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Australia Awards
- Overview
- Arriving in Australia
- Your entitlements
- Your study
- Support
- Your stay in Australia
- Completing your scholarship
Arriving in Australia
Airport pick up
As part of your Australia Awards scholarship, we will arrange to pick you up at Sydney Airport and transfer you to your accommodation. Once you have accepted your University place and scholarship offer, and your flight has been booked, the International Sponsorships team will be in contact to arrange your pickup.
Accommodation
Temporary
The International Sponsorships team can organise temporary accommodation for you, however you need to cover the full cost of this yourself. We encourage you to look for accommodation yourself, with many options available near the University. We will also invite you to join our Facebook group where you can get in touch with current students who can share helpful advice on temporary and permanent living arrangements.
Permanent
The International Sponsorships team can help you with your search for permanent accommodation. You have a choice of on-campus and off-campus accommodation. Generally, Australia Awards students will choose to live off campus, with the University well serviced by public transport.
We recommend you don’t commit to permanent accommodation without having inspected it first. You will arrive ahead of the start of semester, allowing enough time to find accommodation once you arrive in Sydney. You can start considering your options before you arrive.
Arrival information session
Once you arrive in Sydney, you will meet in person with your SCO on the Camperdown Campus. We will contact you before you get here to arrange the meeting time.
During this meeting we will:
- help you with your arrival needs
- give you information about your scholarship and the University to help you settle in
- give you your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) card
- take you to the bank to open your account and access your establishment allowance
- arrange an enrolment session
- help you arrange a public transport concession card
- help you with your scholarship finance matters.
Introductory Academic Program (IAP)
As a new Australia Awards student, you need to attend an Introductory Academic Program (IAP). This four-week program is designed to prepare you for study in Australia and covers important information about your scholarship conditions and support services available.
The program consists of two parts:
- University of Sydney Welcome program
- Advanced Skills for Academic Success (ASAS) program.
We will give you a full outline of the program during your arrival information session.
At both sessions you will have the opportunity to network, meet new and continuing students, make friends and participate in excursions and other social activities.
Welcome program
The two-day Welcome program is run by the International Sponsorships team.
We will introduce you to important University services and contacts, and tell you about issues such as Overseas Student Health Cover, banking, welfare, safety and security, and Sydney’s transport system.
Advanced skills for academic success
After your Welcome program you will complete the ASAS program (pdf, 115KB). The intensive full-day sessions are completed over a four-week period and run by the University’s Centre for English Teaching (CET).
The program will reinforce your skills in academic writing, reading, note-taking, critical thinking, seminars, effective presentation methods and the use of information technology.
Preparation programs
You may need to complete a preparation program before starting your University course. This will be outlined in your scholarship contract. Preparation programs range from short bridging courses to degrees of up to 12 months. In some situations, you may arrive in Australia outside the regular Australia Award intakes. For more information, contact the International Sponsorships team.
Biostatistics bridging program
The Biostatistics Bridging Program is a two-week bridging course run by the Learning Hub (Mathematics) for students undertaking a program that requires the study of statistics. The course aims to review the basic mathematics needs of students and to develop an intuitive understanding of some fundamental statistical concepts. The course is offered once a year, in the two weeks before Semester 1 commences.
You need to complete the program if you are undertaking the following University of Sydney degrees:
- Master of International Public Health
- Master of HIV, STIs and Sexual Health (including a combination of this degree with the Master of Philosophy)
- Master of Health Psychology
- Master of Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology)
- veterinary science and veterinary studies programs.
The course is covered by your scholarship if this is outlined in your scholarship contract. The International Sponsorships team will organise for you to attend the program and provide you with information at your Arrival Information Session.
Pre-Course English (PCE) program
In some situations when your Australia Awards scholarship is confirmed by your country’s Australia Awards Office, you may meet all of the University entrance requirements for your course except the English language proficiency.
If this is the case, you may need to complete a Pre-Course English (PCE) program run by the Centre for English Teaching CET.
PCE programs range from five weeks to six months or longer in special circumstances. You need to satisfy the PCE program passing requirements detailed in your scholarship contract to continue to your University program.
Foundation program
When your Australia Awards scholarship is confirmed by your country’s Australia Awards Office, in some situations your high school qualifications may not meet direct entry requirements for our undergraduate programs.
If this is the case, you may need to complete our Foundation program run by Taylors College.
Most of our Foundation programs take 12 months to complete. You need to satisfy the Foundation program requirements detailed in your scholarship contract conditions to continue to your University program.
Last updated: 13 March 2024
