really respect how you guys are able to spend so little!
do you actually eat the correct amount of meals a day!

im always trying but i never seem to manage my money well.
and im expecting my expenses to go up much higher after i get a car at the end of the month.

Yeah. Looking forward to my first convo in aussie!

Commerce(Accounting and Finance). Yeah. I am planning to work part-time while waiting for the convo. =)

Have you secured a job - as in a graduate position for after you leave school?

what??

AUD$1200 a month is considered low??

$1.2k per month is enough for me when i was student

enough for me staying in melbourne cbd (around $730pm),utility bills,other expenses and proper meal...

This post has been edited by hihihehe: Nov 18 2011, 09:02 AM

NO. I plan to return back to m'sia after graduate. Honestly, I still having faith in m'sia. There are still alot of opportunity there, although starting salary not as good as here.

@Hikari0307, you're working this holiday or going back to Malaysia?

I have the same question too

I'm going back to Malaysia albeit in late December. My family is coming over for the holidays after my sister finishes SPM.
Gotta start looking for a new house as well before the horde of new students come in and take all the good places in St Lucia ahaha.

my rent alone is $880 which doesnt include meals.

if you spend around 15-20 bucks a day that will definitely exceed 1200 :/
by 15-20 bucks, i mean 6-7 bucks for train during peak hour and 2 meals at least?
a decent meal would cost around 7 bucks at least.
and if you wanted to eat something more decent you'll have to pay more no?

not including all your other entertainment and things like that also!

unless you're trying to say a student life should be eating instant noodles and really really cheap food everyday, i dont see how thats not low!

This post has been edited by angelsien: Nov 21 2011, 07:24 AM

with that kind of spending, of course 1.2k is very low..

but most of the students cook from home and thats why 1.2k is enough

but every person has different spending like you who need to pay $880 for rent while I only pay $730 inside CBD with walking distance to my workplace(don't need public transport)

This post has been edited by hihihehe: Nov 21 2011, 07:49 AM

Even by Sydney standards, $880/month for accommodation is a bit on the high side. You might like to reconsider your accommodation options.

Sometimes, it does pay to live a little further from the university. Its all a balance. Live too far away and the time + transportation costs diminish any cost savings.

Member Hikari0307 is in Brisbane. Member hihihehe is in Melbourne. Can't quite extrapolate their experiences to Sydney.<

I think, member angelsien, is that you don't cook.$15-20 bucks a day for food AND transportation is a bit too much.

Remember kids, the fact that NSW and Victoria do not offer concession fares for international students means it is a real hit when it comes to costs. (Also part of the reason why India Indian students have so much problems in Victoria)

This post has been edited by haya: Nov 21 2011, 11:57 AM

Why would they have problems in VIC? Care to elaborate?

ATTENTION ALL MALAYSIAN STUDENTS
IMPORTANT : If you are studying in Queensland, doesn't matter if you are in Malaysia or in Queensland right now, please do fill in this form. It is VERY IMPORTANT for us (the Malaysian High Commission, EMAS, MASCA QLD and PPMQ) to keep track of you just in case another disaster strike in order to help you out or to make sure that you are safe and sound back in Malaysia. It'll be a problem if we can't identify that you are back in Malaysia or where you are when the Universities give us the number of Malaysian students they have but the ones we have don't add up and the Universities can't provide more details due to privacy laws.
Spread the words out. We will need EVERYONE to help us out =) We want to make sure you are safe!!

Don't worry, all information are kept private by Education Malaysia Australia Sydney (EMAS) formerly known as the Malaysian Student Department Australia (MSDA)

http://qldmasca.wordpress.com/registration...-alert-program/

This post has been edited by Hikari0307: Nov 29 2011, 08:27 AM

So I'm currently on a Bridging Visa A and just applied for a Bridging Visa B to go overseas.
Good news is it was approved. My question is do I need to have a Visa label in my passport to show my status or do they have it stored electronically?
Coz I sent my application through mail and I got my reply via e-mail.
Thanks!

Since they already approved then you shouldn't be worry. but you can ring immigration first and see what they said

I did mine previously in the office and got the label(valid for 3 months). gonna do it again for next chinese new year

those of you on bridging visa a, what is the substantive visa you are applying for?.....485 or 885?......and how long have you been waiting?.........

485.applied since march 2011 and they still processing April 2010 application from the last time i checked(last 2 months)

april 2010?......looks like some people will have a longer bridging visa a than the 485!

Oh come on, surely you're aware of the so-called "curry bashings" and alleged attacks targeting students from the Indian Subcontinent?