Coming from overseas, interstate or regional Victoria

• Make the initial fee deposit payment (as indicated on your letter of offer).
• Organise health insurance and apply for a student visa
• Book your flight, leaving enough time before your start-study date to:
  • recover from jetlag
  • adjust to your new environment
  • find accommodation
  • attend your international orientation session.
• Request airport reception, a free service from VU when you complete our airport reception form 10 days before you arrive in Melbourne.
• Consider quarantine regulations
• when packing.
• Register for your international orientation session.

Use our packing checklist to make sure you have all the documents you'll need for an easy transition into Melbourne university life.

Melbourne experiences both cold and very hot weather, so pack clothing for both extremes.

Essential items and documents to bring with you:

• passport (make sure it is valid)
• student visa and entry permit (if you have an e-visa, you’ll need to bring a hard copy with confirmation of your visa expiry date)
• your International Student Written Agreement
• a copy of your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE)
• receipt of your tuition fees payment
• certified copies of:
  • academic qualifications
  • English proficiency
  • academic history (if applying for course credit - recognition of prior learning/advanced standing)
• evidence of sufficient funds to support yourself during your study (bank statement or scholarship offer)
• other official documentation, such as:
  • driver’s licence (with translation if required)
  • national ID card
  • certified copy of your (and, if applicable, your children’s) birth certificate (with translation if required)
  • marriage certificate if applicable (with translation if required)
• written references in English from a:
  • previous employer (if you’re planning to work in Australia)
  • previous landlord (if you’re planning to rent in Australia)
  • doctor (for medical prescriptions)
• contact phone numbers for:
  • VU International phone +61 3 9919 1164
  • airport arrivals (if you’ve arranged airport reception).

Download these useful apps to help your transition to studying in Melbourne.

• Google Translate allows you to quickly translate more than 50 languages. You can use a voice input function or type in words and phrases.
• myVEVO gives you access to your student visa conditions, study and work rights.
• Public Transport Victoria (PTV) shows real-time timetables for trams, trains and buses in Melbourne.

Living costs in Australia are relatively high, and will vary depending on your accommodation, lifestyle and many other factors.

Costs of moving overseas include:

• flights
• childcare
• school fees
• health insurance expenses
• accommodation
• additional living expenses.

It can be challenging to find a job in Australia so employment opportunities for your spouse may be limited. If your spouse would like to work, make sure their visa allows for employment in Australia.

Take some time to look through Seek, one of Australia’s leading job-search websites, to see the types of job opportunities available in Melbourne.

Children over the age of five are legally required to attend school while in Australia.

School-aged children (generally ages 6-17) can enrol and attend at a Victorian Government school for a set fee for the duration of a parent's visa. Additional school fees are usually required at religious (eg Catholic, Muslim) and other independent schools.

You will need to enrol your child/children in a school before you arrive in Melbourne.

When choosing a school, you may like to ask about:

• the school's curriculum
• the size of individual classes
• whether there is an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program offered
• school fees and any additional costs.

It will be easier for you if the school is close to where you plan to live, or near your university campus.

The embassy or consulate in your country

can also advise which Victorian schools are registered to take international students.

Information about schools is available from the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

You’ll need to factor the cost of attending school into the family budget. As well as school fees (unless exempt), other costs include school uniforms, books, stationery and excursions.

Your children may be exempt from school fees at a Victorian government school if you:

• are a postgraduate research student enrolled in a doctoral (PhD) or masters by research course, and you have a subclass 500 visa
• receive a fully funded award or scholarship from the Australian government.