Students in Adelaide

Website Moved

2007-03-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

This is to notify that this site is moved to the below web address.

www.studentsadelaide.org

The new website is developed with allmost all useful informations a students needs to know. Pls visit the new site.

Thanks
Students Adelaide Team.

What I will do with my money?

2007-02-14T02:17:00.000-08:00

Settling into a new university in a new country is a big step that may be expensive. One of the things you will have to consider is the amount of money you will bring with you when you first come to South Australia;

How you will bring that money into the country and what you will do with your money once you have arrived in South Australia. Your first month at university may be your most expensive month because you will need to pay for your textbooks and program equipment (This could cost between $A100 and $A500 depending on your program).

Also if you choose to move into private rental accommodation, you could be asked to pay up to 4 weeks rent in advance plus a bond (which is security against you causing damage to the property). The bond is usually equal to 2 or 4 weeks rent. (The bond is returned to you when you leave the property as long as you have not caused any damage to the property). The following guide may assist you in deciding how much money to bring with you so that you can establish yourself at the University with the least amount of worry:

Cash $A 1000
Travellers cheques and/or International ATM access $A2,500.

An important fact to remember is that a cheque (or banker's draft) may not be the most useful way of bringing money into the country. International cheques (or banker's drafts) can take up to 6 weeks to be cleared by a bank in Australia. This means that you may not be able to use these funds for the first 6 weeks of your stay in South Australia. You will have better access to your money if you can arrange with your bank to bring some funds in Australian dollars or travellers cheques and have other funds available through international automatic teller machine access.

Once you arrive in Australia the next important step is to open a bank account as soon as possible. A bank account makes it easy and safe for you to deposit and withdraw money whenever and wherever you want. The staff of International Student Services can assist you with opening a bank account at the bank of your choice.
I prefer three banks in South Australia which helps lot of international students.
Commonwealth Bank,
ANZ and
Bank SA.

Most of the University students prefer Bank SA, because it gives Visa facility in all the cards. You can use that card as debit card for paying all online transaction and telephonic banking.
Commonwealth is one of the biggest bank in Australia and my personal opinion is to start your account in Commonwealth, because more ATM and net bank is really fast comparing to other banks in South Australia.

If you want to sent or receive money from India, ANZ is best way to do that. They charge very less for international transaction comparing to other banks in South Australia.
It is very important that you discuss with your parents (or who ever is providing you with financial support) the most reliable way for you to regularly receive funds while you are living in South Australia. Before you leave home it is important that you make sure that the money you receive from home, while you are studying in Australia, is enough to pay for your tuition costs and your living costs.

If you are granted Work Rights after you start studying, it will be possible for you to look for part-time employment. However, there is no guarantee that you will find work as soon as possible you arrived South Australia or, if you do find work, that you will be able to cope with work without your study suffering.

- Contributed by Hari, Former Student, UniSA

Hari finished his Masters Computer and Information Science (LMCP) from University of South Australa and currently employed with Oasis, Wollongong, NSW. He is one of those students who ended up getting a job offer even before he finished his degree. He can be reached by hari.jaganathan [at] gmail.com

How do you get Work Permit quickly?

2007-02-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

Anand has posted a really useful and timely piece of information on getting work permit for newly arrived students at his blog.

The trick is to enrol at your course earliest. So, attend the information sessions at your Uni without fail. Then ask your Student Centre to send your enrolment details to DIMIA as soon as possible.

While doing this, simultaneously - open a bank account in a bank which offers a "VISA" or "Mastercard" savings card. I know BankSA offers it. Just enquire at your bank if they provide it.

While applying for work permit, apply from online. The DIMIA application can be accessed from here (weblink).

If you apply online, you need to use your VISA or Mastercard to pay the application fee of AUD60 and thats it.

DIMIA says, within three working days, you will get your work permit. Make it a week, even that wont hurt you. Will it?

All the best! Contact your student centre if you have any questions.

Does your car need Insurance?

2006-12-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

I know every student would have been in a dilemma at some time (when you purchase your first car!) whether to insure the $1000 car or leave it like that.

Anand has an advice in his blog, saying it is wise to spend little amount instead of paying $2000 - $3000 (imagine if your $1000 car scratches, accidentally a new Holden or Ferrari !) in case of an unfortunate accident.

Over to Anand.

Good luck for a happy ending!

How to extend your Student VISA?

2006-07-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

For some unavoidable academic reasons (ok, man, I have failed in 2 subjects and want to extend), if you want to extend your student VISA, floow these steps. These are extracted from the guidelines supplied by DIMIA (Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs), UNSW, Monash and Macquarie universities. May be your Uni website may contain some tips. Contact Campus Central or International Student Centre.

Here is the brief outline of the procedure.

Imprtant Note:You must lodge your student visa extension application to DIMIA within 28 days of your current visa’s expiry date. Applications lodged after this time may be refused. Sooner the better.

Also, note that DIMIA will not give you an extension on your Student Visa for graduation purposes. If you wish to stay in Australia for a graduation ceremony, you must apply for a Tourist Visa from the DIMIA.

In order to apply for student visa extension, you need:
1) A valid Passport (Check the Expiry Date of your Passport!)

2) A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) (Ask your Co-ordinator)

3) Overseas Student Health Cover (Renew it first to cover the extended study period)

4) Previous Academic Transcript (Request the transcripts till the previous semester)

5) Receipt of results of medical and X-ray examinations. (Form 26 and Form 160 can be downloaded from
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/index.htm)

6) Evidence of you Financial Ability. (Letter from your Bank saying they would cover the fees. Please check this DIMIA’s page to obtain more information on the level of funds you need to meet this requirement.)

7) Three (3) passport-sized photographs not more than 6 months old. One for the application and 2 for medical forms.

8) Download the relevant forms from this page of DIMIA website: They are form 157A, information sheet 1160i and the relevant information booklet & information sheet 1163i for information regarding health checks.

9) Make an appointment with DIMIA by calling 131881 to submit your application.

10) Pay an application fee of $315; by Credit Card, EFTPOS, Bank Cheque, or Money Order. Check the prices at this page

11) Internet Visa lodgement is also available on this page of DIMIA website. Student visa holders already in Australia can e-lodge regardless of their student assessment level, at any time within 6 weeks of their course starting. If you lodge over the internet, you will receive an emailed confirmation of your lodgement, together with a list of documents required by DIMIA. You will also be granted a bridging visa to ensure you remain lawful while waiting for your application to be assessed. After receiving your e-lodgement receipt, you must call within 48 hours on 131 881 and make an appointment to see a DIMIA officer.

You may continue reading more at DIMIA website.

Great Work Opportunity for Students

2006-07-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Australia’s leading youth marketing agency, Student Marketing Australia (SMA) is offering top marketing students the opportunity to represent some of the world’s largest brands on campus.

Working for SMA, you will represent big name clients, carry out activities such as postering, peer-to-peer marketing and networking on your campus and get a great reference while you’re at it.

We have some postering work available at your campus next week for our client CPA Australia (Certified Practicing Accountants).

Successful applicants will be required to work a total of 2 hours over Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at a rate of $18/hour.

First in best dressed rule applies – so get back to me quick.

If you are keen, please send your resume to me and we can take it from there.

For more info on us check out www.studentmarketing.com.au

Who knows this postering campaign could lead you to a full fledged O-week campaign representing Commonwealth Bank, Apple Computers or Optus.

Cheers,

Suzanne De Almeida
Campaign Manager

Student Marketing Australia
a division of Student Services Australia
www.studentmarketing.com.au

Discounted software just for students – www.educationsoftware.com.au
Discounted magazine subscriptions just for students – www.studentmagazines.com.au
Discounted textbooks just for students – www.discounttextbooks.com.au
Buy & sell your uni books online with our free service – www.textbookexchange.com.au

(: 02 9332 4111
Fax: 02 9361 5466
*: suzanne@studentservices.com.au
*: PO BOX 1605, Darlinghurst, NSW, 1300
Web:< http://www.studentmarketing.com.au">

2nd Get-together Invite!

2006-07-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,
The 2nd Gettogether and new students welcome party has been organized
on
SATURDAY JULY 22nd ,
12.00 PM,
RYMILL PARK (NEAR THE LAKE).

You are more than welcome to bring along your friends and new students.

BRING SNACKS AND SOFT DRINKS TO SHARE

RSVP to anand(anandt5555@yahoo.com), thiru(tmurugan@gmail.com),

if u plan to attend this event. ASAP.

Regards
"Students in Adelaide Team"

Did you miss the first get-together? See photos here!

And, also visit our Orkut "Students in Adelaide" Group for a lively discussion (need an Orkut login)

And last but not least, did you see our new web-page?

Finding your First Home

2006-06-19T23:54:00.000-07:00

I think it is safe for students to book the temporary accommodation arranged by the university for the first week or ten initial days.

Then, you can always find a home with the help of real estate agents (free), newspapers or even university notice boards and discussion forums.

You can start your search from these links..

www.realestate.com.au/ - for any type of house hunting throughout Australia
http://www.bcl.com.au/adelaide/realestate/
http://www.truelocal.com.au/ - to find real estate agents
http://www.domain.com.au

Also look for
The Advertiser - Wednesday and Saturday editions

And meet us at
http://groups.google.com/group/adelaidestudents
www.orkut.com search 'students in adelaide'

I reproduce a write-up by one of the current international students who would like to warn incoming students..

"I guess UNISA has Student Living Apartments but
they are terribly expensive therefore I have no idea about cheaper
places since I checked the UNISA website from India and booked in one of
the apartments listed on the Accommodation list. I transferred an
initial sum of 500 Australian Dollars from India. I guess it was not at all a good
thing to do for sure. I guess it is good to advise students to arrive in
Adelaide and then try and find places of accommodation. I guess most
students do that. I was stupid.

And now I have ended up paying 650 dollars a month and an years contract.
That reminds me about the fact that students need to be warned before hand
that they need to be careful when they sign contracts for their houses.
I guess the best way to go about it is to sign for an initial 6 months and then assess the
situation later after 6 months.

Basic Information like Bond Money,Administrative Fee, Rent paid either weekly,
or monthly these are the type of things they need to know. Some houses are
fully furnished, some are partly furnished some are just not furnished. Then what are the
options for people whose houses are not furnished."

Overseas student to triple in SA

2006-05-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

Overseas students to triple
By KARA PHILLIPS
31may06SOUTH

Australia is well placed to triple the number of overseas students by 2013, says a State Parliament report.The Social Development Committee report said with greater promotion of Adelaide as the city to study, the state could easily support 40,000 international students within the next eight years. International students already contribute about $400 million to SA's economy each year. Committee chairman and Labor MLC Bill Hunter, however, said SA faced "increasingly fierce" competition for students from the eastern states. Mr Hunter said the biggest challenge would be maintaining Student Association services, which are under threat because of voluntary student unionism to be introduced in July.
Source: The Advertiser
Courtesy: Giri

Steer Your Career Series

2006-05-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

Mawson Lakes - How to prepare for and perform in interviews
Type:Careers Workshop
Details
Presented by Tony McAvaney - UniSA Career Services Officer

Topics include:. What is the employer's purpose during interview?. How to predict the sorts of questions you'll be asked. Common interview questions and how to answer them. Questions you should, and should not, ask. How to create a great first and last impression at interview
Contact Details
Venue:
Mawson Lakes Lecture Theatre F1-2412.30 - 1.30pm
Start date:
31-May-2006
Time:
12.30
Booking:69 of 100 places remain for this Event.

Book-in to attend this Event

Courtesy: UniSA Career Serivce.

Read before you Work!

2006-05-28T01:47:00.000-07:00

I am writing this for Students who is aspiring to study in Australia and also for those who are currently studying here.

****Please do NOT do part time job in places where there is no Workcover insurance is not paid by the employer or if the establishment has not registered with Workcover****

***** Its illegal for a person to run business without Workers Compensation Insurance being paid****

***The seriousness of this ignorance will be well understood only when an injury occurs at workplace where there is no workcover is provided****

***One of my friend who went to help his other friend in Pizza delivery unfortunately cut his right wrist while trying to fix car stereo. He tried to remove a blade from a swipe to cut wires. The blade slipped from his left hand and landed on right wrist causing a deep cut. He was admitted in a hospital nearby and a surgery for nearly 5 hours was performed to repair the damaged tendons and Median nerve cut. He lost sensations in 4 fingers and doctors say that it will take more than 6 months to 1 year for the nerves to grow to get the sensations back(being a right handed person .U can imagine!).

The person, who admitted my friend into the emergency ward, inadvertently told the warden that it occurred in the work place and the hospital recorded it as work accident. After he got discharged from hospital he spoke to the finance department of the hospital and explained to them that this incident is not related to worker’s compensation and they immediately updated the records. The medical bill for $4500(approx) was sent to overseas student health Insurance for claim. They rejected the claim stating that though the injury did not occur during work, it happened near the workplace, hence the claim should be lodged with Worker's compensation. The pizza shop is not registred and this caused huge mental trauma for my friend in. After a long tussle between the insurance companies the student health insurance has accepted to pay the medical bills with a condition that a claim reject letter from workercover should be produced. Hence a workcover claim has been lodged and he is still wondering howmany complications it will lead to(this being his last semester and he is verge of completing the course).

Hence please friends! make sure that the place you are working is a registered one and the workers are being covered with Workcover insurance. Hope this will be an eyeopener for those who are not aware of Workcover. Ensure well enough before joining in any place of work, whatever may be the nature of the job.

Thanks for the patience! and I hope that everyone consider this as a serious issue.

Have a safe and peaceful study in Australia .. Good luck to you all!

Courtesy: Giridharan, University of South Australia. You may write to him to know more giri_sampath [at] yahoo [dot] com

Permanent Residency

2006-05-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

Hats off to Girish Ravi to share this information with us.

Hi fellow colleagues, After all the ambiguity about the current immigration ammendments, the answer to numerous questions, the ammendment has not been passed yet, but talks are still ongoing about the issue.

If the rule has come to effect, it would be reflected on the main pages of immigration website,

which is http://www.immi.gov.au/index.htm

But as we know if some ammendment of that sort should come into effect it would be made transparent from the time a talk of that sort had started .

So actually, this is what they have done at the moment. So lets await the changes. To all of them who still have another year or semester and students who are applying to study YOU DONT HAVE TO PANIC. Just sideline the changes in ammendment, it is not going to reduce your chances of staying in this country but it has just elongated the process by another year.

Our first step. - Google Group for Adelaide Students

2006-05-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

Meet the students studying in Adelaide. We, the students of Adelaide University, Flinders University and University of South Australia, would like to help International students coming here. We aim to build a website /portal. The site is not yet open for new students, but they can give suggestions.

Facts:

1.34 members in 1 month.

2.Helping international students who wants to pursue their higher education in adelaide.

3.Share their experience about local restaurants,markets and site seeing places in and around adelaide.

4.Planing to build a huge web portal for international students.

Pls join:http://groups.google.com/group/adelaidestudents?lnk=oa

Lets Make a Difference

2006-05-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

This blog is to bring together the students who have studied or studying in Adelaide.This blog aims to be an online forum of interaction of all Students in Adelaide,leading to network of trusted friends.Friends you can share anything which u think is worth sharing with all Adelaide students. Jobs, PR problems,Accomodation, chat with ur seniors, post information which is valuable for future carrer.Plz feel free to start any new topic and and take part in entusiastically.We allways appreciate new innovative ideas to make this community most active and to provide valuable informations to the students studying in adelaide.Pls feel free to post your ideas.we appreciate your contribution.