Post-Arrival

University Enrolment and Orientation in Australia

How to finish enrolment, go to orientation and get set up at your Australian university.

University Student Portal

Example: Master's course

Example: Semester 1, 2027

How Enrolment Works

Enrolment starts before you arrive and finishes on campus.

Accept your offer: Accept by the deadline in your offer letter.
Pay your first semester fees: You must pay to enrol.
Get your CoE: Your university sends it after payment. You need it for your visa.
Arrange OSHC: Arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), health insurance for international students. Your university can arrange it when you accept, or you can buy it yourself. It must start on the day you arrive.
Finish setup after arrival: Report your address within 7 days, create your USI and go to O-Week.

Before and After You Arrive

First you accept, pay and get your CoE. Then you apply for your visa. After you arrive, you finish setting up on campus.

Keep Your CoE Valid

Keep your CoE active. It stops if your university cancels it or you finish your course.

Papers for Enrolment and Setup

Keep these papers with you in your first weeks.

Visa and identity:

Passport - Needed to create your USI. A bank also asks for it when you open an account.
Visa papers - Carry them in your hand luggage.

Enrolment:

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) - Sent after you accept your offer and pay your first semester fees.

Document Preparation Tips

Keep your visa papers and CoE with you on the flight.
Keep copies of your passport.
Have your passport and visa ready to create your USI.

Check With Your University

Each university sends its own enrolment steps. Follow their emails.

Orientation Week (O-Week)

Most universities run O-Week, usually the week before classes start.

Information sessions

Learn how your course and campus work

Campus tours

Find your classrooms, library and student services

Social events

Meet other students and join clubs

Go If You Can

O-Week is a good chance to make friends, meet staff and get to know your campus.

Student ID and Campus

Student ID Card

Your student card shows you are a student.

Benefits of Your Student ID:

Discounts - Show your student ID for student discounts.

Making the Most of Campus

Visit your campus: Go before classes start to learn your route and find your way around.
Use student discounts: At the University of Queensland (UQ), a student card can get up to 50% off at shops and places that take part.

Choosing Your Units

After enrolment, you choose the units (subjects) for each study period: a semester (half a study year) or a trimester (a third of a study year).

Credit points

Each university counts credit points (points each subject earns) in its own way.

Monash: 48 credit points make one full-time study year.
UQ: 16 units make one full-time study year.
Deakin: 4 credit points a trimester, usually two trimesters a year.

Tips

Check your course structure in the university handbook.
Take at least one on-campus subject each term if your university asks.

Online Study Limit

Monash allows at most one third (33%) of a course online. Check your own university's limit.

Study Rules to Know

Your visa asks you to meet your course requirements.

What Academic Advisors Help With

Meet course requirements: Your visa has a rule, condition 8202: meet your course requirements.
Study full-time: At RMIT University (RMIT), students on a Student visa must study full-time, which means a full study load.

For International Students

Talk to your university early if you are struggling, before it affects your visa.

Student Support

Universities offer support for study, money, health and safety.

International student support

Your first stop for help.

Help with study, visa and daily life questions

Financial help

Help if money runs short.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW), for example, offers interest-free student loans (you pay back only what you borrow). It also offers support grants (money you do not pay back) for students in serious money trouble.

Campus security

Help if you feel unsafe on campus.

Most universities have a security team you can call

Careers service

Ask the careers or employability team.

Help finding part-time work and internships

Getting Help

Ask early: If you have money trouble, talk to your university's international student support staff.
Know the numbers: Save 000 in your phone. It is the emergency number in Australia. Also save your campus security number.