Packing, Customs, Phones, and more

What to pack

Remember to have all your important documents (academic and personal, including your prepared “accommodation” package!) and valuables in your carry-on bag. Pack an extra change of clothes (including shorts!) with you on the plane in case your baggage is lost or delayed.

Most of the items you need will be available in Australia, though the cost of some items may be more expensive. Remember to carefully check your airline’s baggage limits and the fees for excess luggage. Please note: baggage limits will usually be higher for international flights, but you may get stuck paying for additional luggage if you have to transfer to a domestic flight when in Australia, if you booked it separately.

Clothing
Pack clothing that you would usually wear in Canada, and some clothes to wear in professional settings or if there is a ball/formal event. Clothing (and running shoes!) can be expensive to buy in Australia, so keep this in mind! Make sure you are aware of the year-round temperatures of the city or town where you will live. You do not need winter clothing in Townsville, but it does get chilly down in Melbourne (and Sydney and Brisbane!), so bring a good fall jacket and sweaters. Australia is a huge country and there are significant differences in temperatures.

#OzTREKKTip: Check out the “City Guides” for weather and other tidbits!

Bedding
Students who plan to travel before or after their studies can pack a light sleeping bag or sheet.

Spare glasses and contact lenses
It is expensive to see an optician in Australia, and OSHC does not cover optical check-ups. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, take spares with you.

Electrical goods and adaptor plugs
Australia has 240-volt electricity. A three-pin plug is used and the pins are angled and different from our plugs in Canada. Do not bring electronics such as stereos, hair dryers, etc. They will not work in Australia and it’s easy to pick up an inexpensive hair dryer at Target in Australia! You can use North American electronics if you use an electrical adaptor. Check the labels, tags or manuals guides to see if they provide any wattage or adaptor information.

Laptops
If you bring a laptop from Canada and buy an electrical adaptor that will be dedicated to use with your laptop. Laptops are typically more expensive in Australia, so it’s a good idea to bring your own from Canada with a set of electrical adaptors. If you are a “Master’s by Research” student, you may wish to contact your advisor and/or the postgraduate students’ association at your Australian university to explore options for computer use as there may be facilities reserved specifically for research students.

Prescriptions
If you take prescription medication, speak with your specialist about obtaining a 6–12 month supply to bring with you to Australia. Not all specialists will agree to this. However, obtaining some prescriptions in Australia can be quite costly. Not all specialist fees are covered by OSHC (such as psychiatry), which means you may end up paying to have a prescription filled, as well as for the prescription itself. Contact your OSHC provider for a list of covered prescriptions and how much they cover per prescription.

Other personal items
You may also find it useful to bring things like sports gear (running shoes are expensive!), toiletries, and your other favourite personal items.

About Baggage and Security Checkpoints

You will probably be asked to take your shoes and sweater off, and you may be asked to unpack your bag. Be calm and carry on! Being organized, cooperative and polite is the best way to handle it, especially when going through American airports. Be prepared to have all your belongings run through the x-ray screening.

A carry-on
A magazine or two, a great book, your phone, headphones, spare clothes—keep it all handy. Also, keep your passport, your wallet etc. with you always.

Personal-care items
Airlines restrict the types of items you are permitted to take in your carry-on bag. All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 100 mL or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Some additional items may be prohibited. Be prepared to empty your carryon at checkpoints! We find that organizing your carry-on bag is very handy: you know where everything is stored and you won’t have to dig inside the bag to find something!

First, make sure to review the following information is from the Australian Customs Services website.

When you arrive in Australia
When you land, you will require the following documents for entry into the country:

• Passport
• Incoming Passenger Card (handed out by a flight attendant on the plane just before you land)

These documents will be returned to you after immigration processing. You may then collect your luggage and proceed to the baggage examination area.

Your Australian student visa is electronically attached to your passport. When your passport is scanned at customs, your visa information will be made available to the customs official as well.

Prescription medicines
Travellers taking regular medication should contact an Australian Border Force well before departure to confirm that the medicines and the quantities to be carried are permitted. It is also advisable to obtain a letter from your doctor describing the medication (and the generic names) that you are taking and certifying that it has been supplied to you on prescription for a particular medical condition. If you plan to bring prescription drugs into Australia, it is essential you understand the requirements.

#StudentTip: GPs don’t prescribe any sort of psychiatric meds (e.g., ADHD, depression, anxiety meds, etc.) You’ll need a referral for a specialist. This can take time (about 4 months) and out-of-pocket funds as OSHC doesn’t often cover specialist fees. So, before leaving home, speak with your specialist about providing 6–12 months of medication, and upon arrival in Australia, book an appointment with a GP right away to ensure you get in with a specialist in time to renew.

Duty-free goods allowance
To understand Australia’s duty free requirements, please visit their Duty Free page.

Goods brought into Australia may require you to pay duty and sales tax. Travellers are allowed to bring certain goods up to a defined limit duty-free. This includes alcohol, tobacco and personal goods (up to a $900 AUD allowance). Goods bought duty-free are included when determining your allowance. Personal goods owned prior and used for at least 12 months can also be brought into Australia without payment of duty and sales tax. Members of the same family who are travelling together may combine their individual duty-free allowances. Gifts (given to you or intended for others) are counted as part of the $900AUD duty-free allowance. If you have anything in excess of your duty-free goods allowance, declare the goods and provide proof of purchase to Customs for calculation of any duty and sales tax to be paid.

Once you have made it out of customs, you may want to get a phone/sim card. There will be tons of mobile phones providers ready to help you once you collect your bags and are leaving the airport. Some of the big mobile phone companies in Australia include Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin.

There are many contract plans and pre-paid options for you to choose from. If you are in Australia for 12 months or less, you may not be able to get a mobile phone plan. Many contracts are usually two years in length. If your phone is “unlocked” you will just need a new sim card with an Australian plan. You can also purchase a new phone in Australia, but make sure it will be compatible in North American when you return home if you plan on visiting home often.

In Australia, home and business telephone numbers are 8 digits in length. Mobile phones begin with “04” (e.g., 0418 315 968).

Numbers beginning with 1 800 are toll free (no charge). Calls to numbers beginning with 13 and consisting of only six digits, will be charged at the cost of a local call, no matter where you are calling from. This is often the case with numbers beginning 1 300; it depends on whom you are calling. Phone numbers that begin with 13 or 1 300 are usually larger businesses, like banks.

OzTREKK Tip! In Australia dial 000 for emergency from any phone for fire, police or ambulance services. You also can dial 112 from your mobile phone. Dialling 112 will override key locks on mobile phones.

Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road. While it is not difficult, it can take some getting used to, especially when making a right-hand turn! When driving— especially the first few times—take your time and pay extra attention and you’ll be fine!

If you plan on driving in Australia, here is a useful blog about how to do depending on the state you are in.

Unique Student Identifier (USI)

After you arrive in Australia, you’ll want to apply for your Unique Student Identifier (USI) number. This is number gives you an online record of your education and training undertaken within Australia.

So not only is a USI required for those who enroll at an Australian university program but also for those who enroll in any other nationally recognized training.

As an example, many of our students plan to work part-time in a bar or restaurant during their studies and will be required to undertake an Australian Responsible Service of Alcohol Certification program. These types of nationally recognized training programs will also be listed on your USI record.

Most important, having a USI is a requirement to graduate from a higher education program in Australia.

Visit the Australian Government’s Unique Student Identifier page for more information.