Your first month in Australia: a practical settle-in checklist

The first month in a new country is mostly admin. You're tired, jet-lagged, and trying to do six important things at once. We've helped a lot of students through this stage, and the same checklist tends to work for almost everyone.

Week one: the essentials

• Pick up an Australian SIM at the airport or a local store. Prepaid is fine to start with.
• Open an Australian bank account — most major banks let you start the application before you arrive.
• Apply for a Tax File Number online. You'll need it before you start any paid work.
• Activate your Overseas Student Health Cover and save the membership card to your phone.

Week two: accommodation and transport

If you arrived into temporary accommodation, the second week is usually when you start hunting for something longer term. Inspect in person where you can, take photos of any pre-existing damage, and never pay a bond into a personal account.

In Melbourne, get a Myki card and load it before your first commute. In Sydney, you'll want an Opal card. Most cities now also accept contactless bank cards on public transport.

Week three: campus and community

Attend orientation, even the parts that look optional. The friends you make in those first sessions often become your study group, your housemates, and the people you call when something goes wrong. Cultural and country-based student associations are also worth checking out, especially in the first homesick weeks.

Week four: settling into a rhythm

By week four, the goal is routine. A study schedule, a rough budget, a part-time job application or two, and a sense of which café actually does decent coffee near campus. The emotional side of moving countries usually catches up with people around now, so be kind to yourself, talk to people, and use your university's counselling services if you need them.

If you're a Target Education student, you also have us. Our onshore support continues after you arrive, and a quick message often saves a lot of stress.