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 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.

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 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 my 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 banks in Australia, generally they are more focused on business banking, not consumer needs.

The best way is to open a Australian bank account. To open a bank account, you 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.

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.

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/

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 you bank!) The trick to have proper financial planning, and not wait till you are down to you last $100 before pleading for money.

TT and draft exchange rates differ between banks. It pays to shop around to get the best rates. 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)

3. Tax File Number (TFN)
To work in Australia, one needs a Tax file number. It is also a good idea to give the TFN to your bank to ensure you are not over-taxed (up to 40%) on your interest earned. Easiest way to apply for one is through the ATO’s website: http://ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?...fp=001&st=&cy=1

If you do start working, it is your duty to give your employer your TFN so they know the right amount of tax to pay.

4. Paying your fees
Before you can start your course, you need to pay you 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.
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, 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.
Moving up: Telecommunications in Australia

Mobile phones are widely used in Australia. GSM and 3G networks are mature and generally have decent coverage in urban areas. The few mobile service providers are
• Telstra
• Optus
• Virgin Mobile (part of Optus)
• Three (only has a 3G/HSDPA network)
• Vodafone

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 265 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 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.

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


Moving up: Internet in Australia

Internet Broadband is a must for us this days especially dealing with assignments and notes from course. For basic broadband line; it requires a landline to able to connect to the internet. There is 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

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.