australia, as
also of the relevant rules and regulations governing work, housing and
other aspects of living in Australia.
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Before committing yourself to studying in Australia, do your thorough
research. Please visit http://www.study.sydney/
and https://studyadelaide.com for NSW and South Australia respectively. The official website
of the Government of Australia for international students can be
accessed at www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
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Make sure that the institution offering the course has a good
reputation, especially if it is a privately-run institution. Ensure
that the institution is registered with the Australian government.
This can be verified at at http://cricos.education.gov.au/ ,www.studyinaustralia.gov.au .
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Links of websites providing the list of universities/educational
institutions:
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For New South Wales: www.cricos.education.gov.au
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For South Australia: www.cricos.education.gov.au
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Carefully reading the website of the institution, which should
provide all the information you need to make an informed decision,
such as a description of the course offered, the environment, the
teaching methods, facilities, minimum English language proficiency,
etc.
Tips for choosing the right education agent
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Once you have selected the institution of your choice, see if you can
enroll with it directly. In case you want to take the help of an
agent, please check with the institution for a list of its authorised
education agents.
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Check with the Education Officer in the Australian High Commission in
New Delhi or the Consulates in Mumbai, Bangaluru and Chennai as per
details below:
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Australian High Commission / Consulates General in India : The
Australian High Commission website: www.india.embassy.gov.au has useful information for students coming to Australia,
including the information about the education agents who are members
of Association of Australian Educational Representatives in India
(AAERI) available at www.india.embassy.gov.au
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High Commission of Australia: Address : 1/50-G, Shantipath,
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110 021. Phone : +91-11-41399900.
Fax:+91-11-26873172. Email :
austhighcom.newdelhi[at]dfat[dot]gov[dot]au. Website
:www.india.embassy.gov.au and www.dfat.gov.au
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Consulate General of Australia in Mumbai: Address : Level 10, A Wing
Crescenzo Building, Opp MCA Cricket Club, G Block, Plot C 38-39,
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai 400 051. Phone : +91-22-6757-4900. Fax :
+91-22-6757-4955
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Consulate General of Australia in Chennai: Address : 9th Floor,
Express Chambers Express Avenue Estate, Whites Road, Royapettah,
Chennai 600 014. Phone : +91-44-45921300. Fax : +91-44-28604988
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Consulate General of Australia in Bangaluru: Address: The
Ritz-Carlton, 99 Residency Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560025.
Telephone: +91 11 4910 5960
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Check with friends or others whom you may have known who are studying
or have studied in Australia.
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Check to see if the agent has completed the Education Agents Training
Course:www.pieronline.org . Qualified agents will have a good knowledge of the Australian
education system, visa requirements and life in Australia.
Agreement with the Education Provider / Agent
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When you have decided your course of study, you must sign a written
agreement with the education provider before you pay any course
money.
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The written agreement is a very important contract between you and
the education provider which sets out the course you will be enrolled
in; enrolment conditions; the fees you need to pay, and the refund
payable if you don’t complete your course with that
provider.
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Read the written agreement carefully before you sign it.
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Make sure that you understand all your rights, including the refund
arrangements.
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Do obtain a copy of the written agreement and any other papers you
sign.
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You will need a copy of the written agreement so that you are aware
of your rights. You will also need the written agreement in case you
need to make a claim against the provider
Don’ts
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If you are not happy with any of the terms of the agreement, do not
sign the written agreement or pay the agent any money
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Do not sign the agreement just because the agent tells you to sign
it.
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Do not use an education agent who asks you to sign the agreement
without reading it.
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Do not make any payments to the agent until you have read and signed
the written agreement.
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All applications for student visas and permanent residency are
assessed by the Australian Government. The agents cannot guarantee
that you will obtain a visa or permanent residency. Do not use agents
who guarantee that you will obtain a student visa, or permanent
residence
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Getting a job depends on the availability of work and your skills. Do
not use agents who guarantee that you will be able to get work in
Australia readily with a high salary.
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Do not use education agents for migration advice, unless they are
also Registered Migration Agents.
Migration advice
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In Australia, migration agents must be registered with the Office of
the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). Registered
Migration Agents are bound by a Code of Conduct and are required to
have an in-depth knowledge of Australian migration law and procedure
and meet high professional and ethical standards. For an updated list
of agents registered with MARA, visit its website www.mara.gov.au .
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Make sure you cross-check what an agent tells you with the website of
the concerned institution and with the various sources of
information.
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Please also write down all the promises made by the agent and get him
to sign the list; this would be required in case of any dispute, and
also is a confirmation that the agent is not taking you for a ride but
is willing to stand by what he is offering.
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Make sure that you have adequate finances to cover the cost of living
as well as your education costs. Australian regulations require one to
have a minimum of around A$ 30000 per year to cover basic living costs
on accommodation, transport and food. Remember that no matter what the
agent or anyone else tells you, it is very difficult to earn enough
through part-time work to meet all your expenses including tuition
fees.
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The minimum wage as of July 2024 is A$ 24.10 per hour; this
changes annually; however, unscrupulous employers are known to pay
much less, especially to students. (Please visit https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/minimum-wages ) You are legally permitted to work a maximum of 24 hours in a
fortnight while the course is in session.
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Also make sure that you have a written agreement from the college/
institution before paying any fees; this will be essential if there is
any dispute.
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The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000
alongwith its associated legislative instruments, available at the
following link, www.internationaleducation.gov.au , provides the Australian regulatory framework that governs the
delivery of education and training services to foreign students in
Australia. For a quick overview of ESOS, go to www.aei.gov.au. The ESOS
helpline can be accessed on +61-02-62405069.
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The National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and
Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007 (The
National Code) National Code of Practice provides standards for education providers as well as
state and territory regulatory authorities in Australia.
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Changes in Student Visa Regulations: The website of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
(DIAC) at www.immi.gov.au has comprehensive information on the rules and
regulations relating to visas, including student visas. For the latest
changes announced by Australian government regarding student
visa.
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For information regarding the latest changes in the General Skilled
Migration programme, leading to Permanent Residency in Australia,
please visit www.immi.gov.au
Students are advised to visit the above websites to familiarise
themselves with:-
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your legal rights as a student and all the relevant rules and
regulations that apply to you.
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the standards prescribed for registered providers (university/college
etc.) and education agents, so that you can check with the
university/college as well as the education agents about the
compliance of these standards and requirements, including student
support services, including critical incident policy and complaints
and appeals processes; and
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the relevant immigration rules and regulations that will govern your
life as a student in Australia, including work rights and those rules
that will apply to you if you choose to stay on in this country after
finishing your studies to seek permanent residency.
Health Insurance:
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As an international student, it is a condition of your student visa
that you have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for entire duration
of your study in Australia. For details visit www.oshcworldcare.com.au . You should ensure that your health insurance covers the entire
period of your Stay in Australia.
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You may also consider insuring any valuables or expensive electronic
items that you may possess.
Import of goods in baggage:
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Please remember that all luggage is x-rayed or screened on arrival.
You must declare all food, plant material, dairy and animal products
for quarantine inspection. If you fail to declare or dispose of any
quarantine items or make false declarations you will be caught. You
could be fined A$ 220 on-the-spot; or you could be prosecuted and
fined more than A$ 60,000 and risk 10 years in jail. You will not be
penalised if goods are declared. For more details about the list of
goods that need to be declared and which ones are prohibited from
entry into Australia, visit http://www.agriculture.gov.au/travelling
After you arrive in Australia - Settling Down
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Just before departure for Australia or on arrival, you should convey
by means of an e-mail or a letter, to the Consulate General of India,
Sydney, your contact details, including name and address, the name of
the university/ educational institution you are studying in, details
of the course you are joining, and the duration of your intended stay
in Australia.
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Please visit for registration with the Consulate:
https://www.cgisydney.gov.in/StudentRegistration
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Name and contact detail of the officer in the Consulate handling
student-related matters:
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Mr. Niravkumar B. Sutariya
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Consul (Commercial Representative) & HOC
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Email: hoc[dot]sydney[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
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T: +61-2-92232763
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Student Welfare Centre is located at Level 1, 265 Castlereagh Street,
Sydney NSW 2000.
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Emergency Mobile No of the Consulate: +61 42 0277261
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After completing enrolment formalities, familiarise yourself with the
student services offered by the institution that you have joined, such
as counselling services, help in finding suitable accommodation and
jobs, assistance in improving your English etc.
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Check out the various banks on campus and see what they offer before
opening an account. Please do not keep large amounts of cash at home
or on your person.
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Check out different plans before buying a mobile phone. Phone cards
can be used for international calls.
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Whatever accommodation you choose, remember it is your responsibility
to maintain it. If you are sharing accommodation, discuss how domestic
chores would be shared before committing yourself.
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Also familiarise yourself with the educational aids available to you,
especially the library and online resources, keeping in mind your
course structure and the evaluation methods that apply to you.
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You have many rights as a student in Australia. Learn about your
rights as a student and the procedures that you should follow to
exercise these rights. For information on your legal rights as a
student, go to www.aei.gov.au .
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You should obtain, from the university authorities, details about the
security situation in and around your university and place of stay.
You should also get to know the local policing arrangements through
the concerned authorities in the university.
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In your University/place of study, it would be useful for you to keep
in touch not only with other Indian students but also with Australian
and other international students.
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Any and all complaints should be brought to the attention of
appropriate authorities; at no stage, should you take or attempt to
take the law into your own hands; breaking the law will invite strict
legal and police action, which could include deportation.
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Remember that you are representing India in Australia.
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There are a large number of Indian Associations in Australia. After
coming to Australia, keep in touch with the Consulate General of
India, Sydney which can put you in contact with the local Indian
Associations and the Indian community so that you feel at home. There
are also Indian students associations/groups in several universities.
The links are as below:
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New South Wales: New South Wales Ombudsman
Address : Level
24
580 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone
: 02-9286-1000
Website :www.ombo.nsw.gov.au
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South Australia: South Australian Ombudsman, Address :Level 5, 50
Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000, PO Box 3651, Rundle Mall SA 5000.
Phone : 08-8226-8699. Website :www.ombudsman.sa.gov.au
Living safely in Australia
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Keep important documents and money in a safe place.
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Make sure you keep photocopies of relevant pages in your passport and
other important documents in a separate place.
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Also keep a scanned copy of important documents in your personal
email.
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Try not to travel alone late at night. If you are travelling alone,
make sure that you have checked out your route carefully and try and
keep to well-lit, populated areas as far as possible.
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Make sure that someone knows where you are going and at what time you
are expected to return.
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Don't carry more cash with you than what is required.
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When you are travelling alone or late at night, it is advised do not
make it obvious that you are in possession of expensive items, such as
mobile phones, iPads or laptops.
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Always carry with you some identification as well as details of who
should be contacted in an emergency.
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If in danger, dial 000 to get police/fire/emergency help.
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In case you have a complaint, get in touch with the officer
responsible for students welfare in the Consulate nearest to
you.
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If you have a genuine problem, do not hesitate to approach the police
or other authorities; making a complaint will not affect your visa
status.
Universal rules of behaviour which are important to remember
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Always remember that you are an Indian and that your behaviour will
determine the image of India and Indians registered by those people
who interact with you. Obviously, none of you would wish to project a
negative image of India and Indians. Therefore, it is important to
always remember and abide by the following basic rules of behaviour
which all of you already know but which are worth emphasizing :
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An aspect of your behaviour to which you should pay special attention
is not invading another person's privacy or personal space.
Maintain some distance from the person you are talking to (at least an
arm’s length).
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Do not push or shove in crowds.
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Don't ever break a queue - this is very important!
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Do not stare openly at passers-by.
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Don't talk so loudly that other people are disturbed.
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Don't ask personal questions of strangers.
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Please show respect for all, irrespective of age, gender, dress or
appearance.
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Be polite. Greet people with a smile and a hello or good-day or how
are you; respond when other greet you the same way.
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Please always use 'Please' and 'Thank you' - these
words will serve you well.
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Please respect other's time and be punctual; if you are running
late or cannot make an appointment, please ensure that you inform the
person you are going to meet, well in time.
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Remember that certain aspects of Australian culture are different
from your own. Do not make any judgements about people based on the
fact that they speak, dress or behave differently from you.
Making the most of your Australian Experience
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For many of you, this may perhaps be the first time that you are away
from home and in a foreign country, explore and enjoy your stay in
Australia while focusing on your studies. Please do remember, however,
that in Australia, if you are over 18 years of age, you will be
treated as an adult and held responsible for your actions and
consequences.
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Remember that as a student studying in Australia, you have an
opportunity to learn about Australia and other cultures. Spend time
with other students from other countries and with Australian students.
This is the best way of not feeling isolated and will considerably
enrich your experience of studying in a foreign country.
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Remember, when learning about Australian and other cultures that some
people you meet may not know much about Indian culture. You should be
ready to communicate with the persons you meet, about where are you
from and your culture; also for e.g. which foods you can or cannot eat
or any other cultural needs, stating quite clearly the reasons behind
them.
Keep a copy of the following bulletin in handy:
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