|
| Living in Australia |
| |
There are various options available for living in Australia.
Accommodation
In Australia, most students and staff live off campus in the suburbs of the city.
Temporary accommodation on arrival
Please note that International Services does not arrange accommodation. If you have not arranged permanent accommodation before you arrive, you must pre-book temporary accommodation.
International Services will then help you decide what type of accommodation you would like on a long term basis and help you locate it and settle in.
University Accommodation
For university accomodation student has to view the prospectus of the universities visting or he or she is applying for.
Shared Houses and Flats
Flats and houses close to the University are in great demand and are not easy to find.
Shared houses are usually single storey buildings set on a block of ground, the remainder of which is garden and lawn. Usually, the older the house the larger the rooms.
Flats around the University may be newer in construction than houses and usually are in blocks of several side by side. Usually there is a small garden and parking spaces.
In shared houses and flats, each person has his or her own bedroom and the kitchen, bathroom and living areas are shared. Students in this situation share the cleaning and often also share costs for food and take turns in cooking and washing up. Some landlords allow students to share bedrooms, but this must be discussed with the landlord before the lease is signed. If a landlord finds that more than one person is living in each bedroom without his/her permission, the landlord may terminate the lease.
Flats and houses on the private market may be unfurnished or partly furnished. Many items of furniture can be bought second-hand. Stoves (oven/cooker), fridges and washing machines are referred to as whitegoods. All rental properties will contain a stove. Furnished houses and flats usually contain only basic furniture, and will not include such things as TVs, microwave ovens, etc. Some furnished properties include everything that is needed, including kitchen ware (plates, cutlery, etc.) and bedding, but the rent for such houses or flats will be more than for unfurnished flats or houses.
The University Accommodation Service and house or flat owners require a 'bond', equivalent to four weeks' rent, which is paid to the Accommodation Service or the landlord before the tenant moves in and may be used by the landlord to pay for damage, breakages or unpaid rent when the tenants leave. It should be returned to you when you leave if you have not incurred these extra expenses.
Life in Australia
To gain an understanding of what it might be like to live in Australia it is useful to consult some recent independent reports. The ‘United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’ annual constructs a Human Development Index (HDI) to rate liveability of developed countries. In 2004, Australia rated third on the list of the most liveable countries, with the US rating eighth. In 2004 another group ranked all major global cities and selected Melbourne as the world’s highest ‘Quality of Life’ Ranking and placed Sydney at number six. The weighting factors included: Stability; Healthcare; Culture and environment; Education and Infrastructure.
Besides these very high standards of living, it is worth noting that Australia is a large sporting nation and loves its popular entertainment. Whilst Australia is known for its world class swimmers, rugby union and cricket teams we also have a high interest in soccer, all other forms of football (Australian Rules and Rugby League), basketball, baseball etc. General large venue entertainment can sampled from Ticketek and Ticketmaster.
Entertainment wise while Australia is globally most noted for its soap operas (‘Neighbours’ and ‘Home and Away’) we also have a strong music and film industry. Australia has also had a few good years on the international film scene with its now predominately US based Australian actors, however the local industry is still gathering pace. To see what is happening in the Australian film industry readers might like to visit film sites such as AFC
Life in Regional Australia
Many people are attracted to employment opportunities in regional Australia. Regional Australia offers open spaces, less expensive life styles and the wonderful Australian environment. Many regional centres also have a strong cultural diversity with well established migrant communities. There are a range of initiatives to attract migrants, with particular skills and abilities, to many regions of Australia. The Life in Regional Australia pages show the increasing opportunities for migrants to successfully settle outside of the major Australian cities.
For more information visit: http://www.immi.gov.au
Things to do First
Below is a list of 7 important things that you should do as soon as possible after arriving in Australia.
- Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN)
Do this first. To receive an income in Australia, you need a Tax File Number (TFN).
- Register with Medicare
The Australian Government provides help with basic medical expenses through a scheme called Medicare.
- Open a bank account
In Australia, most income including salary or wages and government benefits are paid directly into a bank account.
- Register with Centrelink
Centrelink is a government agency which delivers a range of services to the community.
- Register for English Classes
Communicating in English is very important and the key to your successful settlement.
- Enrol Your Children in School
Under Australian law, children must attend school until they are 15 years old.
- Apply for a Driver's Licence
For more information http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/settle-in-australia/to-do-first/ |
|
Currency Converter 
Canberra Time
