Living in Australia
Calling Australia Home
Each year more than 150,000 students choose to study in Australia. With a reputation for quality education and Colleges and Universities located near pristine beaches and natural landscapes, and vibrant multi-cultural cities, why would you want to study anywhere else?
Shopping in Melbourne
Malls and plazas
There are a variety of shopping options for you in Australia including large shopping malls and plazas in most major suburbs. Items are labeled with a price tag and therefore prices are set. Bargaining for items is not standard practice in Australia (even when an item may not have a price tag visible.)
Supermarkets
Woolworths, Safeway, Coles, BiLo and IGA are some of the major supermarkets. Shopping is self-service and goods are paid for at the 'checkout' before you leave. Prices vary between stores, so shop around for the best prices. Asian supermarkets are also available in some suburbs and sell a large variety of Asian foods.
Food Markets
Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat are often sold at markets at cheaper prices than the supermarket. Markets also sell a variety of other goods such as clothing, plants and furniture. Each market has its own trading hours however most are only open 2-3 days per week, from Friday to Sunday.
Opening hours
Shopping malls and most other shops are generally open during the following hours.
Note: This is a general guide only as opening times vary between different shops and locations.
| Monday - Wednesday | 9am - 5:30pm |
| Thursday - Friday | 9am - 9pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 9am - 12.30pm |
In some areas of Melbourne, large supermarkets stay open until midnight. Convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and Food Plus are generally open 24 hours, but prices are slightly more expensive than supermarkets.
Paying for items
You can pay for items you buy using:
- Cash
- EFTPOS (using your ATM card)
- Credit card
- Lay-by (allows you to purchase something over a period of time but you cannot take it home until it is entirely paid for).
Transportation
Public transport
Public transport is slightly different in every city of Australia. Buses, trains and ferries operate in most Australian cities and run on a strict timetable. Trams are more unique to Melbourne, and provide an additional form of public transport to move around the city. The websites listed below will provide you with details about fares and timetables.
Student concessions
In Melbourne, international students are unfortunately not eligible for student concessions from the State Government, and therefore must pay normal adult fares. We recommend that you buy a weekly or monthly ticket as it is cheaper than buying a ticket each time you travel.
Taxis
Taxis are relatively expensive in Australia. Higher rates apply in the evenings, weekend and public holidays. All taxis in Australia must use a meter by law. The flag fall (starting charge) is approximately A$3.00 and is charged in addition to the cost of travel. You must also pay any toll charges if the taxi driver uses a paid motorway.
Cars
Australians drive on the left side of the road. In the city and most suburbs the speed limit is between 50km/h and 60 km/h (31 - 35 mph). Traffic signs indicate the legal limit for the street you are driving on. The maximum speed limit on a freeway outside of the city is between 80 km/h and 110 km/h (50 - 68 mph). Seat belts must always be worn by drivers and all passengers at all times. Penalties apply for drivers and passengers not using a seatbelt.
The minimum age for a driving licence is generally 16 or 17 years old. Car rental companies may require you to be older.
If you have a license to drive a car in your home country and would like to drive in Australia, you still may need to do a practical driving test, unless:
- you have a New Zealand license; or
- you hold a current overseas license and have previously held an Australian license which is still valid
- you hold a current license issued by an overseas country - including most of the European Union nations, Canada, the USA and Japan - whose licensing system is recognized as similar to Australia's.
Helpful links
These links will take you to external websites. Sites will open in a separate window, and are in English unless otherwise indicated.
- Metlink Melbourne - Train and tram timetable and fare information
- Vic Roads - Driving information for new residents and international visitors
Money and Banking
Budgeting
In addition to your tuition fees, you will be responsible for planning and budgeting your living costs.
To cover your initial expenses
We recommend you bring a bank cheque to the value of A$1500.00. Once you have opened a bank account, the bank cheque can be deposited into it. It may take a few days for the bank cheque to clear so we recommend that you bring approximately A$300 in cash to cover costs until the funds are cleared.
The table below is an estimated cost of living ($AUD per month) for a single student living in homestay accommodation in Melbourne.
| Item | Estimated cost |
| Single homestay room (breakfast & dinner included) | $1040 |
| Food (lunches & snacks) | $280 ($10 per day) |
| Telephone | $50 |
| Transport | $100 |
| Laundry | $40 |
| Stationery | $40 |
| Clothing, entertainment, personals | $200 |
| Total monthly costs | $1610 |
| Total costs per academic year (40 weeks) | $16,100 |
The banks in the table below are guaranteed by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
| Bank | Contact number (within Australia) |
|---|---|
| ANZ Bank | 131 314 |
| Bankwest | 13 17 18 |
| Citibank | 13 24 84 |
| Commonwealth Bank | 13 22 21 |
| HSBC | 1300 308 008 1300 308 008 |
| Macquarie Bank | 1800 806 301 1800 806 301 |
| National Australia Bank | 13 22 65 |
| St. George Bank | 133 330 |
| Westpac Bank | 13 20 32 |
Opening an Australian bank account
To open the account you'll need to take along some identification (ID), such as a passport, a birth certificate, and/or a driver's licence. Your bank can tell you exactly what you'll need to bring. You will also need to provide your tax file number (TFN) so that you can be identified for tax purposes. While this isn't essential, if you don't provide your TFN, any interest your accounts earn will be taxed at the highest rate.
Tax file number (TFN)
Tax file numbers (TFNs) are unique numbers issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to identify individuals, companies and others who lodge income tax returns. All international students are considered a 'resident for tax purposes' after they have lived in Australia for more than 6 months. Application forms can be downloaded from the ATO website or you can apply in person at your local Post Office.
Will my ATM card work in Australia?
Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) cards can be used in Australia as long as they have been enabled for international access. Your ATM card must have either the CIRIUS, PLUS or STAR international ATM mark or the Interlink or Maestro POS mark.
Phones, Internet and Mail
Pay phones
Australia has an extensive network of public phones throughout the country - easily recognized by the orange and blue Telstra logo. The cost of a local call is 50 cents with most phones accepting coins and pre-paid phone cards.
International calls can be made from public pay phones. Charges vary depending on the time of day and country you are calling. The rates for pre-paid phone cards are: $2, $5, $10, $20 and $50. They can be purchased at most newsagencies, convenience stores and post offices.
How much will it cost to call home?
To get more information about the cost of a call to your home country, phone the phone numbers below and speak to an operator for more information.
Note: There is a charge to call the numbers below for assistance.
| Information for Calling Home |
Number to call
|
|---|---|
| Local/National Directory Assistance | 1223 |
| International Directory Assistance | 1225 |
| Call Connect (operator assistance to find and connect to a number) | 12456 |
| Reverse Charge (collect call) | 1800 362 162 1800 362 162 |
To find out the international dialling number to call your home country, refer to International Dialling codes.
To find out where public phones are located, visit the Telstra website public phone locator.
Mobile phones
There are numerous mobile providers in Australia, all offering different plans and services. Visit this website for more information about choosing the right mobile plan for you.
Landlines
There are 2 main telephone service providers in Australia: Telstra and Optus. The cost of call rates and monthly fees vary with each company. Please contact them directly for further information:
| Telstra | 132 200 |
| Optus | 133 345 |
Email & Internet
There are many internet providers in Australia so the best way to find a complete listing of service providers is to search for Internet Service Providers.
Taylors College also provides all students with free wireless email/internet access on campus.
Australia Post is the National postal service provider. There are post offices located in most Australian suburbs and shopping centres. Services include postage of letters, faxes, parcels, money orders (similar to a cheque) and a bill paying service. To find the post office nearest you, visit the Australia Post website.
Electricals in Australia & NZ
What To Bring
Electrical goods may be cheaper to buy overseas than in Australia. Australia's power system is 240 volts 50 Hz alternating current (AC). Appliances rated 220-240 volts will work in Australia, however transformers or adaptor plugs are required to fit our 3-flat-pin electrical wall sockets.