Pre-departure guide for International Students

Contents
Flights..............................................................................3 Essentials.........................................................................4 Accommodation................................................................5 Customs...........................................................................6 Children............................................................................7 Tips..................................................................................8

Flights
1. 2. 3. 4. Book your flight early: flights before the beginning of each semester (December to February and June to July) can be heavily booked. Confirm your flight as soon as you receive your student visa. Arrive at least a week before your course starts. You need time to settle into your new surroundings. Attend the orientation session for new students at your college. The orientation session is usually a few days before your course starts.

Essentials
Here is a checklist of things to bring with you to Australia.

Passport and student visa (originals and photocopies) Documents received from ETI - Letter of offer for your course - Official receipts for tuition fees OR a letter OR email confirming that fees have been paid - A copy of your COE (Confirmation of Enrolment)

Your Australian address OR the name of your homestay family, and their contact telephone numbers Address and telephone number of your College and ETI Small amount of Australian currency about cash A$500 and travellers cheques A$2000 for immediate expenses after you arrive. Do not carry large amount of cash with you

Travellers cheques and credit cards Several passport sized photographs Identification (ID) papers such as birth certificate, drivers licence from your own country, International Drivers Permit, proof of citizenship, marriage certificate (if your partner is travelling with you). You should also have the originals. Leave a second photocopy of your documents with your family, in case you lose your originals or photocopies

Copies of medical records Adapter for electrical items from your country. Electrical voltage in Australia is 240 volts with a 50 hertz frequency. Electrical plugs have 3 flat, angled prongs

Suitable clothing for Perth In summer lightweight clothes, sandals or track shoes are sufficient - In winter heavier weight clothing, including woollen jumper/sweater, winter coat or waterproof jacket, is recommended - In spring and fall, jeans with a lightweight jacket or jumper is sufficient

If you are bringing school age children make sure you have their: - Birth certificate - Immunisation records - Education records

Accommodation
Before you leave your home country:

Make plans for someone to meet you in Australia at the airport - If family or friends are meeting you, give them your flight details, including arrival date and time - If family or friends are not meeting you, ETI staff can arrange airport pickup and accommodation

Arrange accommodation in Australia

Homestays:

The cost of Homestay is between $245 - $265 AUD per week A Homestay placement fee of $200 AUD is charged and bookings must be made at least two (2) weeks in advance If you are interested in homestay accommodation, please contact our homestay partner Australian Homestay Network (AHN) at: www.homestaynetwork.org

Temporary Accommodation:

There are many backpacker hostels or budget hotels to choose from that range from $30 - $100 AUD per night depending on whether you require shared or single rooms

You can search the internet and book online for temporary accommodation available in Perth or you can

Rental Accommodation:

A good website to look at is www.realestate.com.au where you can search through the rental properties to suit your budget You can also look in the local newspaper The West Australian, the Saturdays West Australian or the Sunday Times where a large range of rentals are always advertised

Rental accommodation requires you to sign a lease This is a formal legal contract Be careful when signing rental agreements

Customs
When your flight arrives at the airport in Australia, you will have immigration, customs and quarantine checks. Australia has very strict quarantine rules. Before your plane lands, you must:

Complete an Incoming Passenger Card with details of your name and passport On the form declare all food, plant and animal products you are brining into Australia - Do not have any food, wooden or organic items in your bags. If you have food with you, place it in the bins provided - In Australia, a number of other items are banned and must be declared and inspected. There are heavy fines for false declarations

If you are taking prescribed medicine: - Check before you leave your home country whether you are allowed to bring this medicine into Australia - Ask your doctor to write a letter (translated into English) stating why you need the medicine - Be ready to show this letter to the customs officers as you go through customs

For more information, go to the Australian Quarantine website, or contact the Australian Embassy in your home country.

Children
If you are bringing your School aged children:

And need a Confirmation of Placement to get your visa, forward a scanned copy of your Confirmation of Enrolment and the details page of your childs passport to study.eti@dtwd.wa.gov.au

Note that annual tuition fees of Kindergarten $3000, Pre-Primary and Primary $5600, Lower Secondary $6500 and Upper Secondary $7500 must be paid to the school on enrolment

You may be required to pay additional fees for English and special needs programs should the school deem them necessary You will also need to pay the regular charges and contributions

Tips
Make sure that your baggage does not exceed the airlines limit, as excess luggage charges can be expensive. Carry important documents, valuables, some extra clothing and personal items in your hand luggage, but make sure it is small enough to fit in the aircrafts overhead cabin compartment or under your seat. Generally the cost of clothing and footwear in Australia is comparable to western countries but more expensive than Asian countries. However, it is possible to find bargains during sales in the larger stores. Dont forget to bring a hat for summer and an umbrella for winter. If you are aged 18 years or over, you are allowed to bring up to A$900 worth of general goods into Australia duty free. Personal items such as clothing, footwear and toiletries (excluding fur and perfume) are free from duty and tax. Some Australian banks have branches in other countries. If there is a branch in your country, open an account before you leave as this will make financial transactions more convenient once you arrive in Perth. If you decide to leave the rental accommodation before the end of the lease term, then you should remove your name from the agreement as you could be liable for any future costs and expenses. Attach something you can easily recognise on your luggage a ribbon, a transfer, a label so you can see your luggage on the carousel. Snacks are food declare it. If you are not certain how to complete the form ask the flight attendant or another passenger to explain it to you.

Ground Floor, 123 Adelaide Tce, East Perth, Western Australia 6004, PO BOX 6830 EAST PERTH BC 6892 Telephone: +61 8 9218 2100 Facsimile: +61 8 92 18 2160 Email: study.eti@dtwd.wa.gov.au Website: www.eti.wa.edu.au
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Provider Code: 00020G/01723A RTO Provider Number: 52395