Support for international students
Find out about the support available to you as an international student, including accommodation, study, career, health and emergency.
Starting your studies at an Australian university can be a daunting experience – but don't worry! At Swinburne, we have support services available, including an International Student Advisory and Support team who can help you settle into the university life in Australia.
Chat with a current international student at Swinburne
Choosing to study overseas is a big decision. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone who has first-hand experience.
Chat to one (or many!) of our current international students about what it’s really like studying at Swinburne and living in Melbourne.
Need emergency assistance?
If you need police, ambulance or fire services, please call 000.
If you’re an international student needing urgent assistance, or in a non-life-threatening emergency, please call the International Student Advisory & Support team on +61 3 9214 6741.
What do International Student Advisors do?
International Student Advisors (ISAs) can help with big and small questions you might have – from adjusting to study at university to navigating through life in Melbourne. Including 24/7 critical incident, urgent and emergency support. They can also refer you to other personal and specialist services when you need it.
Make an appointment with an International Student Advisor
Business hours
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
Room AMDC106, AMDC Building, Hawthorn campus
isa@swinburne.edu.au
+61 3 9214 6741
For urgent support outside business hours
+61 3 9214 6741 (24 hours)
For Australia Awards and Endeavour students
ausawards@swinburne.edu.au
For students under 18 years of age
U18request@swinburne.edu.au
Virtual appointments are available when in-person appointments cannot be accommodated. The ISA will contact you to confirm the time for your virtual appointment.
At Swinburne, we have several on-campus accommodation options for students, including private and shared rooms.
We also have an Accommodation Advisor for international students who can:
- help through the process of finding a place to stay
- advise on lease issues.
If you need help, please email Sam Tsering (Accommodation Advisor) at accommodation@swinburne.edu.au.
As a Swinburne student, you can access specific support services and tailored workshops for international students to improve your employability, including access to the SwinEmploy database.
For more information, please email Olivia Doyle (International Career Advisor) at odoyle@swinburne.edu.au.
Want to improve your English speaking skills and meet new people? Join our English conversation group run by Learning and Academic Skills (LAS).
Convened by an English language teacher, these free sessions are a great opportunity for international students to improve fluency and confidence!
Melbourne is a city with low crime and Swinburne campuses are safe places. However, it is still important to know what to do if anything goes wrong.
Within Swinburne
| Your situation | Who to contact | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| You need security services on campus (e.g. to walk you to the train station) |
Swinburne Security |
(or 3333 on any Swinburne phone) |
Any urgent or emergency assistance (e.g. hospitalised, accident) At the time, or affecting your attendance for study You're in an emergency, but your life is not in danger |
International Student Advisory and Support team | +61 3 9214 6741 (24 hours year round) |
| You feel anxious or stressed (outside of business hours) | Swinburne Crisis Line |
0488 884 145 (SMS only) |
| You want to report inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour | Safer Community | safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au |
Outside Swinburne
| Your situation | Number |
|---|---|
You need police, ambulance or fire service (e.g. in an emergency when someone's life is in danger) |
|
You need non-urgent police assistance |
131 444 |
Emergencies in your home country
If you are directly impacted by or concerned about an emergency in your home country, please register your details with the International Student Advisory and Support team.
Email your student ID number and phone number to isa@swinburne.edu.au with the emergency name in the subject line (e.g. Paris terrorist attack, Nepal earthquake). For urgent support outside business hours, please call +61 3 9214 6741.
We can provide advice to help manage the situation or access to a private space with a telephone, so you can contact your loved ones in your home country. If you need to return home urgently, we can assist with your study obligations accordingly.
If you’d like help to work out a budget or want some financial advice, speak with one of our International Student Advisors who can put you in touch with the right experts.
| Your situation | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| You're in an emergency (e.g. need an ambulance) |
000 (or go to a hospital's emergency department) |
| You're hospitalised | International Student Advisory and Support team +61 3 9214 6741 (24 hours) |
| You need non-emergency health support in Victoria | Department of Health's Nurse-On-Call 1300 60 60 24 (24 hours) |
| You need to see a doctor, nurse, counsellor, psychiatrist or physiotherapist | Wellbeing at Swinburne |
| You have Medibank Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) | Medibank Student Health and Support Line 1800 887 283 (24 hours) |
International Student Resource Guide
You can meet the International Student Advisory and Support team via the International Student Resource Guide – a personalised space in Canvas, our online learning management system.
Important guide for life and study in Melbourne
It includes key information about safety and wellbeing services, as well as 24-hour support for international students living and studying in Melbourne.
You have access to this guide throughout your studies, so you can return to it anytime.
The modules highly recommended as pre-departure reading include:
Module 1 – Before you leave home checklist and letter to self
A checklist to help you prepare prior to leaving your home country. And, as we are living through groundbreaking and historic times. This is a letter written by you and stored just for you to revisit – whenever you need to refocus on your plans and dreams.
These messages can be inspiring and valuable. The letter is private to you, but you can share it with other students by submitting it to our international student newsletter freetime.
Modules 3 and 4
These modules can help you start the semester well with explanations on enrolment, timetable and academic support services that can help you make sense of studying at an Australian University.
Module 6
This module features important information on your rights and responsibilities as an international student.
Modules with further reading for your consideration include:
Module 2
This module features helpful information about arrival and settling in and an important checklist for all that you should have in place by the end of Week 2!
Module 5
What’s it like living a safe and happy student life in Melbourne. Understanding your OSHC and hints to be safe, healthy and social.
Events for international students
Swinburne regularly hosts events for international students. Get involved in these to make friends, expand your networks, improve your academic skills and create unforgettable memories.
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Student Life
Aussie Bush and Beach Program for International Students
Get up close and personal with Australian wildlife, enjoy a BBQ lunch and some beach games, and learn life saving techniques around water.
Register now (Aussie Bush and Beach Program for International Students) -
Student Life
- Swinburne Advantage
International students: Part-time and casual job search, workplace rights and responsibilities
Are you an international student looking for part-time or casual employment? Come and learn about job search strategies, job application tips, pay rates, workplace rights and responsibilities, and more.
Register now (International students: Part-time and casual job search, workplace rights and responsibilities) -
Student Life
- Swinburne Advantage
International students: Advance your professional career
Come and join this seminar if you are a Swinburne international student wanting to get ahead with your professional career before graduation.
Register now (International students: Advance your professional career)
ESOS Compliance for International Students
Swinburne adheres to the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act and National Code, which regulate course registration, promotion, student enrolment, and services for international students.
Keep on exploring
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Plan your arrival in Melbourne
Received your Confirmation of Enrolment from Swinburne and organised your student visa? You can start to prepare for travel to Melbourne.
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Arriving in Melbourne
Explore the options to get to your accommodation in Melbourne from the airport, including our airport transfer service.
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Student support services
Need support? Swinburne’s student support services can help with your studies, career, health and wellbeing, accommodation, child care, IT, safety and more. -
International student stories
Discover how students from all over the world are enjoying life at Swinburne while successfully building a career in Australia and their home countries.
Need assistance?
Our International Student Advisory and Support team can help you with all aspects of living and studying in Melbourne. To speak to an International Student Advisor, please call +61 3 9214 6741 or visit AMDC106 on Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.