http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/mail/cant-mail

Note they can be a bit inconsistent. Sometimes the achar of my friend goes through, sometimes not.

Depends on where you are. Most shops will not do cash outs, and many will place limits anywhere from $50 -$200. I can't say for Coles, but Woolworths QLD has a policy of maximum $500; anything more needs to be cleared by the supervisor (I never had such a amount requested through).

What member hihihehe was talking about was partial payment with 2 sources. You can pay with cash and the balance with EFTPOS, or (less commonly) pay a certain anmount with EFTPOS in addition to the cost. For example, if your purchase came to $12.30, and you decided to pay $15 with EFTPOS, $2.70 will be cashed out to you.

I personally think, while Australia's EFTPOS network infrastructure is not as good as New Zealands, it is the best thing since cash.

This post has been edited by haya: Feb 7 2010, 11:09 AM

If you decide to BYO (thats Bring Your Own) your phone to an Optus postpaid plan, you don't actually have a contract term. You can terminate with 1 months notice anytime. Ask around, maybe the other telco's have similar terms.

That said I'm not sure how good their Blackberry network is, so I can't say. As for coverage in Brisbane through, personally they are no2, with Telstra being the best generally (except for a blind spot in my university's library) and Vodafone and Three no3 and 4 respectively. (Not sure if Three has access to Vodafone's network after the merger)

Before people start asking what is MODL, here: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...s-in-demand.htm

Personally, I'll let the dust settle before coming to any conclusions. That said, Immigration's website has a wealth of information, even if most of it is quite verbose, but at least its more authoritative than speculating here.

I have some discussion on this matter here:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...&#entry31114619

It seems to be a recurring question, the Brisbane vs Adelaide issue. Maybe I should compile something for the front page?

I would gladly put up with (the little) "racism" in Australia than to suffer it wholesale at every level in Malaysia.

Keep in mind that Asians only make up about 3% of the population (2006 ABS data).

Me myself? With the exception of drunk red necks, I've never had problems.

I will concede "Please use proper English" sounds more formal than "Please use English properly". Noted and corrected.

You have to ask the institution you wish to credit transfer to. None of us here can answer that question with any authority. Some will need IELTS, some do not.

All the time. Which is why I wrote the front page for transfering money to Australia.

Standard registered mail from Malaysia. Its not speedy, but to their credit, Pos Malaysia hasn't lost or misplaced a draft to me in the time I've been here. (Not that its of any use to them)

Read the bloody front page before expecting to be spoon-fed:


As for Malaysia's HSBB project, the fact it had data limits puts it on par with Australia. I know quota is a evil word in Malaysia, but if HSBB is anything like the wonderful ADSL 2+ I get here I'll be happy (Malaysian internet is Internet hell)

As for Bigpond, while they are probably the worst value for money, I have to admit their network is really fast and stable. Sure, data allowance is small, but while you're in the allowance is was one of the best ISP's I've been with network/speed/latency wise.

And its not much point recommending ISP's here anyway since a)few ISP's have nationwide ADSL 2+ b) Not all ISP's are available in your area c) Port availability varies by suburb (you have no idea how many people are on the waiting list for TPG in Sunnybank)

Notice the difference between the 2 posters.

One has done some research before coming into this thread, the other just blindly asking questions expecting to be spoonfed. What is the point of having rules when a) they are not followed b) They cannot be enforced. This is why Malaysia will never move on.

Re CarotMilk, A$12,000 - A$14,500 seems to be a reasonable cost of living in Hobart, considering that JPA gives their scholars there A$11,500/year in living allowance. I can't say for the university and the course, but maybe onelove89 could give some insight into the university.

Hope you don't mind me putting that in the front page. That is very well written. If you wish not to have it on the front page PM me and I will take it down.

Also, all student visa's issued from 2008 onwards allow students to work part time up to 20 hours. Most new students will have the required permit. Of course, getting a job is never easy, full-time or otherwise.

Hence Limeuu's statement 1 page back.

History lesson for you young 'uns: higher education is still free in many European countries even for international students(but not the UK). Its like Australia in the 70's, when most of your parents would have had pratically free higher education in Australia. All they had to do was pay for living expenses. And there were those who came on the Colombo Plan, who didn't have to pay for living expenses.

JPA doesn't mind sending their scholars to France and to a lesser extent, Germany and Japan, as it costs less to the tax payer than sending people to UK/Australia/New Zeland. Anedoctal evidence seems to suggest that if you don't mind spending a year in UM with intense language courses plus IB (Google it if you don't know what it is; its pratically the 1st result), there is less competiton for the post-SPM JPA scholarship to most European destinations (the JPA Japan program is bumiputera only, and Japan places quite substantial limits on how many JPA can send, unlike the underhanded agreement JPA/MARA has with some New Zealand universities)

The catch? Well, learning in another language will be interesting to say the least, since so many people have so much difficulty doing tietary education with a language quite native to Malaysia, never mind a completely different language. Cut-off scores are much higher than Australian universities for the same course, ensuring they only get the best. A bit like Australia in thew 70's before they took in everyone who can't string a coherent sentance of English as long as they could cough up the quite substancial fees.

(Note that I am aware that there are some post-graduate courses in France and Sweeden (to name 2) which are conducted entirely in English, but a) most of the people here are undergrads b) you still have to learn another language anyway. Those Namibains in Inti? Some actually try and make an attempt to at least communicate in BM, even if most IPTS in Malaysia are in English)

Currency exchange rates are only a small factor in deciding on a destination. Unless you can hedge 3 years (the average length of an undergraduate degree) of funds in a foreign currency, there are too many variables in currency exchange. Say what you will about the GFC and credit crunch and debt-driven economies, but those who came to Australia in 2009 (when the exchange rate was 2.4 to the AUD) would pobably wish they didn't decide on Australia based solely on exchange rates today.

And finally:In my view and experience, those who expect to be spoonfed what scholarships are avaliable usually will NOT get a scholarship. Harsh? So is life.

Its not Saudi Arabia, but unlike Gombak, you don't quite have the shinny lights of KL a 25 minute LRT ride away either.

Like most of Australia, most things close by 5pm. Yes, the shopping malls are all closed by 5pm, and the cinema's aren't open that late either. You certainly wouldn't have mamak at 11pm and Pool sessions at 1am.

As someone who is not attracted to the bright lights, I don't mind the relative peacefulness and less stress of Australia compared to Malaysia. I've never found Australia "boring". Personally those Malaysians who find Brisbane "boring" are spoilt rotten who have been sheltered for far too long. Theres more to life than clubbing, cyber'ing, mamaking, eating and shopping. Its a relatively good quality of life here, as long as you don't think like a Malaysian (read: constantly needing to be simulated by external parties in exchange for your money).

Also, I have to say one does work quite civilised hours in this part of the world.

That said through, no one should ever think about living on less than A$1000/month in Australia. And in the bigger cities like Melbourne and Sydney, you wouldn't survive with A$1000.

This post has been edited by haya: Apr 30 2010, 07:33 PM

Few, if any, of us in this thread are scholarship students. We are almost all self (or family) sponsored.

Before I hear the cries of "so rich!", allow me to introduce a concept called "middle class".

While many philosophies differ, the common theme is that the middle class are between the workforce who actual do the real work and the bourgeoisie who generate wealth. Largely urban, with holding professional qualifications, the are the people who manage the workforce and report to the bourgeoisie.

Middle class can encompass a wide spectrum, including professions (academics, lawyers, engineers and doctors) seen as "rich" by Malaysians who judge wealth by assets. Once upon a time it was the size of your herd; now it is your car.

My family isn't "rich" even by Malaysian metrics. Neither are we poor. Certainly I don't have to live on instant noodles, but neither does my family have a vault of cash at my disposal. I didn't grow up in a Damansara Heights townhouse; neither did I live in a low-cost housing area. I don't get to have a studio apartment while I am here studying, but neither am I forced to couch surf with my luggage my wardrobe.

My family did financial planning before I was born, not wait until I was 16 and start asking "where should my son study? How am I going to fund it?" Neither did we trust any Malaysian government to give my any kind of further education. Face it, we do not have a higher education system in Malaysia that is accessible to the poor.

I would say the vast majority of my (Malaysian) peers who are studying in Australia only do so with great sacrifice on the part of their parents. For that, I respect the legions of Malaysians who have given up many "material comforts" so that their children can have a (higher) education.

In summary, I am self sponsored, but it did not come easy, and certainly not without a lot of long term (20+ years) planning on the part of my family. And that's just me. Siblings are a another matter.

To your second question, I go through about $35-40 worth of groceries for my self a week. I largely cook, and don't eat out much, as it is quite costly to do so in Australia. That said, I know how to stretch my dollar; many of my peers end up with less for more.

In Brisbane:

Fees: $18000/year x 4 = $72,000
Living expenses: $12,000/year x 4 = $48,000

This excludes flying back home to Malaysia, any trips one might make to see this rather fascinating country, and any other non-essential miscellaneous costs.

It wouldn't be too dissimilar for those in Perth and Adelaide. Certainly much more will be needed in Sydney and Melbourne.

Exetel's plans are on a 12 month contract. They're not too bad, seeing that off-peak is 12midnight to 12 noon, and any data downloaded in that time frame does not count to your data allocation.

[quote=Plant,May 1 2010, 08:31 PM]Wrong, offpeak hours start at 2am to 12 noon.

[/quote]
The old plans yes. The new plans, which are available if you are a new customer, are back to the 12midnight - noon off-peak time. (http://www.exetel.com.au/a_plan_pricing_adsl2_nf.php)

And I don't see why the UK is not an option. To be frank through, if you decided on a place for further study on the exchange rate, be prepared for some pain down the road. Those who, in late 2008 when the AUD was 2.4 to the MYR, decided on Australia based on that favorable rate would be cursing now.
[/quote]

This post has been edited by haya: May 1 2010, 09:09 PM

Word of the day: bogan

See also:
This post has been edited by haya: May 1 2010, 09:12 PM

Would you prefer being denied education, loans, welfare, scholarships, housing, investment opportunities, and a lot more, simply because one is "Asian"?

One thing that I find most perplexing is that people seem to come to Australia thinking it is the land of milk and honey, and everything is a wonderful life. While I would admit it is not a bad country, it is like any country. In any society you will have crime. You will have idiots. You will have people who do not accept that there are people other than your own racial group. You will have corruption. You will have people trying to get away from their crimes.

The difference is that at least in Australia, there is an outlet for recourse in the law. Now I know this will probably sound alien to a group of people who see the law as something to work around, not work with, but bear with me. My personal interactions with Queensland police have been reasonably positive.

This is a society where you exercise your rights. Have a noisy neighbour at 1am on a Saturday night? You call the police, not grit your teeth, complain on a forum, and think what a A-hole Australians are. If you are the victim of racist attacks in university, you report it to security. Go as far as the university ombudsman if needed. Sexually harassed? Report it to security and equity. Make a police report. You have no idea how many university students QUT disciplines just because of male chauvinism.

That I think is the problem with most Malaysians, and Asians in general. They don't stand up for themselves. The grit their teeth, keep silent, and retreat into their own communities (personally I would say ghettos, but Kevin Andrews found out the hard way it is not politically popular to make statements like that). Understanding is a 2 way street. If you don't communicate, no one will ever understand you. In many cases they stay silent too long, and only come to seek help when its too late.

Having participated in my university's International Student Services, its amazing the lengths how international students will keep quiet, or stay ignorant of their problems, until it is too late to help them, be it visa expiry, tenancy issues (yes, people do actually get thrown out of share houses for being "too Asian"), discrimination in general, the lot. And they think the ISS is some kind of magic bullet that can save them. I try my best in the cases that I see, but I am not God, and "he who seeks equity must do equity".

We all want our "Australian experience" to be a positive one. But in the receiving, there needs to be some giving. Understanding and respect is a 2 way street. Its all fine and dandy asking for help when it is needed, but when the helper needs help, it would be nice if you returned the favor, and not just help the student association you are affiliated with.

Finally, having been in a foreign land where I have no right of residency for close to 5 years, I have yet to personally have issues while walking on the streets. This is not to say I have not been yelled by drunks, but it would be fallacious to think that Malaysian drunks are any more docile.

There are 2 ways to interpreting the rough treatment one may get on the streets: a)Australia is a racist country (ironic considering you cant get much more racist that Malaysia), or b) you're intentionally seeking out questionable characters in society.

And despite having to put up with the people who come through ISS, its still painful to read the English here.
People can be quite sociable. It doesn't make them a socialist. ^_^''

This post has been edited by haya: May 11 2010, 10:47 AM

1) You can't enter any Australian university with a AIMST foundation. You can try, in the same way one can try squeezing water out of rocks to solve water shortages in many parts of Australia.

2) If you have to ask, chances are you haven't done your homework enough. All universities publish adequate information on the medical program. Not very becoming of a degree student to be, never mind being a doctor.

3) Even if you manage to get sponsorship for any Australian program, few, if any, universities will accept a "AIMST foundation". (The quote marks are not there for decoration)

4) Most Australian medical schools are largely graduate entry these days. So to answer "how many years does it take to do medicine", one has to ask, what prior qualifications do you have?

5) I'm not being harsh. If I don't do this, limeuu will come in and do it anyway. Limeuu is right through: we have no lack of people in the Education Essentials sub-forum who are of questionable mind wanting to be a doctor. Why, I will never know. The ROI of being a doctor is terrible.