Pre-departure Checklist
EducationAgents.com
Travel and pre-departure checklist
Once you have received your Student Visa to study at an Australian education or training provider, the next step is to start planning for your arrival in Australia.
Please use the MigrationAgents.com pre-flight checklist below to make sure you’re ready!
1. Passport
Check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months prior to your arrival in Australia. It is also a good idea to make hard copies and keep a copy of your passport in your mobile phone case of an emergency.
2. Visa
Make sure you have a valid visa for entering and studying in Australia well before your departure date and that you have all of your visa documentation (including Confirmation of Enrolment, or eCoE) with you before you get ready to fly.
You are able to check your visa at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions/check-conditions-online
3. Flights
International students should purchase return air ticket instead of one way ticket to avoid problems at the airport. Make sure the date of your flight arrival gives you plenty of time to settle into your new city and institution before the start of your study period. Keep your flight details in a safe and secure place, together with your passport and visa information.
4. Check the requirements of your departure city
You will need to understand, and be prepared to meet, the requirements for departure. Different country have different departure requirements.
Example:
a. Passport;
b. Valid visa;
b. Confirmation of Enrolments (COEs) and Acceptance Letter issued by the institution or school abroad;
c. Duly-notarized affidavit executed by the scholars/student indicating the name of the educational institution and the duration of the course or program of study.
You must make an appointment to see the notary and pay the notary for the service;
d. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the program. Generally "open return ticket" is available for 12months or fixed date return ticket;
e. Proof of financial capacity or academic scholarship/funding/support; and
f. If applicable, endorsement from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) for Arabic language scholars.
g. For basic education students under an international exchange program or joining a competition abroad, a certification issued by the School Division Superintendent shall be presented. If said student is a minor traveling without the parents/legal guardian, a DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate shall also be required.
You must make an appointment to see the notary and pay the notary for the service;
d. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the program. Generally "open return ticket" is available for 12months or fixed date return ticket;
e. Proof of financial capacity or academic scholarship/funding/support; and
f. If applicable, endorsement from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) for Arabic language scholars.
g. For basic education students under an international exchange program or joining a competition abroad, a certification issued by the School Division Superintendent shall be presented. If said student is a minor traveling without the parents/legal guardian, a DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate shall also be required.
5. Travel Insurance
If you are planning to come to Australia ealier than your OSHC Insurance period, you must inform us to issue extra OSHC as soon as possible. In addition to your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), you should also consider travel insurance, which covers things such as cancelled flights, and some medical costs. You can talk to EducationAgents.com or travel agent for more information and for advice on the best travel insurance policy for you.
6. Contact details
It’s a good idea to carry with you when you travel, a list of emergency contact details for family, any personal contacts in Australia, as well as your embassy, accommodation and institution details. If you have used EducationAgent.com services, keep our contact details (+614 004 004 04) on your phone in case you need to contact us once you arrive in Australia.
7. Australian currency
There are money exchange counters in Australian airports and cities, but it is recommended that you have some Australian currency with you when you land in Australia.
8. What to expect on arrival
You will also need to complete an incoming passenger card.
9. What you can (and can't) bring into Australia
Australia has strict border controls and you need to be aware of what you can and cannot bring into Australia. Australia's biosecurity laws have been strengthened and penalties will apply if you fail to truthfully declare biosecurity goods at the Australian border. This means that when you arrive in Australia you must declare:
- Any food, plant material and animal items
- Firearms, weapons and ammunition
- Currency amounts of A$10,000 (or foreign equivalent)
- Some medicines
For more on what you can (and can't) bring into Australia, see our web page 'What can I bring in?'.
10. Accommodation
Make sure you have booked and confirmed your accommodation before you arrive, making note of the address and contact number of the place where you will be staying. MigrationAgents.com and your education provider are able to assist you with temporary accommodation arrangements.
11. Inform provider of your address
As per visa condition 8533, you are required to inform your education provider of your residential address within seven (7) days of arriving in Australia.
12. Planning to work?
Your student visa allows you to work alongside your studies. This can help to earn some extra spending money, and help you gain valuable language and cultural experience.
You cannot work more than 48hours per fortnight for any 14 days
From 1 July 2023, student visa holders are restricted to 48 hours of work a fortnight while their course is in session. Working 48 hours a fortnight is equivalent to approximately three days per week. A fortnight is a period of 14 days starting on a Monday.
An example of how a student visas holder’s 48 hours a fortnight working limit is calculated below:
- week 1: 15 hours work
- week 2: 30 hours work
- week 3: 30 hours work
- week 4: 10 hours work.
The student may not have breached their work conditions in the fortnight comprising the 14 days of weeks 1 and 2 (45 hours worked) or in the fortnight comprising the 14 days of weeks 3 and 4 (40 hours). However, the student may be in breach of their work conditions, in the fortnight comprising the 14 days of weeks 2 and 3 (60 hours worked).
13. Enjoy your Australian study experience (have fun!)
After you’ve arrived and have finished settling in to your new home and surrounds, your Study Australia adventure begins. The community, locations of our cities and all there is to see and do - alongside your studies - will set you up for a lifetime experience like no other.
Please contact us 6 months before your visa expires so we can give you a general guidance in case you require another visa in Australia.
You're now part of a cohort that make an immense contribution to Australian society.
Australia is now home to incredible citizens who started out as international students including the founder of Anquire.com Worldwide - EducationAgents.com and MigrationAgents.com.
We welcome you to our community and we are glad you can join us.
