Future Students

Arrival Services

Our staff will greet and accept you at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation. This service which is provided at an additional cost varies depending on the location of your accommodation.

Living in Australia

Australia is a land of contrasts - sweeping golden beaches, coral reefs rich with marine life, tropical rainforests, mountain ranges, vast grazing lands and sparse deserts. One of the oldest continents, Australia is the only country to occupy an entire continent. Visit some of Australia’s icons including the Great Ocean Road, Opera House in Sydney and Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory.

Victoria - Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital of the State of Victoria and set around the shores of Port Phillip Bay with its beautiful beaches and water sports facilities. The city itself, laid out in a large rectangle and boasting a lively and cosmopolitan pulse, sits on the northern banks of the Yarra River, about five kilometres from the bay. Melbourne is a world-renowned for its cultural influence in its restaurants and cafés, and the home of major cultural events, and is also considered to be the sporting capital of Australia. Melbourne, once voted the world's 'most liveable city', enjoys clean fresh air and beautiful parks and gardens. Further information on Melbourne is available from www.visitvictoria.com

Yorke Institute is located at 13 Elizabeth Street in Richmond which is one of Melbourne’s oldest yet trendiest city fringe suburbs with a rich migrant and colonial past dating back to the days of first settlement in Australia. Its unique location right next to the North Richmond train station, tram lines and buses, offers easy access to students and staff.

Climate

Melbourne enjoys a temperate climate with four distinct seasons in the year - spring, summer, winter and autumn. Melbourne does not have a specific wet season - it can rain at any time of the year. Sports and other outdoor activities are possible at all times of the year.

Accommodation while living in Australia

Yorke Institute does not offer any accommodation services and students are required to organise their own accommodation arrangements for their stay in Australia. Where a relative or friend is able to provide accommodation that is close to transport and within access to the Yorke Institute, students would be encouraged to take this option. It is recommended that your accommodation arrangements be organised prior to your arrival in Australia.

Our Student Liaison Officer can provide information, advice, and guidance on the types of accommodation services available to students prior to arrival in the case of a need to change arrangements whilst in Australia. The types of accommodation available in Australia are many and varied and brief descriptions of some of the options are listed below:

Homestay / Private Board

This is a common form of accommodation is where students live with an Australian family. Homestay or private board is where you live with a family, couple or single person/s in their own home.

There are many ‘Homestay Providers’ operating in Australia and these arrangement will vary from Full Board, Part board, or Board in Exchange. The most common arrangements for homestay will usually consist of a furnished room, two or three meals per day and bills (except telephone and internet). Some homestay providers may even do your laundry. The cost may be between A$170 - A$220 per week.

The family is generally chosen by the Homestay Provider and allow students an excellent way of settling into the country.

Hostels & Guesthouses

Generally these are temporary accommodation arrangements and are available from A$25.00 per day to A$400.00 per week. Prices will depend on shared facilities, meals provided, shared rooms, etc.

Private Leasing / Rentals

The rental market offers a wide range of housing options. Signing a lease on your own for an apartment, flat or house can offer you an independent lifestyle and privacy. You may also plan to stay in this property for the duration of your course.

It can however be very expensive if you choose to live by yourself, as you are solely responsible for the rental payments plus the connection fees for utilities and then ongoing bills. Generally tenants are responsible for connection and usage of water, electricity and gas. Tenants are also responsible for connection and payment of the telephone.

Rental prices vary according to the location and condition of the property. It can be useful to familiarise yourself with the average price of properties in the various suburbs around Richmond. Rental costs usually increase the closer the property is to the city centre.

Living Costs

The information in this section outlines the estimated cost of living for an international student living in Australia. When calculating the costs of living in Australia students should budget for accommodation, food, health care, transport, books, clothing and entertainment.

This is only a guide to the living costs in Australia and these expenses will vary depending on the student’s lifestyle.

Accommodation Costs

Accommodation costs will vary from city to city and the following is an estimate of Melbourne accommodation.

Type of Accommodation		No. of Weeks	Weekly Rent / Board Range (A$)	Estimated Total ($) Rent or Board and other expenses
Home	Living at Home (Board)	52	20 - 60	$7200 - 9,600
Sharing Rented House (with 2 others)	Close to City	52	135 -165	18,100 - 24,400
	Within 10 kilometres of City	52	105 -135	16,400 - 22,700
	Regional area	52	60 - 80	13,800 - 19,600
Apartment - One Bedroom	One bedroom not shared	52	235 - 285	23,700 - 31,100
Hostel	One bedroom - shared bathroom/kitchen	52	155 - 190	19,200 - 25,800
Homestay	Living with a local family	40	220 – 230*(meals included)	14,500 - 16,700

Rental property prices vary from suburb to suburb. Check realestate.com.au or The Age newspaper for the current cost of renting in Melbourne.

General Costs

Students must also allow for general expenses such as those indicated below:

Weekly Cost (other than Rent)

Items	Amount
Food Contribution	$50.00 – $75.00
Takeaway Lunches & Drinks	$30.00 – $45.00
Bills / Utilities (Electricity, Gas etc)	$20.00 – $25.00
Telephone (not Mobile)	$10.00 – $15.00
Public Transport fares	$30.00 – $60.00
Spending Money	$40.00 – $70.00

It is recommended that students allow a minimum of A$15,000.00 per year to cover their living costs and an extra A$2000.00 for food, transport, and any personal items required.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Overseas Students must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of the stay in Australia. OSHC gives access to out of hospital and in hospital medical services to help maintain health.

School Aged Dependants

Students accompanied by any school aged dependants must ensure that they are enrolled in a school. There are options of enrolling them in public or private schools. Full fees are required to be paid if they are enrolled in either a government or non-government school.

Under 18 year old students

Students must be the age of 18 years old and above to study at Yorke Institute.

For further information about living in Australia for prospective and current students we have prepared a student information guide that is available from the policies and procedures within this website

Further Information

Please refer to the Australian Government explanation of how the Education Services to Overseas Students Act 2000 works: http://aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/ESOS/QuickInfo/ESOS_FrameWork_pdf.pdf