Student Support
Academic Support
Students of all abilities can feel confident at ACCM they will be fully supported to achieve their study goals at ACCM, no matter what challenges they face along the way. If you are experiencing language difficulties, are behind in your studies, at risk of failing or simply wish to improve your social skills, we have all-inclusive Student Academic Support Service programs targeted specially to help you.
These classes and sessions will provide you with support in the following areas:
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Reading and comprehension for assignments and lesson notes
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Verbal and visual presentation skills
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Referencing skills
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Researching from the Internet, journals and texts
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Ongoing practise in conversing and presenting in English
If you wish to make an appointment with our friendly academic support staff, please contact info@accm.vic.edu.au
Student Counselling services:
As per standard code 6.3 of National Code 2018, ACCM offers reasonable student counselling services to support all students to enable them to achieve expected learning outcomes. With regards to overseas students, our counselling services are available at no additional cost. Counselling can provide you with emotional support, help you understand the problems you have and assist you to find new solutions and new ways of coping. ACCM provides an opportunity for students to access welfare-related support services to assist with issues that may arise during their study, including course progress and attendance requirements. These services are free of cost. All students needing counselling, study skills assistance or practical help should make an appointment with the Student Support Services Officer. An appointment can be made in person or by emailing, student support officer at info@accm.vic.edu.au. Requiring assistance with course progress should contact the student support services as soon as possible.
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Grievance/conflict resolution
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Relationship issues
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Stress and coping
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Access and equality issues
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Student welfare and support
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Study skills advice
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Referrals to other agencies/professionals
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Crisis resolution
For more emergency services numbers visit:
http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=4518
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/mental-health-services/telephone-and-online-services
Emergency Fire Police Ambulance - 000 (zero, zero, zero)
State Emergency Services (SES) - 132 500
Non-Emergency Police - 131 444, 9247 6666
Poisons Information Centre [24 hours] - 131 126
Lifeline: 24-hour service - 131 114
Melbourne & Avalon international Airport Taxi:
Taxis are easily available from all international airports and accredited by the government and safe. You can also pre book the taxi from different provider, for more information please visit these websites:
https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/Passengers/Parking/Ground-transport-options/Taxis
Avalon International Airport Taxi:
This Airport is very close to Geelong and flying made easy, and offers passengers a convenient, uncomplicated and time-efficient service through pocket-friendly fares. In 2018 Avalon Airport launched its state-of-the-art international terminal, with AirAsia flights to Kuala Lumpur, and in 2020 introduced Citilink flights to Bali.
https://www.avalonairport.com.au/getting-to-avalon/taxis
Living Information-Geelong
The second-largest city in Victoria, this suburban hub is home to over 160,000 people and is home to some of the country’s best-known companies, including Ford, the Geelong Football Club, and the CSIRO. There are a number of shopping centres in the city including a Westfields shopping centre and a number of pubs and clubs are scattered around Geelong also. Families will enjoy the fact that there are both public and private schools in Geelong as well as a TAFE and Deakin University. A horse racing club, harness racing club, basketball team, and athletics centre provide an outlet for sporting enthusiasts, and there are facilities for water skiing, rowing, fishing, and hiking as well. For entertainment, Geelong plays host to a variety of festivals every year and is home to a performing arts centre and an art gallery. The prime first date location is Eastern Beach. Within your first year, you’ll have either taken your ACCM or be taken down to park at Eastern Beach for a ‘romantic’ first date, complete with ice cream and a ride on the Ferris wheel.
Accommodation in Geelong
Geelong offers a wide variety of accommodation to suit students in either shared houses or private residences that can hold an entire family. Choose from an apartment living in the cosmopolitan inner city, or a spacious house or unit with a garden in the picturesque suburbs. It’s a city renowned for its high-quality, safe student accommodation in a range of settings.
Living Information Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and Australia’s second-largest city. Focused around a central city, Greater Melbourne’s area of approximately 9900 km² of suburbs spread more than 40 km to the south, 30 km to the east, 20 km to the north, and sprawl across vast, flat basalt plains to the west.
The municipality of Melbourne includes metropolitan Melbourne’s innermost suburbs, including the central city. Our municipality is around 37 km² and shares its borders with seven other councils. The municipality of Melbourne is the gateway to Victoria, the seat of the Victorian Government, and the headquarters of many local, national, and international companies, peak bodies, and government and non-government agencies.
http://www.realestate.com.au/share
http://flatmates.com.au/
http://www.domain.com.au
Accommodation in Melbourne:
Variety of accommodation to suit students in either shared houses or private residences that can hold an entire family. Living in Australia on a visa can mean you face certain restrictions. If you are a student visa holder, you and your dependent family members have permission to work included with your visa, but there are certain conditions you may need to adhere to, such as the number of hours you are able to work. It’s important to ensure you don’t breach the work conditions that apply to your visa.
Before and After Arrival in Australia – International Students
You have made a very important life decision to study at ACCM and we look forward to welcoming you. International students who are going to apply for their visas should read the following information and be prepared before arriving in Australia.
Applying to an Institution Offering CRICOS Registered Courses for International students.
ACCM is an accredited and approved education provider with a CRICOS registration, and international students seeking enrolment into ACCM and applying for a student visa can verify this by visiting the
Financial requirements: Please visit this website
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019L01366
GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) Requirements.
It is important that students applying to study in Australia on a student visa are aware of the GTE requirements issued by the Department of Home Affairs. For more information https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500/genuine-temporary-entrant
Health Insurance for International Students – OSHC
Students applying for a student visa must have adequate health insurance cover while in Australia and must not arrive in Australia before their health insurance starts. If you are in Australia and do not have adequate health insurance, you are in breach of your student visa conditions. You need to purchase the OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover) from insurance providers, or as an alternative, ACCM can arrange to obtain the required health cover for you. Students may opt for this service at no additional service fee cost, apart from paying for the actual insurance cover that is arranged from third-party insurance companies.
Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)
Once you have been granted a visa and arrived safely in Australia, please ensure you check that your visa details and conditions are all correct (including your passport details, date of birth, and class of visa) by visiting:
Unique Student Identifier (USI)
Whether you are an international student or a domestic student who is undertaking nationally accredited training (including a vocational course such as a Certificate or Diploma course), you will need a USI number with effect from 1st January 2015.
For more information and how to register please visit:
https://www.usi.gov.au/about
https://www.usi.gov.au/students/create-your-usi
Please watch this video for how to apply:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD8eXcYvlNk
Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework
ACCM’s international students undertake their course of study in Australia in a safe environment. The Australian Government has regulations in place to ensure students enjoy quality education within the fair legal and consumer protection framework. The ESOS Act 2000 gives international students the policies, legislation, and standards they should be aware of while a student at an education provider. For more information, please visit the
https://www.dese.gov.au/esos-framework
Orientation Day, Time, and Location:
This is a good practice to get familiar with your study campus and its educational environment, students must have to come for orientation, which is mandatory. orientation date and time will be communicated to students via emails
Australian Immigration, Customs, and Quarantine at Melbourne or Avalon Airport:
When you arrive in Australia, you must present your passport, passenger card, and student visa evidence. When you have completed the entry stamping, you will then move to baggage claim to retrieve your luggage. Australia is one of the countries that have strict quarantine laws and tough on-the-spot fines. Every piece of luggage could be screened, and it is mandatory to declare certain goods that you may be carrying. If you fail to declare or dispose of any quarantine items, or make a false declaration, in addition to on-the-spot fines, you could be prosecuted and fined more than AU$60,000 and risk 10 years in prison. All international mail is also screened. For more information about goods that are not allowed.
You should be ready with these Documents during immigration:
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valid passport with student visa copy
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offer letter from ACCM
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Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) issued by ACCM
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OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) policy
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Receipts of payments (e.g., tuition fees, OSHC, bank statements, etc.)
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Original or certified copies of your academic transcripts and qualifications
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Other personal identification documents, e.g., birth certificate, ID card, driver’s license
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Medical records and/or prescriptions
If you are traveling with your family you will need to include their documents as well.
Bringing Family with you:
Most student visas allow you to bring your family members to Australia as your dependents. Family members include your spouse, your children, or your spouse’s dependent children. Before bringing your spouse or children to Australia, you must prove that you can support them financially. The cost of supporting a family in Australia is very high.
Geelong Child Care:
Child care facilities in Australia are world class and expensive. Finding suitable childcare in Australia requires patience and planning. Waiting lists for places in most childcare centres are long. at extra charge: Many schools offer before and after school care programs (usually 7:30am–8:45am and 3:30pm–6:00pm). Children who need these programs must be registered with the school.
Geelong Schools:
If you would like to bring your children to Australia with you, you must be aware of the following schooling issues:
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You will be responsible for school fees and other costs including school uniforms, books, excursions, and stationery
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It is an immigration policy that school-age dependants of international students undertake formal schooling while they are in Australia.
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Children who have their fifth birthday on or before 31 July of that calendar year are eligible to start school.
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You will need to provisionally enroll your child in a school before you leave your home country and you will normally have to pay the school fees one semester in advance. The school will issue an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment Form (COE) stating the program and its duration so that you can obtain the appropriate visa for your child.
For more information on schools enrolling international students in Melbourne, visit:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/Pages/default.aspx
Living Expenses
The cost of living in Australia will vary depending on your choice of accommodation and the suburb. More information may be accessed by visiting this https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/english/live-in-australia/living-costs
How Much to Bring
You will need to make sure you have access to sufficient funds to support you when you first arrive. It is recommended that you have approximately AU$2000
Currency Exchange
Different countries having variable exchange rates according to the countries’ economic values. If you have not brought Australian dollars with you, then you must convert your money into dollars. There are Currency Exchange depots available at the airports. For exchange rate please check this website: www.westernunion.com.au
ATMs:
ATMs are widely available at airports or Geelong and all major international credit cards (VISA/MasterCard/AMEX) are accepted in Australia. At the first visit, it will be good for you to bring some Cash with you for initial expenses.
Please refer to the limits applied by the Department of Home Affairs for Cash and dutiable goods. Please visit: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Pages/PageNotFoundError.aspx?requestUrl=https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/EnteringorleavingAustralia/Documents/english-ipc-sample.pdf
What else to bring?
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Australian power adapter, Umbrella, Bringing Your Computer and Mobile phones, Pair of shoes, Clothes for summer and winter.
After Arrival Settle into Australian Lifestyle
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Opening a Bank Account. Most banks are offering free accounts services and several banks which would allow international students to open a bank account. You will need to provide information including Student ID, Passport, Visa copy, and any other documents that may be requested.
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You will need to apply for Tax File Number (TFN). This is required when seeking to work, as employers will need to deduct tax and pay against your TFN.
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Ensure you inform your OSHC provider of the date of your arrival so the insurance cover starts the day of arrival or ACCM will inform the OSHC provider if we arrange a cover for you.
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You will have more information in Orientation on your first day at ACCM.