Preperations to Australia

[serena87]

Hey there, anyone heading to Australia? Anyone currently studying in Australia?
How is the student life there?
Anything that we should bring/shouldn't bring to Aust?

[jane_gun]

Going to start my 3rd year in Sydney... Student life's great (especially meeting people from all over the world from different walks of life). What you should or shouldn't bring? Hmm, hard to suddenly think up of a list. Something off my mind is this: getting a plug adaptor - the Aussie plug pin's different from Malaysia's - I think I got mine from Ace Hardware... Just to give you an idea - something that costs RM1 here will cost about AUD 1 (i.e. 3x more expensive) (the dollar-for-a-dollar idea) - should give you an idea of what you should buy and bring over and what you should just get over in OZ land (to leave more space in your luggage, lol). If you've got any specific lists/items, feel free to email me! =)

[youngyew]

What do you mean by "what you should bring / should not bring"? Is it in terms of what you should include in your 30kg luggage allowance, or in terms of stuff disallowed at Australian custom and immigration?

As jane_gun said, it depends on what you need the most in Australia. I actually brought over a small rice cooker over there as I reckoned that it would amount to the most saving. You should also bring one or two textbooks that are essential to your course, if you would need it from day one. However, do note that it's so much cheaper to ship your stuff through pos malaysia, the last time i checked the price was 80 ringgit for 20kg. So for non-essential and non-urgent stuff, you can always ship it there. It will arrive in any where from one month to three month's time.

[Zeroth]

I'm currently a 4th year med student in UNSW sydney, PM me if you have any questions or PM jane gun.

Remember that Australian customs are very strict about bringing food and plant products. Don't bring and meat/seeds products.

If you bring medicine you'll have to declare them at the customs.

You can bring instant noodles but u'll need to declare them.

Depending on where you're heading, you should check the local climate and prepare enough thick clothes, etc.

Depending on where you are, you may want to bring some basic cooking tools.

Books are expensive here, you may want to buy some (not all) back home. HOWEVER remember that you have 20kg (or 30kg) of weight for your flight, so make sure you take that into account.

If you have extra place to store your stuff, you can buy shampoo/shower cream to save money.

Otherwise, everything is available where you are.

[jane_gun]

Haha, reminds me of my first time over to Australia. I packed all my books into a small hand luggage (can't check it in otherwise it'll be overweight) - it took not one but two air stewards to fit it into the compartment above the seats, lol... :lol:

[serena87]

Thank you young yew,jane gun, and zeroth for your feedback and suggestions.
Any essential items that are sold expensive in Aussie? I could bring more of these items from Malaysia to save money.

I thought of bringing a lot of A4 papers and test pads as I think I?ll be using a lot of them.
For the girls: are sanitary pads and pantyliners expensive? Should I bring lots of them from Malaysia?


How many luggages did you guys bring?(carry in + check in luggages+ laptop)
I?m afraid I won?t be able to handle my luggages if I bring too many of them. I have to take two flights to get to Canberra, so I wonder how am I going to manage to carry my luggages during the transit flight. Anyone has any ideas? I don?t know how am I going to fit all my clothes+shoes+stationary in !

Did anyone bring their acoustic guitar over? I?m afraid that it might be ?damaged? in the journey. How should I pack it in order to minimize the damage?
Anyone knows how much an acoustic guitar in Canberra?

For those staying in non-catered hostels, what do you guys cook for meals? Should I bring a hot-plate ? There are only microwaves provided in my hall of residence.
Young Yew, it was very smart of you to bring over your rice cooker. We can also use the rice cooker to prepare noodles and other non-rice dishes right? Or would a hot-plate be more relevant? ( I rarely eat rice?) Any other cooking utensil that might come in handy?

Can we bring knives(for cooking) and apple peelers into our check-in luggage? I don?t wanna make myself suspicious to the immigration officers!

Did you guys bring your handphones over? I heard that you get free handphones if you subscribe to the Australian phone lines, am I right? What are the rates/charges like?(for local and overseas calls/messages)

Upon asking around, I gathered that it will be cheaper to buy winter clothing in Australia, especially during non-winter seasons. So I figured that I would buy all my winter clothings in Aust. What do you guys think?

So books are cheaper in Malaysia? How would I know which books I?ll need to buy? Should I e-mail the lecturers there to find out? I?ll be majoring in economics, and I do not know of any seniors with the same major.

I apologize for the long list of questions, and thank you for your suggestions. They really help me in my preparations.

[youngyew]

I think it's much better to get things that are:
1. Essential for living in the first few days you reach Australia.
2. Harder to get there.
3. More expensive in Australia.

(in the order of priority)

If you are going to carry it on board, make sure it doesn't exceed your luggage weight limit.

I thought of bringing a lot of A4 papers and test pads as I think I?ll be using a lot of them.
Bring one of each, you are going to buy them there, and the price isn't really too expensive compared to Malaysia. Their weight is not too worth it as a carry-on.

For the girls: are sanitary pads and pantyliners expensive? Should I bring lots of them from Malaysia?
Okay not a girl here, but from what I know they are indeed expensive in Australia. Bring what you need in the first few months, and you can send more from Malaysia via the 20kg parcel I told you earlier. Many people did it this way.

How many luggages did you guys bring?(carry in + check in luggages+ laptop)
Two check-ins, one backpack, one hand luggage, one laptop.

I?m afraid I won?t be able to handle my luggages if I bring too many of them. I have to take two flights to get to Canberra, so I wonder how am I going to manage to carry my luggages during the transit flight. Anyone has any ideas? I don?t know how am I going to fit all my clothes+shoes+stationary in !
Do make sure that the second leg of your flight allows the same weight as your mas-sydney (i assume?) flight. If not you are going to lose a heft sum of money paying for the extra. Call the flight company or JPA to confirm.

Did anyone bring their acoustic guitar over? I?m afraid that it might be ?damaged? in the journey. How should I pack it in order to minimize the damage?
Anyone knows how much an acoustic guitar in Canberra?
Not too recommended in the first flight due to its weight, but if you are a music buff of course I can't stop you from doing it. :) Check it in as an oversize baggage in the airport, and it should be fine.

For those staying in non-catered hostels, what do you guys cook for meals? Should I bring a hot-plate ? There are only microwaves provided in my hall of residence.
Only microwave? No cooking stoves?

Young Yew, it was very smart of you to bring over your rice cooker. We can also use the rice cooker to prepare noodles and other non-rice dishes right? Or would a hot-plate be more relevant? ( I rarely eat rice?) Any other cooking utensil that might come in handy?
We usually use stove to cook non-rice stuff. But buy it there, there's simply no way you can fit in too many cooking utensils the first time around.

Can we bring knives(for cooking) and apple peelers into our check-in luggage? I don?t wanna make myself suspicious to the immigration officers!
Nope. Not allowed on board. They will confiscate it at the security screening.

Did you guys bring your handphones over? I heard that you get free handphones if you subscribe to the Australian phone lines, am I right? What are the rates/charges like?(for local and overseas calls/messages)
It depends on your communication need as well as your friend's preferences. Basically it boils down to this:
1. If all your friends there use one particular company, go for that company.
2. If you are a chatterbox on the phone, then 3's line with "free" handphone (you actually pay them through your 2-year contracts) is a good optino.
3. You can look up Optus mobile and 3 mobile website for more information on the rates. But don't worry too much at this stage, the packages are simply too complicated and you won't know which one is right for you until you have tried them and determined your personal usage pattern for yourself.
4. Just bring your handphone there first and see whether you want to use your old one or get a new one via their "plans". If your old one is good then you don't really need a new one.

Upon asking around, I gathered that it will be cheaper to buy winter clothing in Australia, especially during non-winter seasons. So I figured that I would buy all my winter clothings in Aust. What do you guys think?
That's what many people say, and yeah for branded stuff you can get it at an equivalent, if not cheaper price during off-season.

So books are cheaper in Malaysia? How would I know which books I?ll need to buy? Should I e-mail the lecturers there to find out? I?ll be majoring in economics, and I do not know of any seniors with the same major.
Definitely. Don't get any book in Australia, the price is usually 2x - 4x more expensive. You can try contacting the lecturer to find out which book to buy, or if you have seniors there it will be better.

In any case, don't fret too much over what to bring in the luggage. As much money you think you can save by wise planning, it's going to be nothing compared to the saving attainable when you spend wisely in Australia over the uni years. In fact do consider the priorities I listed above.

Have a good preparation.

[Zeroth]

Waa Canberra? It's going to be quite cold there in winter time, bring thick clothes from home first. You might not be able to get them there for the first few days.

I think pads are expensive here, but it's not feasible to bring too much on your first trip as you'll need to bring many other things. Keep a mind on your luggage weight.

[emzz]

I hope you don't mind if I hop in and ask a few questions myself as I'm off to Aust too :) .

Firstly, is having a printer necessary? If yes, should we buy one here and bring it over or is it cheaper to buy it in Aust?

Also, which internet service provider would you guys recommend?

[youngyew]

I hope you don't mind if I hop in and ask a few questions myself as I'm off to Aust too :) .

Firstly, is having a printer necessary? If yes, should we buy one here and bring it over or is it cheaper to buy it in Aust?

Also, which internet service provider would you guys recommend?
Depending on how much you need to print and whether you want to print colour. If you print mainly in black and white (which is like the majority of students), just get the cheapest laser printer there. It's very worth it in the long run, and the cartridge works for months and months.

Internet service provider... It depends on where you stay, there are at least two dozens of ISP in Australia, and some of the more popular ones are TPG, Optus etc. Do check out this forum:
http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/bc-list.cfm?loc=0

[jane_gun]

For the girls: are sanitary pads and pantyliners expensive? Should I bring lots of them from Malaysia?

Sanitary pads in OZ cost about AUD5 for a pack of 10 or so... Also depends on the brand and type (e.g. simple thin non-nightsafe ones are cheaper). Most of the brands available in Malaysia are sold here (e.g. Whisper, Kotex) but not all (e.g. Laurier's not found here) - so it also depends on what brand you're currently using - but shouldn't be much of a problem even if you switch brands in OZ... Maybe just bring a pack of 20 from Malaysia first - that was what I did... Hope this helps you and the other gals...

Ps. Serena from DJ by any chance?

[jane_gun]

Can we bring knives(for cooking) and apple peelers into our check-in luggage? I don?t wanna make myself suspicious to the immigration officers!

Nope. Not allowed on board. They will confiscate it at the security screening.


Hmm, youngyew, I think serena87 meant those sharp objects for check-in luggage, not hand-luggage... If it's check-in, it shouldn't be a problem, if I'm not mistaken...

[jane_gun]

I hope you don't mind if I hop in and ask a few questions myself as I'm off to Aust too :) .

Firstly, is having a printer necessary? If yes, should we buy one here and bring it over or is it cheaper to buy it in Aust?

Also, which internet service provider would you guys recommend?

Hmm, I suppose you're living off-campus then? Otherwise, check out with the college/apartment if they've got some sort of an internet line and/or printer. In the college where I'm staying, for example, the printer and ink's free for use (you just provide your own paper) while there's a uni internet line where it's free to surf uni-related websites (you just pay when you visit other sites)...

[youngyew]

Can we bring knives(for cooking) and apple peelers into our check-in luggage? I don?t wanna make myself suspicious to the immigration officers!

Nope. Not allowed on board. They will confiscate it at the security screening.


Hmm, youngyew, I think serena87 meant those sharp objects for check-in luggage, not hand-luggage... If it's check-in, it shouldn't be a problem, if I'm not mistaken...
Oops sorry. Yeah apart from prohibited firearms and chemicals, there aren't that many things that are banned in the check in luggage.

[jane_gun]

Hmm, I still remember accidentally leaving my pair of scissors in my pencil case (which I placed in my hand luggage) - got confiscated by customs end of 2006... So sad man, the scissors is the best pair ever and has been with me since Standard 2 (nostalgic memories, lol) - but my fault lerr for not checking properly... >.<

[babybear]

i checked in a blade, peeler as well as can opener and it wasn't consficated..

do bring some lotion, moisturizer and lip balm as the weather over there is very dry..

[vseehua]

i checked in a blade, peeler as well as can opener and it wasn't consficated..

do bring some lotion, moisturizer and lip balm as the weather over there is very dry..if you try to bring along with your hand luggage it will get confiscated. If you really need it, just put into the luggage that is going into the cargo bay (check in)

[youngyew]

i checked in a blade, peeler as well as can opener and it wasn't consficated..

do bring some lotion, moisturizer and lip balm as the weather over there is very dry..
I have only used lotion, moisturizer and lip balm once (the first day) throughout the three years. :P But then I am a guy who does not protect the skin.

Anyway I am not sure about the regulation in Malaysia, but many international flights now ban liquid on board, so do get a confirmation before you carry on any of them in hand luggage.

[vseehua]

Anyway I am not sure about the regulation in Malaysia, but many international flights now ban liquid on board, so do get a confirmation before you carry on any of them in hand luggage.Not most, all international flights have banned liquids from being carried on board.

Exceptions will be essential medicines packed in max 100ml bottles. These will have to be put in a clear plastic bag that will be provided by airport authorities. You may buy a bottle of water within the terminal area after you've passed the customs check, but the shop will also have to provide you with a plastic bag (I think) and you must keep the receipt for security reasons...

*damn the terrorists*

[youngyew]

Anyway I am not sure about the regulation in Malaysia, but many international flights now ban liquid on board, so do get a confirmation before you carry on any of them in hand luggage.Not most, all international flights have banned liquids from being carried on board.

Exceptions will be essential medicines packed in max 100ml bottles. These will have to be put in a clear plastic bag that will be provided by airport authorities. You may buy a bottle of water within the terminal area after you've passed the customs check, but the shop will also have to provide you with a plastic bag (I think) and you must keep the receipt for security reasons...

*damn the terrorists*
You are right. Arrgh.

http://www.klia.com.my/?tpl_id=311/

[emzz]

I hope you don't mind if I hop in and ask a few questions myself as I'm off to Aust too :) .

Firstly, is having a printer necessary? If yes, should we buy one here and bring it over or is it cheaper to buy it in Aust?

Also, which internet service provider would you guys recommend?

Hmm, I suppose you're living off-campus then? Otherwise, check out with the college/apartment if they've got some sort of an internet line and/or printer. In the college where I'm staying, for example, the printer and ink's free for use (you just provide your own paper) while there's a uni internet line where it's free to surf uni-related websites (you just pay when you visit other sites)...

Thanks youngyew and jane_gun :).

I'll be doing homestay as I am under-18. According to the homestay agreement, I'm suppose to arrange and pay for the internet of my own use.

[jane_gun]

Be prepared to have a long queue at airport customs (especially the one in Sydney) - the new ruling has caused my flight back to KL to be delayed by an entire hour! And to think I was rushing to board the plane (they announced the final call) only to find the plane half-empty... >.<

[serena87]

Thank you young yew, jane gun,and zeroth for the feedback.
I think I?ll ship in the extra stuff need just like young yew said.
On Pos Malaysia?s website, it was stated that it takes 10 days to ship stuff to Australia.
Young Yew, is their service often delayed?

Jane gun, thank you for stating the price of sanitary pads. Guess I?ll be shipping in a lot of those! And no, I?m not from DJ.

Did anyone bring their rackets over? Did you check in those as oversized baggage? Do we need to pay for oversized baggage?

Ohh, and my friend also said that I should bring over my sunglasses. So you guys might wanna do that : )

I just found out that ANU doesn?t have a swimming pool!!!!! Oh well, life?s like that!

zeroth, i won't be bringing over winter clothings because it is currently summer. i would get them there.

[Zeroth]

On Pos Malaysia?s website, it was stated that it takes 10 days to ship stuff to Australia.

It usually takes around three months if I'm not mistaken. I'm having some books shipped over soon. Don't ship things you need right away just to be safe.

By the way, Canberra has nothing :P The tallest building is probably 10 floors high..

[vseehua]

On Pos Malaysia?s website, it was stated that it takes 10 days to ship stuff to Australia. via air mail...damn expensive

[youngyew]

Thank you young yew, jane gun,and zeroth for the feedback.
I think I?ll ship in the extra stuff need just like young yew said.
On Pos Malaysia?s website, it was stated that it takes 10 days to ship stuff to Australia.
Young Yew, is their service often delayed?
Some people say that it is possible to get the stuff in as early as three weeks; but from my personal experience it usually gets there in two to three months.

One thing you need to pay attention about is to avoid sending prohibited items in your parcel. If there are prohibited items, it will delay your parcel for up to a month when they retain the item for screening / quarantine.

[jane_gun]

Did anyone bring their rackets over? Did you check in those as oversized baggage? Do we need to pay for oversized baggage?

I'm not sure if it's considered oversized baggage but one of my juniors didn't have much problem checking in her badminton and tennis racquets. If you're still unsure, best to check with the airport authorities - just give them a ring or something... =)

[chenchow]

Did anyone bring their rackets over? Did you check in those as oversized baggage? Do we need to pay for oversized baggage?

I'm not sure if it's considered oversized baggage but one of my juniors didn't have much problem checking in her badminton and tennis racquets. If you're still unsure, best to check with the airport authorities - just give them a ring or something... =)

I think racquets should be fine. I brought a badminton racquet back from US to Malaysia before, there has been no problem with American Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.

But as jane_gun said, better to check first. :)

[vseehua]

if you want, guitars can also be brought into the cabin legally. Caveat is, the stewards might want to take it and store if somewhere else in the plane should there be a shortage of space in the overhead compartment...

[serena87]

Thank you vseehua,chen chow, jane gun, young yew,zeroth for the replies.
I have already called up MAS to find out about the baggage.
I cannot bring the guitar into the cabin as I will be carrying a hand luggage. In that case, I?ll have to put it in a hard casing and check it in.
I have no idea how to contact Virgin Blue Airlines though ( Melbourne-Canberra)
I?ve tried e-mailing them via their website, but I haven?t received a reply yet. I?m afraid that airlines might impose a different set of rules.

Ok,this question may sound silly: is it cold in the airplane?
Also, what do you guys normally do in the airplane? 8 hours seem like a long time to me!

Any other important documents that I need to bring with me besides my passport, visa, university offer letter ,ic,?

Also how much cash should I take with me? The max allowed is 1000AUD. Is it more convenient to bring the rest of the money in terms of travelers checks or bank drafts?

[JetLee0510]

Hmm, I still remember accidentally leaving my pair of scissors in my pencil case (which I placed in my hand luggage) - got confiscated by customs end of 2006... So sad man, the scissors is the best pair ever and has been with me since Standard 2 (nostalgic memories, lol) - but my fault lerr for not checking properly... >.< wow.. cool girl! 8O

[jane_gun]

Ok,this question may sound silly: is it cold in the airplane?
Also, what do you guys normally do in the airplane? 8 hours seem like a long time to me!

Any other important documents that I need to bring with me besides my passport, visa, university offer letter ,ic,?

Also how much cash should I take with me? The max allowed is 1000AUD. Is it more convenient to bring the rest of the money in terms of travelers checks or bank drafts?

Don't worry - no questions are silly nor stupid. There is an air-cond blower allocated for each seat - you can twist and adjust the amount of cold air coming out plus since you're taking MAS, they provide you a blanket as well in case you get cold. What to do in the airplane? I knew I barely slept (only did so for about 30 minutes) - I spent the entire time chatting with a friend and watching in-flight movies - don't worry, you shouldn't get too bored. You can bring a book or something along to kill time if you want to... You don't need your I/C - as for other important documents, I can't think of any at the time being but will let you know if something comes to mind. It's better to bring most of your money as travelers' cheques (as some banks are non-cash branches i.e. no cash transactions over the counter) plus it's much safer - they're replaceable (provided you keep the slips) in case you lose them. Just bring sufficient cash to help you settle in the first few days i.e. enough cash to get decent transport, meals and other necessities. =)

[serena87]

hey there!
well, i've been in aust for two weeks now.
canberra is so "pretty"! lol Honestly, I love the peaceful surrounding, the greenery...

hey,does anyone know why the daily energy requirement for aussies is around 8000+ kJ? In malaysia it's about 2000kJ daily for female adults.
Is it because of the bulit/genes of aussies? or is it because of the weather conditions? or is it because of both?
I'm quite conscious in reading food nutrition labels, thus I was quite surprised by this fact.
Any opinions on this matter?

[bluez_aspic]

hey,does anyone know why the daily energy requirement for aussies is around 8000+ kJ?
Now, where did you pull that figure from? :P

btw glad you're glad re: ANU. It's summer and yet we're not having summer weather but I'm cool with that =)

[youngyew]

hey there!
well, i've been in aust for two weeks now.
canberra is so "pretty"! lol Honestly, I love the peaceful surrounding, the greenery...

hey,does anyone know why the daily energy requirement for aussies is around 8000+ kJ? In malaysia it's about 2000kJ daily for female adults.
Is it because of the bulit/genes of aussies? or is it because of the weather conditions? or is it because of both?
I'm quite conscious in reading food nutrition labels, thus I was quite surprised by this fact.
Any opinions on this matter?
I think you might have confused the unit between kilojoule and kilocalories (usually referred to as "Calories").

The average adult requires about 10000 kJ everyday. A female adult may require a little bit less. When converted to Calories, it's about 2400 Calories and around 2000 Calories. The energy requirement is roughly the same between Aussies and other people, it mainly depends on your activity level and body weight, among other things.

btw glad you're glad re: ANU. It's summer and yet we're not having summer weather but I'm cool with that =)
I thought officially today is the "last day" of summer? :D Melbourne has been really cold for the last few days eh.

[serena87]

thanks for the clarification young yew!
gosh,i have to stop being obsessed with analyzing food labels...lol

bluez_aspic: haha,yeah, the weather is pretty cold in summer...i'm still trying my best to acclimitize myself.

being the wonderful person i am ,i managed to forget to bring my laptop charger.
after browsing around,i was thinking of buying a universal adaptor...but it costs 100AUD.

can i use a AC charger instead? or should i just ask my parents to fed-ex it? what do you guys think?

btw, anyone went for the mardi gras parade?

[canada]

Thank you vseehua,chen chow, jane gun, young yew,zeroth for the replies.
I have already called up MAS to find out about the baggage.
I cannot bring the guitar into the cabin as I will be carrying a hand luggage. In that case, I?ll have to put it in a hard casing and check it in.
I have no idea how to contact Virgin Blue Airlines though ( Melbourne-Canberra)
I?ve tried e-mailing them via their website, but I haven?t received a reply yet. I?m afraid that airlines might impose a different set of rules.

Ok,this question may sound silly: is it cold in the airplane?
Also, what do you guys normally do in the airplane? 8 hours seem like a long time to me!

Any other important documents that I need to bring with me besides my passport, visa, university offer letter ,ic,?

Also how much cash should I take with me? The max allowed is 1000AUD. Is it more convenient to bring the rest of the money in terms of travelers checks or bank drafts?

The maximum cash allowed is AUD10000, not AUD1000. In fact, it would be safer if u just carry a few hundred aussie dollars and the rest, just using bankdraft. Open a bank account in a bank that has a direct link with your bank in Malaysia.

[seeweijie]

Hey, I just receive a scholarship offer to pursue my study to Australia... may be in 1 o 2 years time i will be going to Australia... but now i still dunno which University i will sent to.. but is among U of Sydney, U of Melbourne and U of New South Wales...

Can i know where can i check about Australia..
1. University ranking for each course
2. Weather there
3. Student's life there
4. I dunno what to ask somemore... mb i will add later...

Since there is a sub-forum of "All about UK"... Can we ask the moderator to open a sub-forum of "All about Australia"? Coz i really want to know more about Australia and the life there...

[youngyew]

Hey, I just receive a scholarship offer to pursue my study to Australia... may be in 1 o 2 years time i will be going to Australia... but now i still dunno which University i will sent to.. but is among U of Sydney, U of Melbourne and U of New South Wales...

Can i know where can i check about Australia..
1. University ranking for each course
2. Weather there
3. Student's life there
4. I dunno what to ask somemore... mb i will add later...

Since there is a sub-forum of "All about UK"... Can we ask the moderator to open a sub-forum of "All about Australia"? Coz i really want to know more about Australia and the life there...
1. Check the THES ranking. But it's at best a cursory preview, as many unis have strength and weakness in different courses, so it's better to ask about a particular course in specific. Even so such comparison is often hard becasue all we know are usually based on our own experience with our own uni, as well as what we hear from the lecturer / friends.

2. Check http://www.bom.gov.au . It's very different from one state to another.

3. Which aspect? Can't really write a twenty-paragraph essay describing the full student life here. :P

[seeweijie]

1. Check the THES ranking. But it's at best a cursory preview, as many unis have strength and weakness in different courses, so it's better to ask about a particular course in specific. Even so such comparison is often hard becasue all we know are usually based on our own experience with our own uni, as well as what we hear from the lecturer / friends.

2. Check http://www.bom.gov.au . It's very different from one state to another.

3. Which aspect? Can't really write a twenty-paragraph essay describing the full student life here. :P

I get to know there is University ranking for different course in UK
http://www.thegooduniversityguide.org.uk/single.htm?ipg=6643

So i wish to know whether there is also a University ranking for different course in Australia.
By the way i wish to know which University is the best for accountancy in Australia.
(among Sydney, Melbourne n New South Wales)

I wish to know:
1. environment there
2. students there (friendly o nt)
3. activities there
4. entertainment there
5. food there
6. price there compared to malaysia
7. education there
8. climate there (can we aclimatise easily)
9. infrastructure there

Can I open a new thread about "All about Australia"? coz this thread is to discuss preparation to Australia right...

[star90]

anyone here who's currently studying in University of Sydney?preferably architecture student. How long does it take for them to give you a reply in your application? Thanks

[yeng]

All the australian universities application dead line is around september or october, and you will get a conditional offer in november and a unconditional offer in early january, which you have to accept the offer no later mid - end of january and orientation at mid february. course commence at march.

[jasminelqh]

a friend of mine who applied to ANU around 3 weeks ago gotten his conditional letter last week.

star90, you applied for University of Sydney?

[star90]

a friend of mine who applied to ANU around 3 weeks ago gotten his conditional letter last week.

star90, you applied for University of Sydney?

yea, I applied for Bachelor of Architecture in the University of Sydney. This is the 6th week since I have submitted my application for the person in charge in AusEd. Btw I applied for credit transfer.

All the australian universities application dead line is around september or october, and you will get a conditional offer in november and a unconditional offer in early january, which you have to accept the offer no later mid - end of january and orientation at mid february. course commence at march.

Thanks for the reply. Is it the same for all the university in Australia? cause I applied for UQ feb 2010 intake and has gotten the unconditional offer last month. :huh

[yeng]

Thanks for the reply. Is it the same for all the university in Australia? cause I applied for UQ feb 2010 intake and has gotten the unconditional offer last month. :huh

Well i apply using my TER mabe the system aren't the same when you apply for credit transfer.

[star90]

Well i apply using my TER mabe the system aren't the same when you apply for credit transfer.

aright then.. anyway, do you have any friend studying at University of Sydney? architecture student? :)

[yeng]

aright then.. anyway, do you have any friend studying at University of Sydney? architecture student? :)

a few, but none of them are recommer. or i do not remember. We are all first years. i heard that USyd is more design based, and intensive - although not as busy as UNSW, (for first year)

i had been to Usyd and the campus is HUGE :0. BUt they have a lot of facilities and each class has a fixed studio/ workplace. not as grand as other buildings, but who cares if the teaching staffs are good??

my friends took 2 core and 1 elective for their first year.

and beware of the expensive transport fees in syd.

[star90]

a few, but none of them are recommer. or i do not remember. We are all first years. i heard that USyd is more design based, and intensive - although not as busy as UNSW, (for first year)

i had been to Usyd and the campus is HUGE :0. BUt they have a lot of facilities and each class has a fixed studio/ workplace. not as grand as other buildings, but who cares if the teaching staffs are good??

my friends took 2 core and 1 elective for their first year.

and beware of the expensive transport fees in syd.

would you mind if you give me their contact? Cause I want to email them and ask them something regarding studying architecture over there.:huh Thanks in advance..

[yeng]

would you mind if you give me their contact? Cause I want to email them and ask them something regarding studying architecture over there.:huh Thanks in advance..

well sorry i can't but i'll tried to foward your question to them: what d u want to ask about?
hope it helps.

[star90]

well sorry i can't but i'll tried to foward your question to them: what d u want to ask about?
hope it helps.

Well, is there anyone who has successfully get a place though they didn't study any pre-u? I mean those who got credit transfer though they didn't complete their diploma. This is mainly because I applied using my 3 semester result, currently in my 4th sem and there's a total of 6 semester in diploma of architecture. thanks

[jasminelqh]

well, you should email the University of Sydney's admission department and check about it or you may give AusEd a call and check the progress. I'm not too sure whether has anyone secure a place in the University without a Pre-U. Heh.

Good Luck! (:

[yeng]

Well my friend said that she doesn't know and could not help you. sorry. but i know there are people finished their diploma and studying in my university 3rd year.

[yanno_yamster]

Reviving this thread for a moment...

I'm seeking advice on whether I should stay on-campus or off-campus when I study in Australia next year. Can someone enlighten me on the pros and cons of staying both on and off campus?

[kaiyi]

depends on what life you want if you don't have financial consideration. on-campus allow you to stay in library for longer time, saving time on transport, easier for group discussion and clubs & societies activities but somtimes it's hard to go to city.

Living off campus means more freedom but maybe a smaller group of people.