Pre-arrival information

Before leaving your home country, here are a few crucial steps you’ll need to follow.

Check your passport

To travel to Australia, your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival. Double-check your passport’s expiry date to ensure it meets this requirement and, if it doesn’t, look into getting a renewal before you depart.

Get your visa

You will need a valid visa to enter Australia; in most cases, international students will require a Student (subclass 500) visa. Make sure you apply well before your planned departure date. We also recommend keeping a copy of your visa documentation, including your University of Canberra (UC) Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), with you when you travel.

Booking flights

Once you have your student visa, you can organise your flights. Many airlines fly in and out of Australia from all over the world, every single day. Some of these include:

• Air Canada
• Air China
• Air India
• China Eastern Airlines
• China Southern Airlines
• Qantas
• Virgin Australia

When flying to Canberra, you may need to make a connecting flight in a larger Australian city, such as Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. Keep a copy of your itinerary and tickets with you when travelling. It’s also a good idea to stay up to date on Australia’s travel requirements.

Selecting your accommodation

A key step in preparing for your departure is deciding where to live. As an international student (new or continuing), you have a guaranteed place in one of our campus buildings under the UC accommodation guarantee.

Alternatively, you may decide you want to explore other styles of accommodation, such as shared houses, purpose-built student accommodation or homestays. Learn more about organising your accommodation before arriving in Canberra here.

Packing your suitcase

Next comes the fun part: packing for your journey! Below, we’ve included a comprehensive luggage checklist, featuring the essentials you’ll want to bring with you to Canberra.

What to bring: Luggage checklist for international students

• Important documents (e.g. a copy of your visa, CoE, driver’s licence)
• Personal electronic devices
• Chargers and electrical adaptors
• Prescription medications (remember: you may need to declare these at customs!)
• Basic toiletrie
• Local currency
• Clothing (bring the basics; you can always buy more once you’re here!)
• Sentimental items (e.g. photos of your loved ones, tokens from home)

What not to bring

•  Weapons
• Fireworks
•  Live plants
• Live animals
• Certain foods (e.g. rice, eggs)

Australian Border Force has a full list of what you can and cannot bring into the country; click here to learn more.

What to expect upon arrival

When you land in Australia, you will need to go through immigration and customs at the airport. You must complete an incoming passenger card (this is usually given to you on your flight before landing).

Touching down in the capital? Learn more about how to navigate Canberra Airport via its website.

How to prepare for your studies at UC

Before you depart, take the time to get set up on UC’s online services. These will set you up for success in your studies.

First, set up your student account; your username will be your student ID with a ‘u’ in front. You will have received a password via email when you accepted your offer to study with us. You can reset your password at any time.

Your account details will be your ticket to accessing your student email, MyUC (your student portal) and UCLearn (Canvas) (your learning management system).

Get in touch

If you have questions or concerns about how to prepare for your arrival in Canberra, our team is here to help.

Simply submit your enquiry to InternationalStudent@canberra.edu.au and a friendly member of our team will get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you on our campus soon!