Arrival in Australia
Contents
Pre-Arrival Guide for International Students
You may find helpful information in the IDP's Pre Departure Guide.
A 30-page booklet, cram-packed with vital information for Australia-bound international students before they leave home, including essential advice on studying, living and working in Australia. The guide is updated before Semester 1 and Semester 2 each year.
UNE's Pre-Arrival Guides:
Pre-Arrival Guide in English (pdf)
Pre-Arrival Guide in Chinese (pdf) (中文翻译) 行前准备指南
Pre-Arrival Guide in Arabic (pdf)
Additional Information in English (pdf)
Five Steps Before Arriving In Australia
Click on the links below:
Things To Think About Before You Leave
Plan your Trip
Plan your trip carefully to get the most out of it. Make sure you have enough time to organise everything.
Visa and Passport
Organise your visa and passport for the whole time you are in Australia.
Plane Ticket
Book your plane tickets early.
Travel Between the City and Armidale
If you arrive at Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, you will need to travel to Armidale. You can get there by plane, train or bus.
Bus : www.greyhound.com.au/
Train : www.countrylink.info/
Plane : www.qantas.com.au/
Arrange Your Accommodation
Make sure you have somewhere to stay when you arrive.
Pick-up Service in Armidale
Someone from UNE can meet you at the airport or train station. Just return this form: www.une.edu.au/elis/services/arrive.php
Otherwise you can take a taxi.
Armidale Radio Taxis:
Phone +61 2 6771 1455 or 131 008 from within Australia
What to Bring
Summer and Winter Clothes, Camera, Alarm Clock, Laptop, Mobile Phone, Dictionary, Toiletries Bag, Towel, Medicines, Contact Lenses or Glasses, Address Book and Diary, Money, Document File
Important Documents
Keep your important papers together in a Document File like your plane tickets, passport, visa, offer letters, receipts, driver's licence, certified copies of personal papers like your birth and marriage certificates, academic transcripts, credit cards, medical and immunisation records.
Money
Have some Australian currency before you leave. About $300 should be enough. You can open a bank account when you get to Australia.
Offer Guide and Forms
Read the offer guide and complete all the forms at the back.
Financial Guarantee
If you are a sponsored student, you will need to provide a financial guarantee.
Health Examination
See your doctor, dentist, and get your eyes checked.
Say Good-Bye
Saying good-bye to family and friends can be hard, and plan your farewell. Don't leave it to the last moment, and try to leave yourself some time to relax before departing.
At The Airport
Getting to the Airport
Arrive at the International airport at least 3 hours before your flight leaves. Make sure there is at least 2 hours between each connecting flight.
Checking-In
Find your airline check-in counter and show your passport and plane ticket. Don't put dangerous items in your hand luggage.
Boarding the Plane
Take your boarding pass, go through the security check and find your departure gate at least half an hour before the plane leaves.
Airport Arrival
When you arrive, you need to fill out a customs declaration to say if you are carrying any plant or animal material. Go through immigration and customs. Click here for more information about Customs.
Airport Transfer
If you fly in to Sydney, you will need to get to Armidale. Transfer to Terminal 2 (T2) and catch a domestic flight. Just collect your bags and follow the instructions on these maps. If you are late because of customs or flights, don't panic, you will be placed on the next available flight. You can also catch a Greyhound bus or Countrylink train to Armidale by taking the local train or bus to Central Station.
If you returned an Arrival Form, there will be a UNE driver at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation. If you are going to be late, please advise the driver by calling (02) 6773 3192 or 0400 852 226.
First Day at UNE
Come to UNE International on your first day for your orientation.
Will Your Phone Work In Australia?
Check with your phone company before bringing your phone to Australia.
Australian mobile phones (cell phones) rely on 2nd Generation (2G) technology and 3rd Generation (3G) technology, also referred to as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access).
Australian mobile phones are dual band phones, and operate at both the 900MHz and 1800 MHz spectrum. They use the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) European standard, and take a SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module).See Picture. Australia does not use analogue or AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) technology.
You may use your phone with your service provider in your home country if you set up international roaming. This can be very expensive, and you might be better buying a new SIM card or phone when you arrive.
A new mobile phone and SIM card can be bought from many places quite cheaply. Some phones are pre-paid, which means you purchase credit to put on the phone before use, and some phones are locked on a contract, usually for up to 2 years. Ask about different options and decide which one is best for you.
Phoning Home
You can call internationally quite cheaply by using a calling card. Many different companies make these calling cards. You can often buy one from a supermarket, service station (petrol station) or airport. You must call the phone number and key in the code on the calling card before dialling the number. Ask which card is best for you when you buy it.
Australian Power Supply
Make sure your laptop, alarm clock, phone charger or other appliance accepts current of 220 – 240 volts (V). If your appliance uses 110 – 120V you will need a step down transformer. Some power supplies for phones and laptops are dual voltage and will accommodate both, but read the label and instructions carefully, otherwise you may cause serious damage.
If your appliance uses 220 – 240V you may still need an adapter to fit in an Australian power outlet. See picture.
The frequency is 50Hz and if your appliance normally takes 60Hz it may not operate slightly slower.
Money
Australia uses Australian dollars ($) and cents (c). The denominations are $100, $50, $20, $10, and $5 in notes and $2, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, and 5c.
You can change money at the airport or at most major banks. It’s a good idea to know the exchange rate before you leave home. You can find this out from websites such as www.xe.com
Banking
You can open an Australian bank account when you arrive, although many of the major banks have branches overseas, or the possibility to start an account before you arrive.
These banks have branches in Armidale:
|
ANZ Bank |
123 Beardy Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 131 314 |
|
ABS Building Society |
101 Faulkner Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 2 6771 4588 +61 1300 227 275 |
|
Commonwealth Bank |
107 Dangar Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 13 2221 |
|
National Australia Bank |
Cnr of Dangar & Beardy Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 132 265 |
|
New England Mutual - Armidale |
Cnr Dangar & Rusden Streets |
+61 2 67760466
|
|
New England Mutual - UNE |
University Campus UNE NSW 2351 |
+61 2 67760466 |
|
Newcastle Permanent Building Society |
Dangar St |
+61 13 1987 |
|
RaboBank |
128 Dangar Street (Level 1) Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 2 67713644 |
|
St George Bank |
155 Beardy Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 2 67721501 |
|
Westpac Bank |
139-141 Beardy Street Armidale NSW 2350 |
+61 132 032 |