Before you arrive

The following information will help you prepare for your arrival and settle into life in Melbourne.

You should also contact your Australia Awards office in your home country for details about pre-departure briefings and visa application requirements.

Getting started at the University

After your placement at the University is confirmed, you will receive a welcome email with information about:

  • setting up your student account
  • completing your administrative enrolment
  • accessing the University’s Learning Management System (LMS)

The LMS includes a dedicated Australia Awards section where you can connect with other scholars and access key information to help you get started with your scholarship and studies.

Overseas Student Health Cover

Your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will be arranged for you with the University’s preferred provider, Bupa. Cover is provided from your recommended arrival date until one month after your scholarship end date.

You will receive a separate email confirming your OSHC policy.

If you plan to bring your family, you can arrange an OSHC upgrade via email to: uom@bupa.com.au

When applying for your visa, you must include your OSHC coverage period, but you do not need your policy number.

Mobilisation travel

The Australia Awards office in your home country will book and pay for your travel to Melbourne and notify the University of Melbourne of your travel plans. You must plan your arrival in Melbourne in line with the recommended arrival date in your scholarship arrangement. This is typically 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the Introductory Academic Program (IAP).

For reference, the recommended arrival date for awardees starting mid year 2026 is 9 June 2026 (unless otherwise stated in your contract).

Initial accommodation

Book temporary accommodation as soon as your date of arrival is confirmed. There are several temporary accommodation options close to campus.

Awardees arriving with family who need a larger space may consider other options on Booking.com or Airbnb. Double check that prices are listed in AUD, not USD for an accurate cost.

The recommended duration for booking temporary accommodation is:

  • At least two weeks for unaccompanied awardees
  • At least four weeks for awardees arriving with children

If you have secured long-term student accommodation before arriving, you may be able to move in from your arrival date.

Airport pick up

As an Australia Awards scholar, you can access a free airport pickup service from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to your accommodation.

Once your flight and initial accommodation are confirmed, but no later than four days before your departure. Bookings must be made directly with the University of Melbourne.  Your scholarship country manager cannot book this on your behalf.

Book your airport pick up

You will receive a confirmation email. Please check your Junk/Spam inbox as the confirmation is auto generated. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the University's arrival services via email: arrival-services@unimelb.edu.au

The University’s airport pickup service is not available for children under seven years of age. If you are travelling with young children, you will need to arrange your own transport, such as a taxi or Uber. If required, you can book a taxi with a child restraint in advance.

Explore Australian banks

The four major banks in Australia are Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ and the National Australia Bank, but there are a range of other smaller, reputable banks including Bank of Melbourne, ING and Bendigo Bank.

Each bank has different account options and products to meet your needs. We recommend you do your research before deciding on a bank. You might like to consider number of ATMs available, setup fees, transaction and withdrawal fees and ease of transferring money from home

For comprehensive information about opening a bank account in Australia visit this comparison site. You can also visit Banking in Australia and Money in Australia.

It is most important that you select a bank that you can visit on the day you arrive or the next, to set up your account. You can always open another account with another bank, if you wish to do so later.

Bringing family

The University strongly recommend students to arrive in Melbourne first, arrange suitable accommodation, and settle into life before bringing family members. This can help you focus on the Introductory Academic Program (IAP) and your first semester of study.

If you intend to bring your dependents, make sure you are prepared to settle into life in Melbourne. You should:

  • have sufficient financial resources to manage Australia’s cost of living
  • have access to secure, well-located accommodation for your arrival period (for example, with a trusted friend or relative), or book temporary accommodation for at least four weeks
  • be able to manage daily tasks independently, including using public transport, communicating with property managers, and preparing housing applications (this applies to you and any accompanying spouse)
  • if applicable, prepare all documents required for a Child Care Subsidy application
Bringing your family or friends for short term visits

In most cases, relatives or friends who wish to visit you in Australia will need to apply for a visitor visa.