Planning your arrival
On arrival in Australia you will need to have some Australian currency in case you need to make telephone calls or small purchases. There are no currency exchange facilities at Hobart or Launceston airports so you will need to change your foreign currency at Melbourne or Sydney airports.
It is recommended that you arrive with approximately AUD$300 - AUD$500 in cash, especially if you arrive over the weekend when banks are closed. You should avoid carrying larger amounts of money.
The safest way to bring money into Australia is to transfer it from your overseas bank account into an Australian bank account. Most major Australian banks allow you to open a bank account from overseas so you can transfer money before you leave your own country.
The Australia Awards coordinator will contact each new scholarship awardee when placed at the University of Tasmania to provide advice on our Australia Awards Scholarship payment process.
Pre-arrival welcome pack (PDF 2.3 MB)
Airport pickup
To arrange airport pickup email your University of Tasmania Australia awards contact and they will assist you in ensuring your safe arrival to your accommodation.
Accommodation
If you want to apply for University accommodation you need to apply as early as possible - at least three months before you arrive. View more details on accommodation options.
For shared or private rental housing it is usually better to wait until you have arrived. This is because you must have a look at the property and meet the other residents before deciding whether you want to move in.
It is a good idea to have somewhere to stay when you first arrive in Tasmania. Before you arrive, you can arrange some temporary accommodation to give you a chance to find a place to live.
You can contact Student Accommodation by phone on 1300 138 497 to arrange your check in. Staff are on site seven days a week, 9am – 11pm.
Arrival and briefing
Financial aid
Support services are available to help you manage your finances and provide assistance if you are struggling financially while studying:
- University of Tasmania in conjunction with the Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA) offers Financial Assistance through the Student Financial Hardship Scheme. See 'Financial and Legal Support' in the Student Portal.
If you are experiencing financial hardship and meet the eligibility requirements, you can access assistance for food and groceries or other essential items. - The Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA) offers free Financial counselling.
If you are experiencing issues impacting your studies, the University Counselling Service provides free and confidential professional counselling.
Student Advisers, including dedicated International Student Advisers are also available to help provide support and advice.
Health Cover
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is health insurance for international students that assists in covering the cost of:
- Out of hospital medical treatment
- In hospital medical treatment
- Prescription medicines
- Emergency ambulance assistance
- Day surgery accommodation
- Public hospital shared ward accommodation
- Private hospital shared ward accommodation (only for hospitals that have contractual arrangements with the overseas student's health insurer)
It is a requirement of your student visa to get OSHC for the duration of your stay in Australia as international students are not eligible for Medicare (the Australian government's public health insurance system). You can renew your membership directly with your OSHC provider, however it is valid for the length of your visa and will not be affected if you go home for the holiday periods. You might be able to suspend your OSHC if you take a Leave of Absence.
If you paid for your OSHC cover when you accepted your offer your policy will be with Medibank, the University's preferred provider, however you can choose which ever OSHC provider you like, you do not have to choose the University's preferred provider.
If you are a new student who arranged your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) through the university, your cover will begin on the start date as stated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). If you arrive in Australia before or after this date, you will need to update the commencement date of your OSHC policy.
Medibank will email your Policy Certificate within five business days of your CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) being issued. If it has been longer than this and you haven't received it, contact utas.oshc@utas.edu.au.
If you are travelling alone, you shouldn't need a copy of your OSHC Policy Certificate for your visa application.
- If you indicate that OSHC is arranged by your education provider (University of Tasmania), you only need the start and end date of your OSHC. Take this from your CoE.
- The health insurer's name and policy number are only needed if your OSHC is not arranged by the University of Tasmania.
If you are travelling with family members, email all full names, gender, and dates of birth to utas.oshc@utas.edu.au.
If you hold your OSHC policy with Medibank you can order your membership card online using your University of Tasmania student ID number. This will take about 2 weeks.
If you hold your OSHC policy with another provider you will need to visit their website or contact them for information.
For further information, go to the international student health insurance website.
Preparation Programs
New Australia Awards scholars must enrol and participate in the Introductory Academic Program (IAP) prior to the commencement of their first semester.
Introductory Academic Program (IAP) is a compulsory 4-6 week program prior to the commencement of formal academic studies covering information on life and study in Australia.
The IAP covers:
- Orientation and adjustment
- Finding accommodation
- Health and wellbeing
- Finance and budgeting
- Bringing your family to Australia
- Argumentation and critical thinking
- Thesis writing and working with supervisors
- Basic research skills, seminar presentation and academic writing
- Computer literacy.