Before you arrive

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

You should 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.

Things to consider before you arrive

  • The Australia Awards scholarship program is committed to supporting students with disabilities throughout their scholarship experience. As part of the application process through the DFAT Australia Awards site, you will have the opportunity to declare a disability and provide information about any support needs you may have.

    Declaring a disability will not affect the assessment of your scholarship application.

    Scholarship applications are assessed by DFAT according to the program’s eligibility and selection requirements, independent of any disability-related support needs. If you are successful in your scholarship application, the DFAT disability support unit will work with you to assess your disability-related needs and will communicate these with the University of Melbourne.

    The university is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment and will work with each student to understand their individual circumstances and support their full participation in the program.

  • Your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will be arranged with the University's preferred provider, Bupa.

    When applying for your visa, you do not need your OSHC policy number. Your OSHC will be arranged by the University and you will receive your policy details separately. In the meantime, provide the following information in your visa application:

    • Provider: Bupa
    • Policy start date: Your Recommended Arrival Date
    • Policy end date: One calendar month after the end date listed in your scholarship contract

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

  • 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).

  • 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. Long-term options include on-campus University Student Accommodation or off-campus through the Housing Network or Student Housing Finder.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Scholars are expected to arrive in Melbourne without dependent family members and establish themselves before bringing their family to Australia. This initial settlement period allows scholars to focus on the Introductory Academic Program (IAP), secure suitable accommodation, and settle into life in Melbourne before taking on additional family responsibilities.

    Requests to mobilise with dependent family members at the commencement of the scholarship are considered only in exceptional circumstances and require approval from the Australia Awards Office in your home country.

    Contact the Australia Awards Office in your home country to discuss your circumstances and any supporting documentation you may require.

    If you are approved to bring dependants to Australia, you should ensure you:

    • 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.