Pre-departure information

Your ‘offer of admission’ letter is an official notification that you have been offered a place in a particular course at UOW College. Please read through your offer letter carefully as it contains important information relevant to your program of study and any special conditions that may apply to your offer of admission at UOW or UOW College (for example, satisfying the University’s English language requirements). Your unique 7-digit student identification number also appears in the top left corner of the offer letter. Please quote this number in all correspondence with UOW and UOW College.

To accept your offer of admission, you will need to complete the Offer Acceptance and Payment Advice form attached to your offer letter (Attachment A) and return it along with the total fee payable to commence the course as quoted in your offer letter.

You should also clear any conditions noted in your offer letter, if applicable, at the time of accepting your offer of admission to UOW College. The fees payable include tuition for your first session of study and overseas student health cover (OSHC). Payment can be made by credit card or a bank draft drawn in Australian dollars at an Australian bank, payable to “UOW College”.

As UOW has been approved to participate in the Australian Government’s new Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP),  with UOW College registered as an eligible ‘business partner’, you may be able to apply for a visa under SVP if you are accepting a package offer with a UOW Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate degree.  Applying for visa should be a much quicker process under SVP.  You may still apply for a visa for standalone UOW College courses (or packages which contain only UOW College courses), however DIAC will process your visa application according to existing assessment level criteria rather than SVP.

In addition to the documents required to complete the above steps, if eligible to apply for a visa under SVP, you may be asked to provide further information.  For example, you may be asked to complete a Supplementary Financial Details Form - if so, this be advised in your offer letter, or by your UOW representative.

If you have applied for admission through a University representative, they can assist you with acceptance and payment procedures. If you have applied for admission directly to the University, forward payment and acceptance of your offer to:

UOW Future Students
University of Wollongong
NSW 2522 AUSTRALIA

When you have satisfied all conditions of the offer and paid all fees quoted in your offer letter, an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) will be issued and sent to you via email. It is important that you provide a current email address with your application so that our eCOE can be sent to you promptly. You will need the eCOE to apply for your student visa.

At this stage, you should make plans for your travel to Australia. Make sure you plan to arrive in plenty of time for Orientation as this includes Enrolment and other information which is very important to your success at UOW College.

Students in academic programs are normally not permitted to enrol after week 2 of session, unless written permission from UOW College has been granted. If you have unavoidable circumstances preventing arrival by Orientation you must request an Extension Letter (permission for late enrolment) by contacting the Case Officer noted on your offer letter. If you are not sure who to contact, email UniAdvice at futurestudents@uow.edu.au.

Most international students require a student visa to study at the University of Wollongong and UOW College.

To apply for a visa, you need a valid passport, the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) issued by the University, and any other documentation required by the Australian Diplomatic Post. You must ensure that you allow enough time for visa processing as this can be a long process, depending on the country you come from. Your nearest Australian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission will be able to advise you about current visa processing times. They will also be able to provide you with further information about how to apply for a student visa and whether you will be required to undergo health checks.

Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to locate your nearest Australian Diplomatic Post.

The Home Affairs website provides comprehensive information about student visa requirements and application procedures.

If you are granted a student visa you must follow certain rules. These conditions include (but are not limited to) the following points.

You must:

• study full-time in most cases
• make satisfactory academic progress
• maintain approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) whilst in Australia
• notify UOW College and the Department of Immigration & Citizenship of your address in Australia and any subsequent change of address within 7 days
• not work more than 40 hours per fortnight (two weeks) whilst you are studying
• attend a minimum of 80% of all classes in most cases.

Visit DIAC for a complete list of student visa conditions.

Make sure you book your flights so that you arrive in time for Orientation.

The closest international airport to Wollongong is Sydney, which is approximately a 1-hour drive to Wollongong. UOW has a complimentary airport pick-up service into Wollongong for all new international students who have a package offer with the University of Wollongong Wollongong campus. To arrange for an airport pick-up please visit UOWs Airport Pick Up Services.

Your booking must be made no less than 72 hours prior to your arrival. If you are arriving on a Saturday or Sunday, your request should be made by no later than 4pm on the Wednesday before. This also applies to any changes in your arrival schedule. Remember: if you do not book an airport pick-up and advise of your arrival date and time, you cannot expect to be met.

As an international student, you must have student health cover for the duration of your study in Australia.

UOW College currently uses BUPA as its OSHC provider.

When you receive your initial offer to study at UOW College, you will have the option to allow the College to organise OSHC through our preferred provider BUPA. Once you pay the full amount of tuition and OSHC fees, the College will advise BUPA that you have paid. BUPA will then register you as a member and issue you with a membership card.

If you want to arrange your own OSHC through a different provider, you can choose not to pay the OSHC fee to the College.

Please note - It is your responsibility to ensure that your OSHC is current for the duration of your Student Visa.

For full details go to BUPA OSHC

If you are bringing your family, you should organise family OSHC. Contact BUPA for details.

One of the most important decisions you will make is where you will live during your studies in Wollongong. The University of Wollongong offers a variety of accommodation options. To learn more about these visit the accommodation section of the International Students page.

If you intend to bring your dependents (husband/wife or children) with you to Australia, there are a number of additional arrangements that you will need to make.

Visas

When you apply for your student visa, you will also need to apply for each member of your family to accompany you. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) or your nearest Australian Diplomatic Post can provide you with further information about visas and application procedures for your dependents.

Visit bringing family on DIAC for further details.

Dependent spouses can only study for 3 months. We can help your husband/wife apply for their own student visa if they wish to study for a longer period.

You will also need to arrange for health cover for your family whilst they are in Australia. UOW College’s current recommended supplier is BUPA. Visit BUPA for more details.

Schooling for children

Members of your family aged between 5 and 18 years must attend school in Australia. They will not be granted a Temporary Resident Visa unless they have already been enrolled in an Australian school and all relevant school fees have been paid. For further information about enrolment requirements and fees, please contact the NSW Department of Education and Training:

Address:
Temporary Visa Holders Unit
NSW Department of Education and Training
Locked Bag 4
Wollongong, NSW 2520

Phone: +61 2 1300 300 229
Fax: +61 2 4224 9074
Email: tempvisa@det.nsw.edu.au
Visit: Public Schools NSW (and page for International Students)

Childcare

Childcare facilities are available on campus for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years, as well as before school and afternoon care for school-aged children. Waiting lists can be long and places are limited, so it is important that you plan well in advance to secure childcare on campus. Before arriving in Wollongong, contact:

Address:
The Director
Kids’ Uni
Post Office Box U100
University of Wollongong
NSW 2500 Australia

Phone: +61 2 4221 8035
Email: kids_uni@uow.edu.au

There are many other childcare centres in Wollongong. Student Services on campus can help you find a suitable place for your child. You should also be aware that the cost of childcare in Australia can be relatively high (A$50 – $80 per day per child).

Other childcare centres in Wollongong:

• Big Fat Smile
• KU Children's Services
• Early Childhood Education Services & Training

You should prepare a folder of official documents to bring with you to Australia, including:

• Valid passport with Student Visa.
• Offer of Admission letter from UOW College
• Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) issued by UOW College
• Receipts of payments (tuition fees, OSHC etc).
• Letter of scholarship award (if applicable).
• Original/certified copies of your academic transcripts and English language results such as IELTS.
• If you hope to obtain advanced standing (credit transfer) towards your UOW program for courses you have completed overseas, you must bring all relevant documents, including course and subject syllabus.
• Other personal identification documents, for example driver’s license, ID card
• Medical records or prescriptions.

This will help you to adjust more quickly after your arrival. You may find that living and studying in Australia are both very different to that in your own country.

Go to living in Wollongong for more general information to prepare you for your time at UOW College and check out Study in Australia's guide on living and working in Oz.

You may also like to find out about local news in Australia and Wollongong by reading printed or online newspapers.

Visit:

• ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ newspaper.
• ‘The Australian’ newspaper.
• ‘Illawarra Mercury’, Wollongong’s local newspaper.

You can also practice listening to Australian accents by watching Australian television programs, films or listening to radio shows broadcast over the internet.
Visit the ABC Radio web site.