Click here to download the Beginning a Life in Australia booklet in English.

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The capital city of the state of Victoria, Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia. It is a major financial and business centre. It also has the distinction of having the highest number of educational institutions in the country, which makes it the educational capital of Australia.

The population of about four million is multicultural in nature. It is very common to find eateries, groceries, video lending libraries and community newspapers catering to all major cultures in the world such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and Indian.

Living in Melbourne has many advantages. The city is very attractive, with skyscrapers rubbing shoulders with Victorian style buildings, creating a unique blend of the traditional and the modern. The state of Victoria is known as the Garden State , and its capital city is fittingly green and beautiful with wide tree-lined streets and avenues, spacious parklands and leafy suburbs.

Melbourne is also a very clean and safe city, voted time and again as the world's most livable city. A sporty city, Melbourne hosts international sporting events in tennis, cricket and horseracing, to name a few. Sporting facilities for the public are excellent, easily accessible and affordable. Melbourne also has innumerable scenic and tourist attractions. These range from skiing and other winter sports on the snow-capped Mount Buller , which is just two hours from Melbourne, and other geographical and wildlife attractions such as the Healesville Sanctuary, the Goldfields, Philip Island and the Great Ocean Road . Melbourne is active on the cultural scene too, and has plenty of galleries and museums. It's a popular venue for international film festivals, music and ballet performances.

Climate

Melbourne has relatively hot and dry summers and cool winters. Rainfall is mainly in winter, but it is common to have some showers at any time of the year. Residents jokingly remark that Melbourne has four seasons in a day!

Public Transport

Public transport in Melbourne is efficient, reliable and inexpensive. There is a network of trams, trains and buses connecting all areas in the city and the suburbs. A common pass of varying duration will help you travel on all these modes at any time!

Cost of living

The cost of accommodation, food, public transport, clothing, entertainment, books, stationery and incidental expenses, is about AUD18,000 a year (excluding tuition fees). However, this expense may vary according to an individual student's background and lifestyle.

Opportunities for work

Overseas students are legally permitted to take up part time jobs for up to 20 hours a week school terms and full time during term or semester breaks. Students may apply for a work permit for a fee of AU$60 after the commencement of their course.

Accommodation

Melbourne is home to thousands of students studying internationally, who live comfortably in different types of accommodation some of which are described below:

Homestay

You can stay with a host family in an independent room or on a shared basis. The host family usually provides three meals a day. This is a very good way to experience and enjoy Australian lifestyle and improve your English. Home stay costs about AU$200 per week.

Shared flats or units

This is a cheaper option, wherein you can share rented flats or units with other students. The rent ranges from AU$80 to - AU$350 per head per week, depending on the type of property, its furnishing and the number sharing.

ESOS Framework

The Australian Government wants overseas students in Australia to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding place to study. Australia’s laws promote quality education and consumer protection for overseas students. These laws are known as the ESOS framework and they include the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS) and the National Code of Practice 2007. The ESOS Act and associated legislation protects the interests of overseas students by providing tuition and financial assurance. To find out more about the ESOS framework and how it protects your rights click here to visit the ESOS section of the Department of Education Sciences and Training website.