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Updated on February 8, 2010
GUIDELINES FOR INDIAN STUDENTS WISHING TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA
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Australia has, in recent years, become one of the preferred destinations of Indian students for pursuing higher studies, and even more so for gaining vocational skills.
Given the growing number of Indian students coming to Australia to study, a set of guidelines has been drawn up with the purpose of making Indian students (and their parents and families) aware of what is involved in coming to Australia on a student visa.
Students (and their parents and families) are advised to go carefully through this advisory
FACTORS YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF
SAFETY
There have been incidents of robbery and assault on Indian students in Australia, particularly in Melbourne, which has seen an increasing trend in street violence in recent years, with the offenders being mainly young people in their teens and early 20s. While Australia is by and large free of crime, there are, as everywhere else in the world, certain criminal elements, especially in urban areas. In Melbourne especially, casual violence on the streets is on the increase.
THE HON’BLE SUPREME COURT’S DIRECTIONS REGARDING ATTACKS ON INDIAN STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA
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The most recent incident of this kind has been the fatal stabbing of a young Indian, aged 21 years old, in Melbourne on 2 January, as he was walking to his place of work late at night from a train station through a public park.
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY ON STUDENTS STUDYING IN AUSTRALIA : 04.JANUARY 2010
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These incidents are continuing to occur despite efforts by the local police to step up anti-crime measures, and are occurring all over Melbourne without any discernable pattern or rationale behind them. Increasingly also, the acts of violence, are often accompanied by verbal abuse, fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Australia overall is a multicultural society that welcomes people from other cultures, countries and backgrounds. While the majority of Indian students studying in Australia, especially those enrolled in Universities and reputable institutions, have a positive experience of living and studying in Australia, the number of incidents of assault as well as of robbery has been on the rise in recent months, which has affected not only Indian students but also members of the larger Indian community in Australia. There have been racist elements in some of these incidents.
CLOSURE OF SOME PRIVATE COLLEGES IN AUSTRALIA
There have also been problems encountered in recent months by students studying in privately run colleges, owing to the existence of several sub-standard institutions which do not meet the standards set by the Australian Federal and State governments. These sub-standard institutions exploit international students in a variety of ways. Students who enroll in such sub-standard institutions do not have a happy experience in Australia. The number of such institutions and the problems created for their students has increased in the recent past.
Owing to this problem, 41 privately run educational colleges are currently being audited by the State Government in the State of Victoria. Further, the Federal government has mandated that all education providers and institutions need to re-register by 31 December 2010 so that the government can ensure that they meet the mandated safety standards. The government is also tightening visa regulations and reducing the intake of Indian students which is adversely affecting the finances of many such institutions, and putting them in a position where they may be forced to declare bankruptcy.
As a result, over 25 colleges have closed down in the last few months, most of them in the States of Victoria and New South Wales and many more are expected to follow suit. Till such time as this process is over, it may therefore be worthwhile to consider studying only the higher end institutions and the government-run TAFEs which offer vocational and skill-specific training. If you are looking at a privately run institution, make sure you check out every aspect of the institution, from its finances to its management, as also whatever is said about it in forums run by DEEWR, local regulatory authorities and ACPET (Association for Private Education Providers).
Thus, over the next few months, there is a strong possibility of such institutes being closed down by the authorities. While the Australian government does its best to ensure that students affected by such closures are re-enrolled in suitable alternative courses, there will be a certain amount of dislocation for which you will have to be mentally prepared. You should also be aware of your rights as an international student in Australia as also whom to approach if things go wrong.
Many students come to Australia with the aim of obtaining vocational education and also with the primary goal of becoming permanent residents here. Such students are exploited by agents in India who present a false picture of what life is like in Australia and by unscrupulous educational institutions which are working in collaboration with some education & immigration agents.
Because of incorrect information received from agents or other sources, it has been seen that many students come to Australia without the required financial resources or support, in the hope of earning enough through part time work to either pay their fees or send money back home. All students wishing to study in Australia must note that it is NOT possible for a student to earn enough to either pay tuition fees or meet all expenses.
The minimum wage can vary from A$ 10.00 to A$ 15.00 per hour; unscrupulous employers are known to pay much less, especially to students and sometimes as little as A$ 3.00 to A$ 5.00 an hour. There are also cases where students, especially those enrolled in courses like hospitality or hairdressing, are working without being paid under the pretext of accumulating ' work experience'.
Students are legally permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours a week while the course is in session (excluding any work undertaken as a registered component of your course of study or training). However, there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a suitable job. Further, working more than the prescribed hours may result in your student visa being cancelled.
There is also an acute shortage of suitable accommodation as also other shortcomings in the social support network for international students in many of the large cities in Australia and especially in Melbourne. Thus, after arriving here, many students find that they cannot make ends meet and that they have to stay in very low rent areas which often are also high crime areas with very poor facilities. They share their space with others to try and save on rentals; this often leads to over-crowding and often unhygienic and depressing living conditions. These areas are also far away from the institutions where they are enrolled.
In addition, in order to make ends meet, many students are forced to take low-paying jobs which involve working late night shifts, thus forcing them to travel on the public transport system at odd hours. For example, in Melbourne, it is well known that it is not safe to travel late at night on suburban train lines but a lot of our students do exactly that because their jobs involve working late. These students are particularly vulnerable to attacks and robberies because of the circumstances in which they are living.
There is perhaps a general perception by students looking to study abroad that life overseas in developed countries must be better than life in India. However, life overseas has its own problems - loneliness, being cut off from family, friends and your own culture in a strange land with different customs and manners. For instance, an overburdened health and social support system does make a person who goes in to the Emergency area of a public hospital, wait for hours before he gets treated and so on, unless there is an immediate life-threatening situation.
All these factors can combine at times to make life difficult for students. There have been several instances of students suffering from depression, as also instances of students taking their own lives.
Owing to all these factors, it is essential that students wishing to come to Australia do as much research as possible to try and ensure a wise choice of institution as also to try and understand as clearly as possible the kind of life that awaits them here, so that they enjoy a positive experience of studying and living in Australia, as indeed most Indian students do.
Students (and their families) are advised to carefully go through the guidelines given below, which are intended to make them aware of what they need to know before coming to study in Australia.
BEFORE ARRIVING IN AUSTRALIA
- Students wishing to study in Australia are advised to be fully informed of all the actual costs involved in studying in Australia, as also of the relevant rules and regulations governing work, housing and other aspects of living in Australia.
- Before committing yourself to studying in Australia, do your research.
- Find the course which is right for you (see the "Resources" section).
- Make sure that the institution offering the course has a good reputation, especially if it is a privately-run institution. You can do this by:-
- Checking that the institution and the course that you plan to take, is properly registered with the Australian government, which you can do at http://cricos.deewr.gov.au
- Carefully reading the website of the institution, which should provide all the information you need to make an informed decision, such as a description of the course offered, the environment, the teaching methods, facilities, minimum English language proficiency, etc.
- Checking with the Education Officer in the Australian High Commission in New Delhi or the Consulates in Mumbai and Chennai
- Checking with friends or others whom you may know who are studying or have studied in Australia.
- Do not believe what the recruiting agent tells you, especially with regard to promises that you will be able to earn enough in Australia while still a student to meet all your expenses and also send money back to India - this simply is not true. Students are allowed to work only 20 hours a week, and most jobs that are available for students pay only minimum wages or sometimes even less than the minimum. Getting a job in Australia even after you have passed your studies is not easy. Even getting permanent residency (PR) is becoming increasingly difficult.
- Make sure you cross-check what an agent tells you with the website of the concerned institution and with the various sources of information listed in the "Resources" section.
- Please also write down all the promises made by the agent and get him to sign the list; this would be required in case of any dispute, and also is a confirmation that the agent is not taking you for a ride but is willing to stand by what he is offering.
- Make sure that you have adequate finances to cover the cost of living as well as your education costs. It is estimated that you would need a minimum of A$1200 a month to cover basic living costs on accommodation, transport and food. Remember that no matter what the agent or anyone else tells you, it is very difficult to earn enough to meet all your expenses including tuition fees.
- The minimum wage can vary from A$ 10.00 to A$ 15.00 per hour; unscrupulous employers are known to pay much less, especially to students. We are aware of cases where students work for as little as A$ 3.00 per hour. There are also cases where students, especially those enrolled in courses like hospitality or hairdressing, are working without being paid under the pretext of accumulating 'work experience'.You are legally permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours a week while the course is in session (excluding any work undertaken as a registered component of your course of study or training); there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a suitable job. Further, working more than the prescribed hours may result in your visa being cancelled. (For more details on living in Australia, see "Resources" section ).
- Also make sure that you have a written agreement from the institution before paying any fees; this will be essential if there is any dispute.
- The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 and its associated legislative instruments, available at the following link, http://aei.gov.au/AEI/ESOS/QuickInfo/ESOS_FrameWork_pdf.pdf, provides the Australian regulatory framework that governs the delivery of education and training services to foreign students in Australia.
- Students are advised to visit the above websites to familiarise themselves with:-
- your legal rights as a student and all the relevant rules and regulations that apply to you;
- the standards prescribed for registered providers (university/college etc.) and education agents, so that you can check with the university/college as well as the education agents about the compliance of these standards and requirements, including student support services, including critical incident policy and complaints and appeals processes; and
- the relevant immigration rules and regulations that will govern your life as a student in Australia and those rules that will apply to you if you choose to stay on in this country after finishing your studies.
- Before proceeding to Australia, you should make sure that you have adequate medical insurance covering both medical purposes and accidents, from a reputed insurance company. (see "Resources" section for more information on OSHC - Overseas Student Health Cover). Â Further, after arrival and stay in Australia, you should ensure that your insurance is renewed on a regular basis.
- You may also consider insuring any valuables or expensive electronic items that you may possess.
- Please remember that all luggage is x-rayed or screened on arrival. You must declare all food, plant material and animal products for quarantine inspection. If you fail to declare or dispose of any quarantine items or make false declarations you will be caught. You could be fined A$ 220 on-the-spot; or you could be prosecuted and fined more than A$ 60,000 and risk 10 years in jail. You will not be penalised if goods are declared. For more details about the list of goods that need to be declared and which ones are prohibited from entry into Australia, visit www.aqis.gov.au .
AFTER YOU ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA - SETTLING DOWN
- On arrival, you should convey by means of an e-mail or a letter, to the High Commission/Consulate, your contact details, including name and address, the name of the university/ educational institution you are studying in, details of the course you are joining, and the duration of your intended stay in Australia.
- After completing enrolment formalities, familiarise yourself with the student services offered by the institution that you have joined, such as counselling services, help in finding suitable accommodation and jobs, assistance in improving your English etc.
- Check out the various banks on campus and see what they offer before opening an account. Please do not keep large amounts of cash at home or on your person.
- Check out different plans before buying a mobile phone. Remember to use phone cards for international calls.
- Whatever accommodation you choose, remember it is your responsibility to maintain it and keep it clean. If you are sharing accommodation, discuss how domestic chores would be shared before committing yourself.
- Also familiarise yourself with the educational aids available to you, especially the library and online resources, keeping in mind your course structure and the evaluation methods that apply to you.
- You have many rights as a student in Australia. Learn about your rights as a student and the procedures that you should follow to exercise these rights.
- For more information on accommodation, transport and the various government services that students can avail of, see "Resources" section.
- You should obtain, from the university authorities, details about the security situation in and around your university and place of stay. You should also get to know the local policing arrangements through the concerned authorities in the university.
- In your University/place of study, it would be useful for you to keep in touch not only with other Indian students but also with Australian and other international students.
- Any and all complaints should be brought to the attention of appropriate authorities; at no stage, should you take or attempt to take the law into your own hands; breaking the law will invite strict legal and police action, which could include deportation.
- Remember that you are representing India in Australia. Behave appropriately at all times.
- There are a large number of Indian Associations in Australia. After coming to Australia, you may feel lonely and alienated. Please keep in touch with the High Commission/Consulates which can put you in contact with the local Indian Associations and the Indian community so that you feel at home. You should also get to know the local Indian associations and keep in touch with them. (see "Resources" section below). The Indian Associations are there to help the Indian community in Australia, including students. They have many cultural functions where you could participate and get to know other members of the community, including older Indians who are willing and ready to mentor you and offer useful tips and advice.
Living safely in Australia
- Keep important documents and money in a safe place.
- Make sure you keep photocopies of relevant pages in your passport and other important documents in a separate place.
- Try not to travel alone late at night. If you are travelling alone, make sure that you have checked out your route carefully and try and keep to well-lit, populated areas as far as possible.
- Make sure that someone knows where you are going and at what time you are expected to return.
- Don't carry more cash with you than what is required.
- When you are traveling alone or late at night, it is advised do not make it obvious that you are in possession of expensive items, such as mobile phones, ipods or laptops.
- Always carry with you some identification as well as details of who should be contacted in an emergency.
- If in danger, dial 000 to get police help. Check out the other hotline numbers in the "Resource Section" below.
- In case you have a complaint, get in touch with the officer responsible for students welfare in the High Commission or the Consulate nearest to you, at the contact details given in "Resources" section.
- If you have a genuine problem, do not hesitate to approach the police or other authorities; making a complaint will not affect your visa status.
UNIVERSAL RULES OF BEHAVIOUR WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
Always remember that you are an Indian and that your behavior will determine the image of India and Indians registered by those people who interact with you. Obviously, none of you would wish to project a negative image of India and Indians. Therefore, it is important to always remember and abide by the following basic rules of behavior which all of you already know but which are worth emphasizing:-
- An aspect of your behavior to which you should pay special attention is not invading another person's privacy or personal space. Maintain some distance from the person you are talking to (at least an arms' length).
- Do not push or shove in crowds.
- Don't ever break a queue - this is very important!
- Do not stare openly at passers-by.
- Don't talk so loudly that other people are disturbed.
- Don't ask personal questions of strangers.
- Please show respect for all, irrespective of age, gender, dress or appearance.
- Be polite. Greet people with a smile and a hello or good-day or how are you; respond when other greet you the same way.
- Please always use 'Please' and 'Thank you' - these words will serve you well.
- Please respect other's time and be punctual; if you are running late or cannot make an appointment, please ensure that you inform the person you are going to meet, well in time.
- Remember that certain aspects of Australian culture are different from your own. Do not make any judgements about people based on the fact that they speak, dress or behave differently from you.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE
- For many of you, this may perhaps be the first time that you are away from home and in a foreign country, enjoying your first taste of independence. Please do remember, however, that in Australia you are an adult, if you are over 18 years of age, which you will be treated as an adult and held responsible for your actions and consequences.
- Remember that as a student studying in Australia, you have an opportunity to learn about Australia and other cultures. Spend time with other students from other countries and with Australian students. This is the best way of not feeling isolated and will considerably enrich your experience of studying in a foreign country.
- Remember, when learning about Australian and other cultures that some people you meet may not know much about Indian culture. You should be ready to communicate with the persons you meet, about where are you from and your culture; also for e.g. which foods you can or cannot eat or any other cultural needs, stating quite clearly the reasons behind them.
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