Coming to Murdoch from overseas? From accepting your offer through to booking your free airport pick-up, here's everything you need to know about preparing for your journey to Perth.
Accept your offerThe first step in preparing for your journey to Perth is to accept your Murdoch University offer.
If your application to study at Murdoch is successful, you will receive a Confirmation of Offer letter by email. To accept your offer, you're required to email a number of important documents to accept.international@murdoch.edu.au.
For more information on this process, check out our blog on how to accept your offer.
Organise your passport
Make sure your passport is up to date and will remain valid for the duration of your studies.
If you need to get a new passport, it's important you do this as soon as possible. Not only is a valid passport required for your visa application, it is a requirement to study in Australia. With wait times usually around 6+ weeks for most countries, organising it quickly will ensure that you're able to begin your studies on time.
Purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Every international student needs to have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) as part of their student visa requirements. Therefore, unless your country has an insurance arrangement in place with Australia, you'll need to purchase OSHC for yourself and members of your family to be covered for the duration of your student visa.
If you paid for your OSHC as part of your acceptance to Murdoch, be on the lookout for an email from our OSHC provider Allianz Care Australia, providing you with your policy details. If you didn't request for Murdoch to arrange your OSHC, you'll need to arrange this yourself before lodging your student visa application.
While you do not need to specifically purchase Allianz Global Assistance, it's important that you purchase premium health care insurance, especially if you're pregnant or planning on having a child in Australia.
Having a baby in Australia can be expensive – especially if you’re not covered by Australia’s publicly funded health care system, Medicare. Purchasing insurance through a leading provider like Allianz ensures you're covered for any pregnancy-related services. For more information, visit the Allianz Care Australia website.
Organise your student visa
A student visa is required to study in Australia and you can apply though the Department of Home Affairs. If you applied through an agent, they will assist you with that you need to provide for the visa process.
As an international student, you're required to obtain valid visa in order to study in Australia. You can apply for your student visa by either visiting The Department of Home Affairs website, or with the assistance of your agent if you applied through one.
Sort your finances
It’s important to understand how course fees work, as well as any additional fees and costs you can expect to pay as part of your studies. Your Confirmation of Offer letter includes indicative tuition fees, Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) quote.
Other study-related expenses may include parking fees, textbooks, study materials, field trips, laboratory equipment, printing costs, and costs for any checks, clearances or vaccinations required for your course, especially if you're studying nursing or education.
Murdoch recommends you come with AUD $500 in cash, and AUD $3,000 in a bank account that you can easily access in Australia. This is to ensure you have access to enough funds for initial set up costs, including accommodation, transport, basic handhold items, and food.
Murdoch also recommends you consider having a personal laptop to use during your studies, in addition to the free computers you're able to access at the University. If you don't already have a laptop, you should budget at least AUD $500 to buy one when you arrive.
Having an Australian bank account is essential to living in Australia and will make your initial transition much easier. Learn more about applying for an Australian bank account before you leave your home country.
For more information on cost of living once you're settled in Australia, including what we recommend for a weekly budget, check out our blog.
Find a place to live
Murdoch recommends that you arrange temporary or long-term accommodation before you arrive in Perth.
Choose between a number of accommodation options including our on-campus student accommodation, The Village, shared or independent accommodation through the Murdoch Guild, or living with an Australian family.
If you're planning on having your family join you in Australia, we recommend they arrive once you've settled in and found suitable accommodation.
Organise schooling for your children
If you're moving to Perth with school-aged children, you'll need to arrange for them to attend school.
If you're studying an undergraduate, graduate diploma or graduate certificate course, your child will need to be enrolled as a full-fee paying overseas student for the duration of your visa. You'll need a Confirmation of Placement from TAFE International to secure your child’s dependent visa before you arrive.
If you're studying a master or PhD, your child can access government schooling at the same fee levels applied to local, Australian students. To get help with placing your child, contact studentsupport@murdoch.edu.au.
For more information, including application instructions, visit the TAFE International website.
You're ready to go
It's time to book your flights to Perth.
The Murdoch Guild offers a free airport pick-up service that transports new international students safely to their accommodation in Perth. This pick-up service runs all year round. To secure your pick-up, book online.
Make sure your flight is scheduled to arrive before Orientation Week, where you'll receive enrolment assistance, sign up for classes, get your student ID card, organise your public transport concession card, and meet new friends. Attendance of Orientation Week is compulsory for all new international students.
We look forward to welcoming you into the Murdoch community.
