International student support

Welcome to UNSW Canberra. From the moment you arrive, we want you to feel welcome. The Research Student Unit, counsellors and student-led organisation, Arc Canberra, can help you settle into life here. If you need advice or information, we can help with living in Canberra, personal wellbeing and academic performance.

Your student visa 

International students studying at UNSW need a confirmation of enrolment from UNSW and a visa for the length of their program. For most international students this will be a student visa, a category of visa that has different subclasses depending on the program you're studying.  

Students and their dependants can find out their visa conditions, and study and work entitlements online using VEVO, a free service that's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit VEVO or the UNSW International Support page, opens in a new window.
 

Living in Canberra 

Canberra is a modern and connected city offering big city amenities without the traffic, congestion or pollution. The median age is well below that of the Australian average, providing an opportunity to connect with like-minded peers from all over the world. Higher than national average education levels mean students in Canberra are part of a community that encourages you to learn and further your knowledge. 

Spend your free time exploring Canberra's open spaces and natural surrounds. Engage in social events such as sports, concerts and festivals. Enjoy unique access to major exhibitions and take the opportunity to learn and engage with Australia's story, past and present. Visit national cultural institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, Australian War Memorial, opens in a new window, National Museum of Australia, opens in a new window and National Library of Australia, opens in a new window. 

The Australian Government, opens in a new window requires you to have sufficient funds, opens in a new window to cover the costs of airfares, tuition fees and living costs for the duration of your stay. 

For international students, the cost of studying and living in Canberra, opens in a new window varies according to what you're studying and your personal lifestyle preferences. You should research what the costs are before you commit to ensure you have the funds to meet these requirements. 
 

Housing & accommodation 

UNSW Canberra is located near the airport on the north side of Canberra in the suburb of Campbell. There are no accommodation options on campus for non-Defence students. However, many international students choose to live off-campus in a unit, townhouse or house and will usually share the costs with other students. You'll often find advertisements for rooms in share accommodation on university noticeboards and online. If you have the budget, you may wish to rent your own place. 

To understand your rights and obligations as a tenant, we encourage you to read the Arc student group's guide to renting, opens in a new window.  

Further information on rental accommodation, opens in a new window is available.
 

Scam alert

Unfortunately, our modern digital society has an ever-increasing risk of scams. Our students are not immune to being targeted. Please be aware of the way scams work, so you can limit the risks.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission runs Scamwatch. You can use this resource to recognise, avoid and report scams.

For further information, visit www.scamwatch.gov.au, opens in a new window