From Eh to Oz
The University of Notre Dame Australia has main campuses in Fremantle and Broome in Western Australia, and in the heart of Sydney in New South Wales.
On the University of Notre Dame Australia section of the Boarding Pass, you’ll find everything you need to know about getting ready to go to Notre Dame, including how to accept your offer and accommodation tips.
Hey, med students! If you’re heading into Notre Dame’s medical degree, you’ll know that there are two programs available, one at the Fremantle, WA campus and one at the Sydney (Darlinghurst), NSW campus. Please keep your campus in mind when reviewing predeparture information, especially accommodation details. We don’t want you booking accommodation in the wrong location!
Get a taste for Fremantle by following @ndstudentlife_freo and Sydney @ndstudentlife_syd!
Accepting Your Offer
Congratulations on receiving your offer!
Here are some important tips to ensure your acceptance process is as easy and smooth as possible.
Important Information
Congratulations once again on receiving your offer!
Please take time to read your offer email and letter of offer carefully and make sure all the information is correct.
Acceptance deadline/offer lapse date: Make sure to complete your acceptance process prior to this date. If your offer letter doesn’t have a lapse date, we have provided a date for you in your offer email. This date will give you enough time to submit your acceptance documents, receive your Confirmation of Enrolment, apply for and obtain your student visa, kiss your family and friends goodbye at the airport, and hop on a plane bound for Australia!
Check your name: (As on your passport), birth date, and student (applicant) ID number, campus location
Commencement and completion dates: Plan to arrive in Australia at least two weeks prior to your class start date.
Acceptance deposit amount: Your offer letter gives you the deposit amount required to hold your place.
Tuition fees: Your offer letter will list the total tuition fees.
University’s tuition fee policy: Please note that Notre Dame reviews all fees annually and these fees are subject to change without notice. It is important to factor this into your financial plan.
Understand Notre Dame’s refund policy.
Australian Release Policy: It is important to be aware of the Australian Release Policy. If you are considering transferring to another Australian institution, you must be aware that if you apply for a visa, you will be unable to change institutions. You should not apply for a visa unless you are certain you want to attend that university. Please read the Australian Government’s Release Policy for more information. Let us know if you have any questions!
Specific admissions requirements/conditions (if applicable), including includes vaccination info and certificate requirements.
Declining Your Offer?
In case you choose to decline your offer, please let us know as soon as possible. Let us know by emailing your OzTREKK admissions officer outlining your decision and reason for declining your offer. We will then advise the university on your behalf. This is important because it can potentially open a spot for another student!
How to Accept
Step 1 – Read Your Entire Offer Letter
Ensure that you have read and understood your Acceptance Form for International Students as well as all documents included in your offer email.
Step 2 – Respond to Offer
Complete and hand-sign a copy of the acceptance form.
Step 3 – Pay Acceptance Deposit
Payments must be made through Notre Dame’s payment website by credit card or telegraphic/wire transfer using the details provided in your offer letter. Save a copy of your payment receipt.
Step 4 – Email Acceptance Documents to OzTREKK
Email us a copy of your completed Acceptance Form for International Students and payment receipt. OzTREKK must submit these documents as part of your acceptance to the university.
Step 5 – Receive Your CoE
When your acceptance and payment are processed, the university will create your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). OzTREKK will email your CoE and instructions on how to apply for your Australian student visa.
Payment Methods
Payments must be made through Notre Dame’s payment website by credit card or wire transfer.
#OzTREKKTip: Do not pay by bank draft or cheque.
If you plan to pay your acceptance deposit via credit card, contact the credit card company and advise them that a large payment will soon be processed in Australia in Australian dollars, as it may be deemed a possible fraud attempt.
Accommodation
Before you get into the nitty gritty about your university-specific accommodation options, it’s important to review the basics of securing long-term accommodation in Australia, which is often the number one predeparture priority of OzTREKK students. If you aren’t living on campus or pre-arranging accommodation before you leave Canada, we highly recommend that you understand how renting a property in Oz works, so you’ll be prepared to hunt for a place to live when you arrive. There are many benefits in arranging housing after you arrive. You can
- physically inspect the property before accepting the terms and conditions of the lease;
- decide whether you will be comfortable in your new neighbourhood;
- assess the noise levels, both by day and night. Remember, you need to be able to sleep and study in your new home;
- check whether it is well-lit at night.
This process still requires preparation. Consider the following when thinking about accommodation options:
- Ensure you have temporary accommodation arranged.
- Be prepared financially for the time you may need to spend in temporary accommodation.
- Make housing your first priority.
- Avoid rushing your house hunting. Feeling rushed can hinder your ability to make wise choices.
- Be informed. Before you arrive, read as much as you can about the various housing options and how to arrange them. Then you can get straight into house hunting after you arrive, rather than trying to figure out where to go and what to do.
Things to Consider When Comparing Options
Location
Take a look at Google Maps when comparing accommodation options!
Amenities
Kitchen, meal plan, gym, A/C, etc.
Cost/price range
This will be dependent on the location and amenities. Typically, the closer to campus and the most amenities offered the higher the price.
Short-term Accommodation
Sydney
Sancta Sophia College offers short-term accommodation for guests in their Graduate House building throughout the year. Located in Sydney’s Camperdown suburb (closest to the University of Sydney), you’re looking at a 30-minute commute via public transportation to Notre Dame’s Darlinghurst Campus or a 20-minute walk to the Broadway Campus.
Fremantle
If you are interested in exploring other options for temporary accommodation, you can visit the following websites for hotel and backpacker information:
On Campus
Sydney Campus
The University of Notre Dame Australia does not offer on-campus accommodation in Sydney. Options for student accommodation close to the Sydney campus include rooms in residential colleges, shared student apartments, and private rentals.
Check UNDA’s off-campus accommodation options for some privately managed student accommodation options near campus.
Fremantle Campus
Port Lodge Student Residence is right in the heart of “Freo,” the main port city of Western Australia. Rooms offered are single or twin shared. Rooms are allocated by Notre Dame, so specific rooms can’t be requested. For more information, visit the university’s Accommodation website.
Off Campus Managed
These residences are privately owned and run independently from the university. There will usually be students from several different universities staying in the apartments. The apartments come in a variety of styles including a studio, one bedroom, and two bedrooms and are usually fully furnished.
For more information, please visit the University of Notre Dame’s Accommodation website.
The following managed accommodation options can be booked at any time and should be reserved well in advance of your commencement.
Sydney
- Iglu
- Sweet Potato Living
- Unilodge
- Link2 Student Living
- Unilodgers
- Arundel House (for female students)
- The Women’s College
- St Paul’s College and Graduate House
- Sancta Sophia College and Graduate House: Doctor of Medicine students at Notre Dame are guaranteed a place at Sancta’s Graduate House, if they submit an application to Sancta by November 30, 2024. Applications are online via the Sancta Portal. Please enter referral code NDMED2025. You can also contact Director of Community Engagement Hayden Edwards if you have any questions about this accommodation option: development@sancta.edu.au.
Find more information about managed accommodation options for the university’s Sydney locations on their Accommodation website.
Fremantle
- Campus Perth
- Yogu Perth City
- The Switch
- St Catherine’s College
- St George’s College
- St Thomas More College
- Trinity Residential College
- Murdoch University Village
Find more information about managed accommodation options for the university’s Fremantle locations on their Fremantle Accommodation website.
Private Rentals
This is the most popular option for students from Canada studying at Australian universities. Most Australian universities provide an off-campus database of rental properties available.
Students from Canada who are studying at the University of Notre Dame Australia, rent houses or apartments and often share these with other students.
To find off-campus accommodation providers, rental tips, property advice, etc., visit
Look for a Place and a Roommate
- Student Sharehousing Australia
- Have a look at student.com and type in your city!
- Flatmates
- Gumtree
The ‘burbs
One of the key components of your research will be to get a feel for the city/town in which you will reside. Public transportation options are key to understanding where you could live based on where your university is located and which bus/train/tram/ferry travels to and from campus. Spend some time reviewing the city maps, become familiar with potential suburbs in which you could reside, and visit Australian public transportation sites.
Suburbs close to Fremantle Campus
Walking distance – Fremantle
Bus/train 5–10 minutes – East/South/North Fremantle
Bus/train 10–20 minutes – Mosman Park, Swanbourne , White Gum Valley , Hilton , Beaconsfield, Peppermint Grove and Cottesloe
Bus/train 20–30 minutes – Claremont, Spearwood, Hamilton Hill, Nedlands, Dalkeith, Bicton, Melville, Palmyra, Subiaco and Kardinya
Bus/train 30 min+ – Murdoch, Leederville, Perth, South Perth, Victoria Park, Mt. Lawley, Como, Applecross and West Leederville
Check out Studyperth.com.au for some great resources about the Perth lifestyle.
Suburbs close to the Broadway Campus
Walking distance – Chippendale and Ultimo
Bus/train 5–10 minutes – Camperdown and Haymarket
Bus/train 10–20 minutes – Annandale, Darlington, Enmore, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Leichhardt, Newtown, Pyrmont, Redfern, Stanmore and Surry Hills
Bus/train 20–30 minutes – Alexandria, Darlinghurst, Dulwich Hill, Lewisham, Lilyfield, Marrickville, Paddington, Petersham, Rozelle, Summer Hill, Sydney, Waterloo and Zetland
Suburbs close to the Darlinghurst Campus
Walking distance – Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and Woolloomooloo
Bus/train 5–10 minutes – Paddington
Get Around Town
Sydney
Sydney offers many transport options including buses, trains, ferries, and light rail trams. Notre Dame’s Broadway Campus is located within a 10-minute walk from Central Station. Suburbs surrounding the city center are mostly facilitated by buses and trains, while inner city routes are served by blue and white government-operated Sydney buses.
The Opal card (Transport NSW’s smartcard ticketing system) can be used on trains, buses, and ferries; however, you can also use a bank card to tap on and off transport.
See OzTREKK’s Sydney City Guide
Fremantle
With the Fremantle train station located within a 5 minute walk from campus and with regular running schedules around the city, Transperth (Perth’s train and bus system) is the most common way for students to get around.
Students can obtain a SmartRider card which is valid for use on trains, buses and ferries. Fremantle and Perth both have a free Central Area Transit (CAT) bus service. This bus service operates within these two areas at no cost, usually every 15 minutes. Many students who live within the Fremantle area ride their bikes or walk to the university.
See OzTREKK’s Fremantle City Guide
Airport Pick-ups
You’ve arrived at the airport! What happens now?
Australian Customs and Border Protection officers will check you and your luggage when you arrive. When you’ve cleared customs, you’ll be looking for a way to get to your accommodation!
The University of Notre Dame Australia offers airport pickup services from both the Perth and Sydney international airports.
To book your shuttle, fill out the form with your arrival details:
- Fill out the form, preferably 7 days before your flight.
- Follow the instructions on your confirmation email.
See also the Perth Airport Welcome Service website.
Advice from OzTREKK Students
Each year we send a survey to the students in their first year of studying in Australia, then we compile the info.
Read our University of Notre Dame Australia Students’ Advice to get all the insider tips (copied directly from the survey!) for a smooth transition to studying at Notre Dame.
- University
- Program
- Adjustment to living in Australia
- Accommodation (Where? How much? How long did it take to find?)
- Work outside the classroom
