Rules and Regulations for Studying in Australia, v3.1

1) Ignorance of the rules is no defense for violating them.

2)Please use proper spelling and capitalisation in all posts in this thread. Even if your grammar is weak at least SPELL properly. No shortform lik dis. U wan help, u ask 4 help prply. Seriously, there is no reason to use shortform. You have a nice ASCII keyboard, not a keypad, and here's reason #1 to use Firefox: it comes with a built in spell checker.

We want to help you, but if you cannot make yourself understood, how is one going to?

3)Do your homework before asking questions. ALL universities publish adequate literature for an introduction to the city/town where you are headed to. Don't rock up to this thread and ask: how much does it cost to go to Australia. Australia is a very big place. You'd probably be able to live on $10/day in the middle of nowhere, but that can’t get a decent meal in Sydney. Drill down to at least a specific city. As a general rule of thumb, all universities(worth our money) would have a page outlining the general costs of living. They tend to err on the high side, but use it as a guide.

4)Drop your sifu mentality. None of us here are experts. All we have behind our screen names is the privilege living in Australia for an extended period of time. Use us as a rough guide, not a hard set of rules. No one here owes you anything. Your choice of university is entirely up to you.

With that in mind, we will not answer questions like “What is the best university for X discipline?” or "Is N university good?". Rather, ask “Anyone in Y university? I would like to ask a few questions about their X discipline degree.” politely and maybe we might answer.

5)Scholarships. Everyone wants one. Few of us have one. This forum is not to spoon feed you what scholarships there are. All universities have a link for that. Look for yourselves. We will not answer questions like "im thinkin of tkin engineering in UQ cld any1 giv m a reference abt any scholarships?" (even ignoring the language). We will however, try our best to answer something like "The Sony Multimedia foundation scholarship in QUT: what are my chances?" (Answer: zero, unless you’re a PR, since they’ve changed the rules)

Education is a commodity. Facts of life. And the “top applicants” who get a (partial) scholarship usually have a GPA of 6.5 out of a 7 point scale.

6)Cant understand what we're saying? Befuddled over the word you just saw? Here's a google trick: type "define: Befuddled" (or whatever word you don't understand, without the quote marks) into google.

7)Agents are NOT responsible for your accommodation in Australia. Complaining here is meaningless.

8) This is not the place to ask about degree recognition by any body. None of us have any authority to answer such questions. Your best bet is to ask the actual body itself than a group of strangers on the Internet.

9) With number 8) in mind, this is also NOT the place to ask questions like:
We do not have any authority on the cut-off's for ANY course in ANY Australian institution. Ask the institution directly. If they accept you, good for you. If they do not give you an offer, move on.

This post has been edited by haya: May 19 2010, 08:28 PM

LIST OF MEMBERS STUDYING/STUDIED IN AUSTRALIA
credit :dilys

There is no warranty, implied or otherwise, on the accuracy of the list.

Previous Studying in Australia Threads:
Studying in Australia: Where it all started
Studying in Australia v2: Spam starts creeping in
Studying in Australia v.2.5: The reason why we can't have nice things
Studying in Australia v.3.0: Some people are just incomprehensible

This post has been edited by haya: Jun 9 2012, 03:28 PM

Studying in Australia: The Guide

So you’ve decided on Australia to further your education. You’ve never left Malaysia for an extended period of time. You don’t know anything. You are filled with a million questions. Without thinking, you log into lowyat.net and discover a Studying in Australia thread.

STOP.

This guide will serve as a FAQ for all your questions. Please read it carefully before asking any questions. It has been compiled over a period of 2 years with information from the 2 Studying in Australia threads.

As Australia is a big country, with many regional variations, it is impossible to write a guide that covers everything. This guide is only meant to give a general outline of the basics of Australia. What may be true in (say) Sydney may not apply in Adelaide. Use this guide, and this thread, as a rough guide, not as a hard set of rules.

The basics: getting a student visa
(Credit: member gome)
Use the "Finding a Visa" wizard on the home page: http://www.immi.gov.au

Assuming you are just a degree student, eventually you will be directed to this link: http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/students.htm. Read up everything. When you are done reading, you will understand where and how to start your application.

The steps:
1. Start applying now -> you can stop halfway through and resume later.
2. When you have your eCOE letter, you can continue with your application.
3. After answering all the questions, make payment via credit card
4. Upon completion, an email will be sent to you, requesting that you conduct a medical checkup.
5. Once the medical checkup is complete, the clinic/hospital will submit your medical results to the Australian immigration department.
6. You will be notified via email if your application is successful (you can check online via VEVO too).

A word of advice - do call up the medical centers/hospitals you intend to have your medical checkup done, before actually doing it. There are cases where people call up about 5 clinics/hospitals/medical centers and a few of them said that they're no longer allowed to do medical checkups for Australian visa applications. And all these 5 places were listed on the visa application page. ''

FAQ's:
Q: Can the medical checkup be done prior to the issuance of eCOE?
A: No. The results of the medical checkup are sent to Immigration directly from the medical practitioner, and needs the eCOE for this.

Q: Where can I do the medical checkup?
A: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/m...nel-doctors.htm

Q: How long does to take to get the COE?
A: You're at the whims of Australian Immigration. Anywhere from 3 working days to 2 weeks. It depends on the load of Immigration (tip: Dec/Jan are the busier months)

The basics: getting there

Generally, most Malaysians will study in one of the major centers. However, flight connectivity is not equal in Australia. Flights to Sydney and Melbourne are generally a plenty, but not so for Adelaide, there is no direct flight to Hobart, and Canberra must be one of the few capital cities in the world with no regular international flight (they all have to go through Sydney).

The best option is to fly Malaysia Airlines, as they fly reasonably regularly to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Alternatively, if you can make your way down to Singapore, there are many alternatives, Qantas being one, and as an alternative instead of flying directly to (say) Adelaide, you can opt to have a stopover in Melbourne. Sometimes this may actually work out to be cheaper.

Note that the fare for one way ticket is different from a return ticket. It is not half of return ticket. If you have the intention to return within the year, it makes sense to book a open ended return ticket. However, for that privilege generally one has to buy the full fare ticket (ie no supersavers, websaver type tickets).

Do your own research. Fares and timetables change all the time depending on the season. Lowyat.net members are not responsible for choosing the airline you take.

In terms of comfort, there is little to distinguish between MAS, SIA and Qantas. All are full service airlines, all have proper meals on-board and inflight entertainment. Generally these airlines tend to be a bit more lenient with the inevitable excess weight that first time students bring with them. Just go for whichever suits your circumstances.

Low Cost Carriers, eg Jetstar, Tiger Airways, Air Asia X, are highly NOT RECOMMENDED for first time students arriving in Australia. There low cost carriers tend to be very strict on luggage weight, seat pitch is very tight, there is no inflight entertainment for the long journey, and most involve at least one transit either in Darwin or Perth. They are however, a cheap way of going back home for the holidays once you are more settled in Australia.

The basics: Packing for Australia

You only have 20KG of check-in luggage allowance in economy, so it pays to watch your luggage weight. In the past we have heard people actually packing things like reams of paper and rice to Australia. Australia is not a 3rd world country, and even after conversion, the prices of rice and paper is almost the same as Malaysia. (10KG of cheap rice = $14, or about RM35) So it is not worth bringing your entire life over here.

Many have asked if students get extra baggage allowance. It all depends on the airline.

MH has a frequent flier scheme for students called GRADS, which gives students an extra 10KG baggage allowance on flights. You'd have to apply for it. Show it during check-in at the airport and you should get the extra allowance.

SQ seems to have a mixed record. Some have reported showing your student card/offer letter at the check-in counter is sufficient to get the extra baggage allowance, others mention of needing to apply for it at the nearest Singapore Airline office. Call SQ directly. None of us here have any authority to give advice on this matter.

QF is similarly a mixed bag. One thing that seems to be consistent through is that one needs to apply for the extra baggage allowance BEFORE you take off. Contact Qantas for clarification.

Small things are generally cheaper in Malaysia, such as pencils, pens, erasers, rulers etc. Stocking up on these basics will probably be a good idea. Architecture students take note.

For clothes, just buy a basic few in Malaysia, and buy the rest in Australia. Warm clothing in Australia is not much more expensive than buying from Universal Traveller. Prices of basic clothes are not that much more different from Malaysia, and generally are more suited to the Australian climate.

The basics: landing in Australia

Due to Australia’s geographical isolation, many of the agricultural diseases (mad cow comes to mind) do not exist in Australia. This is also the reason why all beef in Malaysia comes from Australia and New Zealand. To protect their valuable agricultural industry, Australia practices strict quarantine laws. In short, there are many things one cannot bring into Australia. Generally it is food related stuff, but a full and authoritative list can be found here: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/travel/enterin...ralia/cant-take

A few hours before landing in Australia, an Incoming Passenger Card (see example [URL="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/3401.0Appendix1Jan 2010?opendocument&tabname=Notes&prodno=3401.0&issue=Jan 2010&num=&view="]here[/URL])will be handed to you (regardless of airline) to fill in. This is a legal document, and any misrepresentation can, and have led to, legal action, with fines up to A$66,000. If you tick the box saying you do not have food products, and a x-ray later turns up food stuffs, expect a on-the-spot fine of up to $200. If in doubt, just tick the box saying you have food products.

When you land in Australia, your bags will be checked for foodstuff by dogs running around the luggage carousel. To make life easier for myself and quarantine staff, I usually put all foodstuff into one single bag, say the cabin bag, so when I have to declare, I just have to open up one bag, instead of having to dig through the tightly packed bag to get the food stuff out. If they do not allow something to be brought in, just let it go. Do not attempt to argue, or plead with the excuse that it is your first time. You make us Malaysian’s look bad, and it is bad enough that Malaysia consists of, amongst other things, ethnic Chinese and Indians.


The basics: Money Matters

1. Opening a bank account:
Malaysian banks do not have any branches in Australia. While more international banks like HSBC have bank branches in Australia, generally they are more focused on business banking, not consumer needs.

Do note that some banks allow for the opening of bank accounts online. After filling in the online application, you will be given a bank account number, which allows you to transfer money to your Australian account before you've left Malaysia. Once you land, you simply have to rock up to your bank and provide the identification needed to fully formalise your bank account and get access to your funds.

The best way is to open a Australian bank account. To open a bank account, you will need:
• A passport
• ECoE (to prove which university or institution you attend)
• Student card (not really needed)

All banks have fee-free banking for students, so generally account keeping fees and most transaction fees are waived. The student waiver has to be renewed every year, but it as simple as going to any branch and giving your student card along with your account details. The process takes less than 5 minutes.

Some banks have fee-free accounts regardless of your status, and can be convenient if you don't want to walk into a bank every year to renew your fee-free/student waiver status. Do note however that they are some traps to some of these fee-free accounts: some banks charge you for "manual transactions" if you need to walk into a bank to deposit (!) money into your fee-free bank account. Or anything else really.

All banks have associated or 'sub' accounts, which are ONLY electronically accessible, and comes with high interests. Some people keep a minimal amount in the main account, and the bulk of funds in the subaccount. When money is needed, you will need to electronically transfer the money from the sub account to the main account so you can withdraw at the atm. The good news is, most branches will have internet terminals for you to do that.

Alternatively, mobile banking of now a feature of almost all online banking systems, allowing you to transfer funds on the move as long you have a data plan and a signal on your phone.

LYN members are not responsible for giving advice on which financial institution to use. It is up to you and based on your needs. Generally ANZ and Commonwealth bank have the most branches and ATM machines, but Sydney students seem to favor Westpac. Links of major Australian banks provided below for your research.

ANZ: http://www.anz.com/
Commonwealth Bank: http://www.commbank.com.au/
Westpac: http://www.westpac.com.au/
NAB: http://www.nab.com.au/

For Queensland students:
Suncorp: http://www.suncorp.com.au/
Bank of Queensland: http://www.boq.com.au

For Western Australia students:
BankWest: http://www.bankwest.com.au/



1.1 Accounts with international banks

Some forum members who have financial relationships with international banks such as Citibank and HSBC might consider to open a account with these financial institution(s) in Australia. However, there are a few caveats: most have minimum opening deposit amounts, and/or require you to have minimum monthly deposits to avoid the monthly account keeping fee. Student fee waivers usually do not apply here.
To transfer money between a (say) Malaysian HSBC to a Australian HSBC account, the Australian HSBC account would need to be linked to the Malaysian HSBC account. Fees for linking and initiating the money transfer may apply, and note that it is not the cheapest or the fastest way of moving money across.

While most international banks have only one branch in the major cities, the good news is any Australia Post office acts as a agent for these international banks, and you can do basic banking tasks such as depositing and withdrawing money. Note that is is not limited to HSBC and Citibank: see here for the list of financial institutions which you can deal with using any Australian post office. See here for most information on Bank@Post: http://auspost.com.au/personal/personal-ba...ralia-post.html

For access to your money, HSBC and Citibank customers can generally use Westpac, St.George and BankSA ATM's without any charge. Do read the fine print through: not all Westpac-St.Geroge ATM's are fee-free.

1.2 Opening a Australian bank account in Malaysia

It has come to my attention that OCBC customers can open a ANZ account in Malaysia before arriving in Australia. However, the minimum opening balance seems to be AUD2k. Please contact OCBC for details. Note that under the Banking And Financial Institutions Act 1989, Lowyat.net members cannot legally give financial advice.

2. Transferring Money from Malaysia
There are 2 ways of transferring money from Malaysia: Telegraphic transfer (TT) and bank draft (“draft”). In a nutshell, TT is faster, but more expensive. Drafts are cheaper, but take longer for funds to be cleared.

TT is the most popular way of moving money to Australia. It is fast too: anecdotal evidence shows that if the transfer was initiated on the Malaysian side first thing in the morning, usually one would receive it by the end of the business day in Australia.

However, TT costs more. There is a fee by the Malaysian bank, and the Australian bank will usually take a cut from the transferred amount (usually about 2%). To do a TT transfer you also need your Australian bank account details.


Bank drafts are essentially cheques, just useable internationally. Bank drafts are made in your name, so you deposit it to any bank account in your name, regardless of your bank. It is cheap too: Malaysian banks generally only charge only RM5 for the draft, and Australian banks don’t take a cut from the cleared funds. I have deposited Maybank and Public Bank drafts into Commonwealth Bank and ANZ accounts fine.

On the downside, it is slower. Funds generally take about 3-4 working days to clear. (Whoever said that it takes 14 days, it is time to change your bank!) The trick to have proper financial planning, and not wait till you are down to you last $100 before pleading for money.

When transferring money, TT and draft exchange rates differ between banks. It pays to shop around to get the best rates. Note that generally one does not need to have an account with the bank to be able to get a Bank Draft/Initiate a TT. A few links below:

http://www.rhbbank.com.my/treasury/rates/f...hange_rates.asp
http://www.cimbbank.com.my/index.php?ch=ba...0&tpt=cimb_bank
https://www.ecloan.com.my/calculator/ForexRate.asp?source=dp
http://pbebank.com/en/en_content/personal/...s/landing2.html
http://www.eonbank.com.my/treasury/forex_rates.asp
http://www.maybank2u.com.my/business/treas..._exchange.shtml
http://www.ambg.com.my/personal/rates/foreignexchange.asp
http://www1.uob.com.my/jsp/finance/fin_xrate.jsp?func=xrate
http://www.affinbank.com.my/forex/fore.php
http://www.ocbc.com.my/personal-banking/To...cid=M2_C1_S8_P1

(Links credit: member Lim Ling Yang)

Bank drafts can be sent via registered post (Pos Malaysia calls it Pos daftar: http://www.pos.com.my/pos/personal/special...os_daftar.aspx)

This is NOT Pos Express or Pos Laju. All it does it send it via international air mail, but with a tracking number that allows the letter to be tracked. The delivery time is no different from that of ordinary international air mail.

If no one is at home when the registered letter is posted to your place of residence, your registered post envelope will usually be deposited with the nearest post office closest to you place of residence. Just trot over and pick it up. Note that you will have to provide ID to pick it up, and the ID must correspond to the person addressed to on the envelope. Unfortunately this means you can't get someone else to pick it up for you.

Examples of ID include your passport, student card, bank card with your name on it, etc.

3. Tax File Number (TFN) (credit to member Caspersky)

First of all, it is not 'mandatory' to have your TFN to be able to legally work in Australia.(you need a working permit for that)However, it is strongly recommended that you have one because if you don't provide your TFN to your bank and employer, your interests and salary will be taxed at 46.5%.(45%+1.5% medical levy) That sucks doesn't it? So go apply for one before you start working.

Secondly, earning less than $6000 per year means your earnings are tax-free, it has nothing to do with eligibility of tax refund. Even if you have earned only $30 this year, if $5 was deducted from your pay as tax, you are eligible for a tax refund.

The Australian tax system is comprehensive and very well designed. For all of you working out there, from July to October every year ATO will be holding Tax Help Program, which is a program designed to help low income taxpayers to lodge their tax returns. The service is totally free of charge and most of the universities will have participated in this program. Ask your student guild about this.

Easiest way to apply for one is through the ATO’s website: http://ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?...fp=001&st=&cy=1

4. Paying your fees
Before you can start your course, you need to pay your fees. The best way is to pay by credit card. Fast, rates can be competitive, and think of all the reward points you'll (or your parents!) will earn. After one has arrived, and opened a bank account, you can use BPay to pay your fees electronically. Just follow the instructions on your statement of account.

Fees are usually paid on a per-semester basis, so before every semester of your study you will get a Statement of Account on how much you need to pay from the university. Universities DO NOT really have a "preference" on how you should pay your fees (unless its cash, and most universities will not accept more than A$500 in cash at their counters at any given time).

Any such discussion usually means you have not done your homework, and simply take the word of your educational agent (who will probably get a cut from the "preferred method" they "advice" you).


The basics: electricity

The good news is that Australia uses the same 240v 50Hz system Malaysia uses, so all electrical appliances from Malaysia work fine. The bad news is that Australia uses the different plug system.

This plug, used in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, has an earthing pin, and two flat pins forming an upside down V-shape. The flat blades measure 1.6 mm and are set at 30 to the vertical at a nominal pitch of 13.7 mm. Australasian wall sockets almost always have switches on them for extra safety, as in the UK. An unearthed version of this plug with two angled power pins but no earthing pin is used with small double-insulated appliances, but the power (wall) outlets always have three pins, including an earth pin.

There are 2 ways of overcoming this. The first is to buy a adaptor in Malaysia. They go for about RM7 in Low Yat, S$4 in Sim Lim, and A$8 in Australia. Some adaptors come with only 2 pins: its just without the earth pin. Some low powered appliances (table lamps) don’t have a earth pin in Australia.


A better alternative is to buy a generic China power bank (shown in the image above), and change the head to an Australian one, or just use the adaptor to plug in the generic China power bank. The advantage is that the generic China power bank can also take in Australian plugs. [1]

Note that while the China power plug is similar to the Australian plug, it is NOT the same. The Australian plugs are a little longer and thicker, and thus a Chinese plug would fit in an Australian socket, but not vice versa.

[1]http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=1286048&view=findpost&p=48759757

This post has been edited by haya: Feb 6 2012, 01:21 PM

Help! I need accommodation!
Visit your accommodation office in your institution.

https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=36313891

Moving up: Telecommunications in Australia

Mobile phones are widely used in Australia. GSM and 3G networks are mature and generally have decent(ish) coverage in urban areas. The few mobile service providers are:
• Telstra
• Optus
• Virgin Mobile (part of Optus)
• Three (now folded into Vodafone: no new accounts accepted from Oct 2011)
• Vodafone

The general advise is to not rush into signing anything after you land. Get a prepaid SIM and see if the plan and coverage suits you. Australia has MNP, so you can change your carrier while keeping your number. However, its not that easy to change telco's while you're in contract. Usually there will be no issues porting between carriers on a prepaid plan.

And please, please, read everything before signing up for anything. Student centers have enough of people who can't read, sign up for a contract and try to get out of it 2 months down the road and moan that they're now legally bound for the next 24 months, and expect to be given a escape hatch.

Generally Telstra and Optus have the best coverage, but not necessarily the best value. As the telco providers seemingly change their plans all the time, it is not possible to list them out. Shop around for the best deal and what suits your needs. The good news is that if you really have no life, you can get a prepaid which will be valid for 365 days!

Be careful about these “cap” plans. The word “cap” is misleading. It is more like a minimum spend, on a contract. You can have these $49 cap plans, which for $49/month, you get something like $300 worth of credit to use. Unused credit generally does not roll-over to the next month, and if you use beyond the $300 you will be charged extra on top of the $49 you have to pay. And even if you don't use $49 worth of credit, you still have to pay. Also, keep in mind these are contract plans, and you will be tied to the contract for 24 months. On the bright side, all these cap plans will give you a free new handphone.

The Australian market is fast becoming saturated with MVNO's, which ride on the networks of the 3 main players. They can sometimes give better deals while having the advantages of the parent network. Once you're more settled it does pay to have a look at them, as they can be better, value wise, than the big players.

Some MVNO's are:
http://www.amaysim.com.au/
http://www.woolworthsmobile.com.au/
http://www.boostmobile.com.au/
http://www.crazyjohns.com.au/

For more information on mobile choice, visit http://www.phonechoice.com.au/

Generally get a phone from M'sia and bring it to Australia. Unlocked phones are a bit thin on the ground here, and unlocking carrier locked phones can be a nightmare (even if your contract expires).


Moving up: Internet in Australia

Internet Broadband is a must for us this days especially dealing with assignments and notes from course. For a broadband line, a landline is required to able to connect to the internet. There are many ISP providers throughout Australia and it varies from state to state. Best place to start looking is:

www.whirlpool.net.au
www.internetchoice.com.au

Generally only the big 2 (Telstra and Optus) have high street stores. Most other ISP's you have to register online.

LYN members will not give advice on which ISP to go for, through if we are on the ISP you are interested in we may provide feedback. However, do NOT go near Dodo internet. No one has ever had a good word about them.


Moving up: Is studying in Australia as easy as it seems?

Don't take for granted that when the university tells you that it's a 4 years degree program means you can complete the degree in exactly 4 years like local universities do.

In general, a BEng paper in Australia has about 35 modules to complete. Each year you'll have like 2 semesters and a short one at the end of the year. Taking 4 subjects per semester is a really crazy thing to do and I must warn you that most of the time you'll barely get through with passes or if you're lucky, probably score in one or two of the subjects.

Unlike in local colleges where I've seen students taking over 5-6 subjects in a single semester and still make it with most subjects getting As, this is not so with Australian universities. Few students actually finish their degree according to the timeframe.

You may one to ask other Australian students in this forum about how they find about the number of years they took to complete their degrees. 3 subjects itself is already taxing. Four subjects per semester is the maximum that you can take although the universities won't stop you from taking a much as you like since resitting means more money.

This post has been edited by haya: Oct 24 2011, 09:25 AM

Registering your Australian presence with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Malaysian Student Department

Events such as the 2010 Egyption riots and Brisabane floodsfloods have highlighted the importance with registering with the Malaysian Student Department if they require support overseas.

Media coverage: http://www.malaysianmirror.com/lifestylede...australia-urged



http://www.mohe.gov.my/stdinfo/laman.php
http://www.msda.org.au/index.php?p=2_3

Its all online now, so there should be no excuse not to.

IELTS and the need

There is a lot of misconception of IELTS. It is NOT a test. It is an assessment system on English language COMPETENCY, and the grade you get grades you on your level of proficiency of English.

IELTS is quality, not quantity. You can write 3 pages, but if it is riddled with grammatical errors, poor spelling and punctuation, you're not really going to get much.

If you look at the criteria for a IELTS 6:
.

It doesn't mean you're a native speaker. Even a IELTS 9, which is defined as a native speaker, is still considered a native speaker of the English language AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. That said, if you do achieve a 9, your grasp of English is probably better than some people in English speaking countries in the western world.

As it is a international benchmark, in theory a 6 in China should be similar (note similar, NOT the same) to a 6 obtained in Malaysia, or a 6 obtained in China. Of course, like any language, it is subjective, and dependent of the marker, but there is a publicly known marking criteria. Unlike SPM or even 1119, where no one knows what the criteria is. Sure, you can say it is based on the British "o" levels, but no one will ever call the Peroudua MyVi a Japanese car despite having it based on a in Daihatsu.

Names in the Western Context
The thing about Malaysia (and its passports) is there is no provision for surnames. To an extent, this is understandable, as as half the population do not have surnames. However, in the western world, surnames are an important concept. The whole Identification process is all based on the surname.

There are 3 ways of dealing with Chinese names in the western context. Some people hyphenate the two words, so "Tan Ah Beng" ends up being Ah-Beng Tan, with Ah-Beng being your name. Most Taiwanese follow this convention when writing their names with alphabets (just look at all the Taiwanese presidents).

The other way is to follow the PRC convention, and make them one "word". So your name will be Ahbeng Tan. The only downside is that your name will be mispronounced a bit more than one would like.

Finally, the Malaysian/Singaporean convention is to just switch your name around, so your name is written as Ah Beng Tan. The downside to this is when you are called (in class, bank etc), you end up being Mr Ah Tan, as generally the "Beng" is treated as a middle name and not generally used.

(Credit to member azarimy for the explanation below, slightly modified from here:


Usually Malay's would use their fathers name as a surname when living in Australia.

A good convention in academia, is to underline your surname when handing in reports/assignments.

This post has been edited by haya: Oct 24 2011, 09:31 AM

Getting an Australian PR

Short Answer: impossible as a student. So don't ask. This is the Studying in Australia thread, not Migrating to Australia thread. You either get a PR before you study (and pay domestic fees), or AFTER you finish studying.

The simple fact of the matter is your position in Australian universities is determined by your residency status. If mid-way through your course you get a Australian PR by virtue of your parents, you will have to drop out of your current enrollment, and may not be able to continue should the quota of domestic students for your course be filled.

That said, the immigration rules change often, so Immigration's website would be the most accurate and up-to-date information. If you have problems, don't come here where we might give you misleading or wrong advice. Find a migration agent.

Concession Fares for public transport
Victoria and New South Wales are the 2 states where international students (ie most of you reading this) DO NOT get concession fares (usually half the full adult fare) on public transport. Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT do give international students concession fares.

As I have always said, there are many factors one have to take when choosing a university, not just the name of the university, not just is a certain university is good for a particular course. And if you're (or your parents) are paying, cost is one factor, and knowing which state gives concessions to international students is one of the factors in deciding where I ended up studying.

Always carry your student ID, and show it when buying concession fares.

Driving in Australia

Driving rules in Australia vary from state to state, so it is hard to give any actual advice. The best way will be to go to your institution's International student services for accurate information. What is uniform however, is that you will need a full Malaysian license to drive. Malaysian L-license holders CANNOT drive in Australia.

If you want to drive, keep in mind that having a car is not to be taken lightly in Australia. While cars are cheap compared to "AP-land" Malaysia, petrol is not, and neither is parking in the CBD areas. Parking in your institution may also not be easy/avaliable, and certainly not free (unless you're in a regional campus)!

Generally, if you hold a valid full (ie no "P" or "L" licenses) Malaysian driving license, you are allowed to drive in Australia. Strictly speaking, you must have your license and your passport with you at all times when you drive.

Obtaining Official Translation
Malaysians driving in Australia need to get their driving license translated. The best way of obtaining a offical translation is through National Accreditation Authority of Translators & Intrepreters (NAATI). It is a private organisation that regulates translator services in Australia, and thus they do not deal with translations per se. You deal with the Translator directly. (From $25) www.naati.com.au then click on “Find a Translator or Interpreter ".

Alternatively, the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra can also do the translation of your driving license. See here: http://www.malaysia.org.au/serv5.html#translate. Note that it also says "No charges for student. Kindly include a certified copy of your student ID", and you can do so through the post.

Specifics on driving in each state:
QUEENSLAND:
Discussion in previous thread
http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Assis...tional_drivers/
http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Licen...thout_a_licence

NSW:
http://163.189.217.150/rulesregulations/in...te/driving.html
http://163.189.217.150/licensing/newtonsw/...al_drivers.html

VICTORIA:
Victoria
http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/livin...ing-in-victoria
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licens...ersLicences.htm

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/y...icence/1365.asp
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/y...icence/1363.asp

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Transport,+tr...rs+and+licences
http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Transport,+tr...toring/Motoring

TASMANIA:
http://www.transport.tas.gov.au/licence_information
//If anyone has more information and/or first hand experience on the rules of driving in Tasmania (or any other state) as an international student feel free to contribute.

This post has been edited by haya: Sep 24 2010, 09:09 AM

I could not care less what version number it is, as long as its greater than the old one. Now, enough already with the version number

congratulations on the new version....
btw, i jz gt my eCOE today, will b going to ANU in March...

grats highwind85. btw mind adding me into the UTAS list. thanks.

Nice. New version.

By the way,could the admins change (update?) the "LIST OF MEMBERS STUDYING/STUDIED IN AUSTRALIA" spoiler? I'm studying in Melbourne Uni now. Starting 2nd year soon...

Oh yeah, about the medical check up, did you guys choose manual health processing?

It says that manual will delay some time while online 1 is much faster, but those panel clinic that participate in online health processing is kind of limited and I find no one in KL.

So I should choose manual health processing?

Add me too! Monash, Melbourne.

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Added on January 8, 2010, 8:55 pmIf I'm not mistaken, if you choose the online version, you still have to go to a physical medical clinic to get an X-ray and urine test. So honestly, I don't think there is much difference. I think..

I think there is one in PJ area? Like they mentioned, if you can't find one near you, opt for the manual instead. I think most of the participants in this forum went for the manual one?

This post has been edited by ostangel: Jan 8 2010, 08:55 PM

hi people,
i'm going for bachelor of commerce majoring accounting and finance...
but i'm stuck with Adelaide Uni and QUT...
Adelaide is GO8 but i heard that QUT is more practical...
some advice please?

I was Melb Uni student too .Gonna do some tutoring at Monash Clayton this July to Nov

can somebody here recommend a cheap university in Australia to go to, for postgraduate studies for business and commerce or around that subject area.

Don't care much about ranking , but not too low ranking.

if you can give me some university names that I can look into that are affordable i will be grateful.

This post has been edited by JasonMania: Jan 8 2010, 10:32 PM

utas.............cheapest...........cheapest living costs too.........

but boring place...........

i thought Tung Shin in KL also included?

Haha, just figured it out, have to choose manual health processing...

I am thinking to go tomorrow morning. Do you guys make an appointment before go? Or just straight go in?

depends though
i went near to pj hilton thr n just straight go in...
no appointment made

thanks , i am looking into it now.

quiet place too. Good for studying I reckon.

A bit of a deja vu moment for me. There was a time in my life where I was torn between Adelaide and QUT. Not happy with Monash (Malaysia), joann-k?

While I'm from QUT, I can't say about their B.Commerce other than the fact there are heaps of Asians there. Its a stereotype: the Asians are in the Business faculty, the mid-easterns in the Engineering faculty, and all the white Australians in Architecture. It seems to be a decent place/course, through I suppose if you don't mind a whole gaggle of (Mainland) Chinese in your cohort you'd be fine. (I can't stand the Chinese)

As an institution, QUT is a nice place, Business faculty in the city campus; your faculty overlooks the Botanical gardens (not sure about the view through). Personally, I'd decide on other factors like cost of living, social connections etc would probably play a part in any decision.

Cost of living: generally, Adelaide is cheaper than Brisbane.
University: If you want looks (read: style over substance), Adelaide has all those fancy sandstone buildings. QUT's buildings are relatively modern.
Accommodation: Adelaide rental market is not as tight as Brisbane
Transportation: Adelaide's is good, Brisbane is also very good, plus has integrated electronic ticketing.
Flights: more flights out of Brisbane than Adelaide.
Getting around: Adelaide is flatter, Brisbane has too many hills for my liking.

We can't make the decision for you joann-k.

I've asked around with my dad's business friends about QUT..
but it seems that QUT is not so well-known in malaysia compared to Adelaide uni...

not surprising... they look for the ranks n also 1 of the Go8

even my parents only know Adelaide but not RMIT

ok i'm considering between USQ Toowoomba campus and University of Sydney.I probably will have a parent guardian accompanying me-health reasons.Which uni is better to study computer-bio related courses,and which area provides more part-time job opportunities?

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Added on January 11, 2010, 3:23 pmBTW,is it more sound to buy desktop here then ship it over when ii go or better too buy a PC there?

This post has been edited by ~Curious~: Jan 11 2010, 03:23 PM

u better buy pc over thr coz the shipping will gif u more trouble

btw for those who currently studying in RMIT, u guys already receive invoice for this year sem 1?

can give me an approximate cost of shipping?coz im considering whether to buy desktop or laptop now,then later bring it over with me

Buy a laptop in M'sia and bring it over to Australia. A laptop is more convenient as you can bring it to uni for your assignments or even do instant notes during lectures. I'd say this is the best choice for most students.

Buying laptops in Australia may be a wee bit more expensive for a similar-spec machine, but you obtain the warranty and tech support; whereas if you buy back home you may need international/overseas warranty and support which may require extra costs.

If you're going for a desktop, get one over in Australia. Bear in mind that most electronic stuff (except ipods and possibly printers) are more expensive in Australia, but shipping costs from M'sia will negate, if not exceed, the money you save by buying back home. There's also the risk of damage to delicate electronic stuff during the shipping process plus waiting period for the shipment.

if you are tech savvy, i can suggest buying the important parts in msia and assembling the deaktop there.....

motherboard, cpu, ram, (videocard if gamer), and hdd are worth buying in msia........

get the rest (casing, cd drive, input devices) in oz.........

if you have capacity, get a good mouse too from here.......mices can be double or triple msian prices there..........

otherwise, just get a notebook here with an international guarantee.......

hmm havent been in this thread for a long time.

about the PC. over there the desktops are quite expensive, but if they have sales they do drop down to decent prices. as mentioned above it would be better to grab a laptop, because when you have some study sessions at friends place, or the library, its easier to bring your laptop with you. unless you really want a desktop for gaming or something like that. in melbourne me and my bro set up a clone pc for around AUD$750 just for the machine. but need to go shopping around lah. and of course clones are more susceptible to crashes and such. plus need to buy monitor and stuff. i say laptop all the way, plus when moving back to malaysia (if you plan to) the laptop is much easier to bring back. (i just gave my desktop away. too giant)

Have been following this forums. You guys are giving precious information....

Just wondering if compare Adelaide and Perth, which has got higher standard of living and what about rental. Do you guys work to cover living expenses?

All inputs are appreciated.

hey guys..does qantas fly from m'sia? i couldn't find the option for tat...only c australian cities for "depart"...

don think so
i tried to find the depart/arrival to msia but cannot find

then nid to consider other airlines...nid to get a flight from m'sia to canberra and there's no direct flight as canberra has not international airport...

fly to sydney. holiday a little bit and then fly up using virgin air or jetstar or something cheap. unless you are in a rush. check with a travel agency. they will tell you the flight plans really quickly.

hmm..think will not holiday there...on a tight budget b4 i receive money from my scholarship..Is it better to book thru travel agency? Or it will b the same if i do it myself.. really noob here..1st time traveling out of the country..

This post has been edited by highwind85: Jan 12 2010, 02:18 PM

im not really sure. sometimes cheaper to go through agency sometimes cheaper to get tickets on your own. if there are connecting flights then i usually go through travel agencies, because its less complicated for me. you should check with an agency. doesnt mean you have to book through them.

if u wan worry-less then book with travel agent
but if u think can handle urself,just book urself
act quite easy
book from msia to sydney 1st
then estimate wat time u will reach n book from syd to canberra

Do you guys ever read before typing out your mindless thoughts?

If you want to fly down to Canberra using Qantas, you have to go down to Singapore, then take a Qantas flight, SIN-SYD-CBR. Alternatively, fly down to Sydney (or Melbourne) using any airline that suits your fancy, then connect to the many flights to Canberra.

I highly doubt you can do these things online through the respective airlines websites. The best bet, ESPECIALLY for a first timer, is to go through an travel agent, who will deal with the connecting flights for you. At least with using a full service airline your luggage would be checked through to Canberra.

Trivia: The last time a Qantas plane landed on Malaysian soil for commercial flights was 1999. Its been a while since we saw the flying Kangaroo.

This post has been edited by haya: Jan 12 2010, 03:54 PM

my bad..misinterpret what i read..thought canberra's airport is jz dealing with domestic flights within aus and therefore is not an international airport...

about the PC issues,,thanks all for your input.
Anny say about living costs and part-time work in Toowoomba and Sydney respectively?

I heard that MAS no longer entitle students 10kgs of extra baggage allowance, is it true ?

This post has been edited by wl555: Jan 12 2010, 08:23 PM

Pick up a phone and call them. No one here can answer you with any authority.

That said, as recently as July, students could still do as such.

rural toowoomba would be a LOT cheaper than sydney.........maybe half in terms of accommodation cost........

but you are comparing sydney, a top 3 uni with usq, a bottom ranked uni..........not the same thing lah........

I had similar problem with you years ago. I was then having a few letter of offer from different university like New Castle, Melbourne Uni, Deakin, Charles Sturt, etc. and I decided to go to Deakin, one of the reasons is it's in Melbourne.
I'm not so sure about the course you are taking, and I'm not going to comment on the university ranking and what-so-ever.
My thought is to study in an oversea country, "international exposure" is one important factor to be considered; yes in rural area the living cost and expenses will be much lower than in big city, however the experience of living in big city is totally different from some smaller town. In big city like Sydney or Melbourne you'll meet more people from different part of world, and thus you can have the experience of meeting all sorts of people from different culture background. This will make you more "globalized" then only able to milk a cow or pluck apples in some rural area (no offence here, and these jobs actually give good money )
In addition, you are still young. Big city more fun. So you'll end up spending more money to travel to big city when you are bored. My friend studied in Canberra and he never spend a weekend there. Every Friday after class he'll go to Sydney and only return on Sunday afternoon. Get what I mean?
My two cents.

By the way, I studied in Deakin University Food Science & Nutrition, fininshed in year 2003 i.e. my information might be outdated . Am I qualified to be added to THE LIST or not?

This post has been edited by TitaniumZ: Jan 13 2010, 09:19 AM

hey guys..wanna ask about the medical examination for the student visa..roughly how much did you guys pay? Wanna know how much money to bring when i go for the check up..Thanks..

RM200 if u wan to be safe

depends on which panel clinic you are visiting. xray dah lah rm30-50 kalau x silap. i think aroun rm200 like hihihehe said is decent. i think i took around rm250 back in the day just in case. try find a panel clinic that has an xray machine. i had to go to clinic then hospital then clinic balik. damn annoying.

just did mine in Penang for e-health. Paid RM180 only.

For those who are coming to melb. if you need any help . just let me know

Thanks..so it should be in the region of rm180-rm250..

wat help u offer?

airport pick up or coffee buddy maybe. i regret not discovering LYN until coming back. seems like can have nice Teh Tarik sessions over there since everyone is pretty much new to the place. hehe.

if free airport pick up then i dun mind

hahaha. quite expensive to do airport pickup and dropoff. sometimes i send some friends end up paying dunno how much for toll and parking. after that so mafan already.

I'd highly recommend Tung Shin. Only cost rm92 for the whole thing, and got my visa approved within a week. Try to go there early on a Saturday morn to avoid the KL jam and long queue.

thanks a lot for the tip..early as in 7 something or 8 something?

if u want it fast, go for e-health. I got my visa in one day. RM180, no jam, no need to wait.
hahahaha

why is it that e-health will b no jam, no need to wait? i thought e-health is that the medical officer send your report electronically? Or maybe i read wrongly...

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Added on January 13, 2010, 11:51 pmwow....1 day?? so fast? everything on9?

This post has been edited by latlawlim: Jan 13 2010, 11:52 PM

Does anyone plan to work as a school teacher or study education course in Aus?

This post has been edited by 0Celeste0: Jan 14 2010, 12:28 AM

=( still waiting for the accommodation issue to clear. Anyone else going to utas? =P

cos its really fast? dont mind about those jam lah...i was just trying to say that go for somewhr that u wont hv jam...no hard feelings..

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Added on January 14, 2010, 10:27 amyeah...seriously one day. my friend even better...she went in the morning, the night itself approved already.
so, try opt for e-health. Cos, U save up alot on those paperworks...yeah.\, u only nid to print the referral letter which is only 2 pieces of paper? compared to the manual type...whr u hav to print so much and fill in so much...and the one i went, took 30mins only for the med checkups. If u r unlucky, alot of ppl...prolly slightly longer? yeah, so u want it fast, go for e-health. U can check the list of panel here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/m...nel-doctors.htm

the one with and 'e' logo beside means its e-health.
its all electronically.

This post has been edited by feliciacsl: Jan 14 2010, 10:27 AM

if you are from PJ and wants the e-health i would suggest... been there and everything went really fast... always best to make appointment =)

nice, clean and friendly place as well.... back when i did it now not sure

Life Care Diagnostics Sdn Bhd
Ground Floor, Tower 1
Wisma MCIS Zurich
Jaran Barat
46200 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Telephone: +60 3 7955 0650
Fax: +60 3 7955 0670

My visa is cleared. 2 days after Medical results were submitted. Now waiting for accommodation. Darned accommodation.

AHAHAHAHA...make that darn a double...ME TOO! accommodation. LOL!

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Added on January 14, 2010, 10:42 amagreed!

This post has been edited by feliciacsl: Jan 14 2010, 10:42 AM

which state and unis are you guys going to?

Yup, like hihihehe said, rm 200 is very safe already. Looks like Tung Shin is the cheapest but must brave through the jam. I did mine at Young & Newton PJ and cost me rm 110. slightly more expensive but no jam

Ahahaha! Accomodation is a b*tch la. I also had a few problems myself. I submitted my acceptance on the 17th and I called them like on the 10th they told me they haven't received my acceptance yet. I panic la, coz due date was the 15th. So I made a few more calls and guess what, my acceptance was on the 'to be processed pile' -_____- The next day, I received email from them finally telling me that my aceptance processed already. aih.

sad huh =( stupid accommodation. Oh well, patience i guess.

you all stay at the on campus dorms is it? is that the accomodation you talking about?

Yup.

For those who are coming over, the Consumer Affairs website has quite a lot of information which would be helpful in matters such as loans, banking, renting properties, buying cars, electronics and other equipment, choosing ISPs and mobile phones etc.

Most of the information are very basic and of common sense, but it's a good headstart.

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256EB5000...1=Home~&2=~&3=~

It's good the thread is back...

For students who are coming over to Brisbane, can look for me for assistance.

I am happy to help.

hey guys. i'm sure you all are much experienced in arranging a proper timetable. i 'm current in dilemma, not knowing which classes i should enroll into. i'll go straight to my point. based on your experiences in uni, do you think it's better to have a packed timetable whereby you do not have much free time between classes, say maybe just an hour lunch break (eg: classes start from 9:00 till 12:00 and you'll have your lunch break from 12:00 till 13:00, then continue with classes from 13:00 till ??). or do you prefer to have more free time between classes. for instance, having 3 hours of class, then lunch break and another hour of rest before heading back to class then have another 1 hour break again AND go for your last class afterthat?

question might seem confusing, do bear with it

ah yes, i totally understand. had a similar problem in my first semester.

Well, I guess it really depends on yourself and how heavy the class is.

Personally, I prefer to have less time in between because you may think that you can get something done during the free time but trust me, you won't. haha. Also, with a compact timetable, you may be able to go home a little earlier and avoid the jam(if you're driving).

For example, in my first semester, I had 3 classes in a row that amounted up to 5 hours non stop. It was tiring but I realised that I had more time to do my tutorials/lab work/study. On the other hand, in my 2nd semester, I had a 2 hour class and a 3 hour break afterwards and another 2 more classes after the break. At first I thought that I would have more time to do my tutorials during the break but I ended up going to Pyramid for lunch -__- Or if I stayed in the library, I would see some people I know and end up chatting with them. lol.

Long winded answer, sorry. hehe

hey guys..anyone here is going to uSyd ?? =D

@bibg - i prefer to have my classes together. because sometimes in between classes you have nothing to do. then yeah. you get bored. then you start thinking. should i go home. should i stay here. should i go study. in the end you get annoyed hahahah. pack all your stuff together then open up time on other days. i packed all my classes on Mon, Wed, and Fri. and very few or none on Tuesday and thursday. just to have day off to do nothing or to catch up on school work or whatever.

i might be going to utas. On campus accomodation is full. sigh./ havta stay off campus now.

Haya, could you add me to the ANU list?

Thanks.

thanks ostangel and panda-man, really apprieciate both your quick replies.

i guess i'll be doing the same as the both of you. a packed timetable with less hours between classes definitely sound more promising. what about lunch breaks, do you all miss much of them? i'll be living on-campus and my food isn't self catered. no matter how i fix my timetable, i will surely miss out 1-2 lunch breaks every week, does that sound normal? i didn't know planning my own timetable could be so troublesome, ah!

oh and anyone here going unsw for their first year this march?

Hi guys, I will be going to Adelaide next month to study in UniSA City East Campus. So I'd like to ask that if anyone here can provide me some information about the accommodation around that area please? Thanks!

Im going to Uni of Adelaide next year. Not so sure abt the accomodation for UniSA cuz from the uni website its kinda messy for accomodation.

do u know the exact location where i can find mamak foods? I heard its at somewhere in Sunnybank

i kinda think that indian food is all around aus at a cheap price, i duno about the real authentic mamak thing tho. but i could get a few here and there in brissy.

f*** man i want to go home to fix my knee and my parents are all wait and see, i want to go back~!

Try this link: http://www.unisa.edu.au/accommodation/stud...ccomm/apart.asp

Most of them are walking distance to UniSA city campuses. Hope it helps.

yeah long waiting list for on campus. I applied in nov, till now i'm not offered. >< lol. btw, hobart? =)

australian immigration is being sucky towards graduates now. this is freakin unfair.

Sunnybank is a place where you can find a lot of Asian Cuisine. It's about 10-15 minutes from the city.
Don't really have a mamak place to chill in Brisbane.
If you are looking for a yumcha session with your friend at night, you can go to chinatown (the valley) near the city. there's a restaurant open till 2am.