Students

Prepare to Arrive
Going to a different country to study needs a lot of coordination and could sometimes be overwhelming at times. Please find below all the things you need to consider and organised before starting life as an international student at PV.

Apply for your Visa, Book your flights, Decide on your accommodation before you arrive, Airport Pick up,  Plan before you pack Clothes, Important documents and Products you should not pack.

Plan it ahead as it is sooner the better.

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, the capital of the southern state of Victoria. More than 100,000 international students study in Victoria fair bit Living In Melbourne. As an international student in Melbourne and Victoria’s regional cities, you will enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle, good health services, advice and special support to help you while you study away from home.Around 70 percent of Victorians live in Melbourne, the state’s capital city.

You will find Melbourne and Victoria’s regional cities are welcoming places to study: with a proud multicultural heritage, more than 230 languages and dialects, and 120 faiths across the state.Experience great sporting events, quality fresh local produce and international cuisines, festivals and free community events. Famous white sand beaches, spectacular coastline, mountains and national parks contribute to an enviable outdoor lifestyle.

Discover what makes Melbourne and regional Victoria great places to live and study:

• Accommodation
• Work and study
• Money and finances
• Travel and transport
• Eating
• Shopping
• Sport and entertainment
• Religion in Victoria
• Health services
• Climate
• Environment
• Map of Melbourne and the state of Victoria
• Culture Card Victoria – Get special offers on sport, arts, culture and attractions, with your free 59 Things in Melbourne. Culture Card Find out more.
• The Insider – Get the inside story on living and studying in Melbourne. ‘The Insider’ is an independent publication produced by international students for international students – to help them settle into life in Victoria – http://insiderguides.com.au/
• International Student Care Service – Our International Student Care Service (ISCS) is there for you when you need it most. ISCS provides vital support to international students who might experience difficulties during their studies in Victoria. Need help and advice on finance, accommodation, transport and more? The Care Service is here to help.
• Safety – Want to know more about safety in Melbourne and Victoria? Find out how you can stay safe in the city, keep out of trouble in the bush and avoid accidents at the beach.Source: http://www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au

Australia offers a unique experience for students. Apart from a world-class education system, the opportunities to get involved in daily life are endless: whether you’re into the arts or sport, partying or book clubs, the great outdoors or cosy cafés, you’ll find many ways to join in and have fun. So if you want to get an education and have a life, it really is the place to be.

Victoria is not only a great place to study, live and work, Melbourne is among the developed world’s least expensive cities in terms of cost of living, while at the same time offering an excellent quality of life – making it one of the world’s most liveable cities.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) advises that a single international student requires approximately AU$20,000 per year for living costs.

These expenses are on top of your tuition and study fees, and include costs like accommodation, food, text books, transport and other things you will need while in Australia. Living costs vary according to your circumstances, including the type of accommodation you choose, its location, the number of people you live with and your lifestyle.

The cost of living depends upon a student’s background, individual lifestyle and expectations. However, most students manage on approximately $18,000 per year. This is exclusive of tuition fees and lifestyle expenses but covers accommodation, food, public transport clothing, entertainment, books, stationery and incidental expenses.

Living costs

To help you understand the costs, we have developed a sample student budget for you.

Living expenses include food, clothing, entertainment, and transportation for you and your dependents (if any) and textbooks. Your actual expenses will vary according to your lifestyle.

The following estimated costs are based on a single student living in shared accommodation.

Orientation Day is organised before the beginning of each Course. All students are given information covering the services, policies, procedures, the course and the detailed training plan at the student’s arrival to the college. We have also compiled a list of things in this Student Induction Manual that are very useful to new students settling into Australia, for further information on study in Australia please visit the following website; http://studyinaustralia.gov.au Polytechnic Victoria is committed in providing the best facilities.

We’re here to help you achieve and succeed.
Your studies are meant to challenge you, so we offer both academic and personal support programs to help you get the most out of your time at Gen.

Students have access to welfare-related support services to assist with issues that may arise during their study, including course progress, attendance requirements and accommodation issues. These services are provided at no additional cost. Polytechnic Victoria can also refer students to external support services, at no cost. We understand you may need additional help. You may ask questions with your Trainer and Assessor in class. In some cases you will be asked to make an appointment. You may also ask for support from Gen Student Support Staff for any personal problems that may arise. A Student Support Officer (SSO) is also available to help students with any personal or academic problems. Where the Officer is unable to assist, students will be referred to the appropriate agency for assistance. SSO’s also organizes the student orientation for new international students as well as many social activities and excursions. And we pride ourselves on providing international students with a very high level of support. So don’t be afraid to ask!

Staying on track
We care about your welfare and academic progress. We try to spot any struggles you may be having early on, and there are several ways we can help you to catch up – Contact Student Support Officer

General Purpose English Language Support
General English support sessions are scheduled monthly throughout each year to assist students with both general and specific English Language skill development. Polytechnic Victoria encourages students to enhance their English language skills in the four macro skill areas of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

OVERSEAS STUDENT HEALTH COVER (OSHC)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is compulsory for student visa holders. AHM is the preferred OSHC provider at Polytechnic Victoria. (if you want You can switch your OSHC between providers)

Meet your Visa requirements

What is a USI?

The Unique Student Identifier or USI is a reference number made up of 10 numbers and letters that:

• creates a secure online record of your recognised training and qualifications gained in Australia, even from different training organisations
• will give you access to your training records and transcripts
• can be accessed online, anytime and anywhere
• is free and easy to create and
• stays with you for life

For more information please visit www.usi.gov.au