When the dollars start dry up, you may find yourself needing a bit of work to keep you going. The good news is that for most students, the process of getting a work visa and finding a job is quite straight forward.
If you were granted a Student Visa on or after April 26, 2008 you will already have Permission to Work automatically included with your visa. However if you were granted a Student Visa BEFORE April 26 and have not yet applied for Permission to Work after you have started your course in Australia.
For complete information on student working visas please visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) at the following website:
You will also need to arrange a Tax File Number (see below).
Unfortunately, Australians have to pay income tax.
You will too, but happily, you should be able to have much of your tax refunded at the end of the tax year (the Australian tax year ends on the 30th of June). In Australia, tax is subtracted from your pay automatically by your employer. You then claim the tax back from the Australian Taxation Office.
Tax in Australia is managed by the Australian Taxation Office (the ATO), and you will need to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN). Fortunately this is quite straight-forward, and information can be obtained from the ATO webpage at http://www.ato.gov.au/.
The Australian Tax return document is quite complicated, and each year the ATO produces a booklet aimed at simplifying the process. This booklet is generally available from May. As long as you earn less than a given amount (about AUD$6000) in the tax year, you should be able to claim back all the money that was taken out of your pay. There are many companies that specially deal with Tax Returns, and they can be found by searching under Tax Agents in the Yellow Pages (http://www.yellowpages.com.au/).
Once you are armed with your student visa and your tax file number you are ready to look for work!
Once you are in Australia, the last thing you want is to get crook (that's slang for 'sick'). Australia is full of new bacteria, allergens and elements that can possibly make you sick, so be sure to visit your doctor at home before you leave. They can give you advice on how best to prepare for the experience ahead.
If you are on regular medication be sure to bring a healthy supply with you to Australia, as equivalent medication may not be available. You will need a note from your doctor at home to show at Customs explaining the reason for you carrying the medication. For more information please visit the following website: http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm
Australia has an extensive health service, ranging from local doctors to sophisticated hospitals. Your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will cover you for most of the medical expenses that you incur - see http://www.oshcworldcare.com.au for more information on what OSHC does and does not cover.
Macquarie University has a doctor on campus, and there is another doctors surgery located at Macquarie Centre across the road from the university. If there is a medical emergency, you should call 000 and request an ambulance. Macquarie International should also be notified by calling the emergency numbers you will be provided with at Orientation.
More information is available from the Health and Safety section of this webpage.
Once you arrive in Australia there are places you want to go that require identification. The only universally accepted piece of identification is your passport, however, some places may also accept a photo-ID, such as an overseas drivers license, if it is printed in English. If you are desperate to go somewhere that requires identification, bring your passport.
It is not possible to obtain Australian identification unless you know somebody who has known you for at least a year and is able to sign your ID application form. Applications for identification can be made through the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), who have a branch at Macquarie Centre. For more information please visit the following website: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/
Macquarie University recommends that you do not drive a vehicle or motor cycle whilst in Australia. Should you choose to do so, you may require an International Driver's License that is only available in your home country. Check with the Motoring Association of your home country.