Student life outline

1 Things to consider at University

1.1 Choose your courses based on your long-term plan

To get most from your university life, you need to plan ahead and prioritize your time. An unclear path may obstruct your long-term plans.

• Prioritise according to your goals, if you want to go on to do research your priority might be your scores and thesis. If you aim to go straight into workplace, enriching your resume and building work experience may be more practical
• Utilise your degree handbook
• How many credits do you need and how will you spread them out?
• What prerequisites are required for the courses you want to/must take?
• Enquire about courses to seniors, a mentor etc. Ask them what skills are important, which they would recommend and set yourself up to perform well efficiently
• Make a practical long-term plan

To know:

• Usually, core courses are compulsory and are often more difficult, and elective courses are comparatively easier
• Most universities will allow you to drop out or change courses within the first two weeks if problems arise
• some popular courses might be competitive so apply early
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help from people around you

1.2 Australian university education style

In Australia, the learning culture is student-oriented; you are encouraged to use your critical thinking and challenge ideas

• Teamwork ability is an essential skill
• Critical thinking is encouraged, don’t be afraid to question
• Australia has a low power distance culture which means students are welcome to challenge ideas
• Assignments play a vital role in your academic performance, and your assignments should be taken seriously

https://insiderguides.com.au/6-things-australian-learning-culture/#:~:text=Australian%20schools%20value%20original%20thinking,by%20the%20memorization%20of%20textbooks”

1.3 Academic Integrity
In Australia, Academic misconduct is a very serious matter.

• There is zero tolerance to plagiarism (can result in expulsion)
• You must reference if you are referring others point of view

Below are some examples:

• Misconduct during examinations
• Plagiarism
• Contract cheating (or “Ghostwriting”) 
• Submitting falsified documents to the university, such as medical certificates or altered transcripts

https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism

Tips

• Don’t share your homework or papers with friends
• Self-plagiarism is also a kind of plagiarism
• If you can use a plagiarism checker such as turn-it in

 

 

2.1 General

– Create a routine, there is no one who wakes up motivated everyday, without habits we end up procrastinating, leaving things till the last minute and building things up

– Study efficiently, while you will have to dedicate a significant amount of time to studying figure out what method works the best for you and adjust accordingly. Take the subject into consideration, some courses may require more memorization while others may require more abstract thinking, prepare for these differences. If you have access to previous exam questions, use them!

– Find the right environment, studying in the right place around the right people can make a huge difference – choose study partners wisely and create an environment where it’s easy to switch on

– Make a plan, being organized will help you to keep track of your assignments, your fun nights out etc. Planning in advance will help you optimize your time

2.2 Health

While many skip out on sleep, nutrition, exercise and mental wellbeing in the name of academic success this will only hurt you. Not only will you not perform as well, this can have long-lasting effects on your future life. Make sure to find the right balance in your life. Listed below are some things to take care of:

Sleep – As far as we know, every single function in the body is optimized by sleep including the mental ones. A lack of sleep has been proven to negatively impact mood, logical thinking ability, memory retention and recall, attention and mental health just to name a few.

Nutrition and exercise – so often the link between physical and mental wellbeing is undermined, the way you treat your body directly impacts mental wellbeing and your capacity to learn well. It is worth it to take some time to care for your physical health!

Mental health – University can be an extremely stressful period of your life, especially if you are away from home. Practise mindfulness, spend time with other people, engage in hobbies or relaxing things for yourself, give yourself breathing room.

 

If you are facing some financial problems, it might be a good idea to find a part-time job. In Australia, students can work up to 40 hours every two weeks with a minimum wage of $19.84 per hour

• Apply for a TFN(tax file number)

If you want to find a part-time job, the first thing you need to do is to apply your TFN,

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/tax-file-number/apply-for-a-tfn/

Usually, you can get your TFN within two weeks, and the official website recommends that “You should receive your TFN within 28 days.”

• Check your visa conditions

You can find your visa conditions here

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions/see-your-visa-conditions?product=500#

or check your work condition with VEVO

https://online.immi.gov.au/evo/firstParty?actionType=query

Most students will only be permitted to work up to 40 hours in a fortnight (14 days)

• Find a part-time job

In Australia, the minimum hourly wage in Australia is $19.84

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/minimum-workplace-entitlements/minimum-wages

Sales and hospitality can be a good start if you don’t have experience

Usually, there are five ways you can find a job

• Online:

https://www.gumtree.com.au/jobs

https://www.yeeyi.com/forum/index.php?app=forum&act=display&fid=161(Chinese)

http://www.jinriaozhou.com/(Chinese)

Some supermarket positions are on the company websites such as Aldi Coles Woolworths, you can visit their official website, and their information is also published on The Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

https://www.dese.gov.au/covid-19/jobs-hub/find-employers-hiring-now

• Facebook groups
• Walk-in

Walk into the shop and ask if there is any vancany, hand in your resume

• Referral

 

Tips: Apply for a tax return at the end of financial year

In Australia, you can get a tax return at the end of the financial year, and paying tax on this income, you will generally receive all of this tax back as a refund

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/tax-file-number/apply-for-a-tfn/

Tips

Students are considered as residents

You can download ATO app which can make it easy to lodge your tax return.

4.1 Bulid social relationships

To take care of your mental wellbeing but also have some fun in your time in Australia, join groups and societies who have similar interests. Engage in the society around you and enjoy your hobbies and make friends.

4.2 Build professional relationships

Our society is very competitive and employers are looking for people who have proven their potential and can work collaboratively. Building relationships with professionals and participating in internships etc. will help you find a job that is suited to you and help you to get to know the kinds of skills that are required etc. You might consider spending some time creating and cultivating these links. They may be able to help you in the future or provide a reference for your CV. You an do this in many ways: internships, professional year programs, volunteering as student members of professional societies etc.

 

4.2.1 Join professional associations

In Australia, there are many professional societies you can join. Some organizations hold regular meetings which provide university students with an excellent chance to meet industry professionals. Some groups provide eMentoring programs to connect senior engineers with students. Check for any professional associations in your field.

 

4.2.2 Join a professional year

In Australia, students in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering are eligible to apply for a professional year, which a practical way to help graduates to obtain practical experience and build their professional connections. Furthermore, you can get extra five points if you intend to immigrate Australia in the future.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table

The government recognizes the professional year if provided by one of the following organisations:

• IT students

https://www.acs.org.au/

• Accounting students

https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/

https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/

https://www.publicaccountants.org.au/

Engineering students

• https://www.eeaust.com.au/

 

According to the Australian government:
Living expenses

• Groceries and eating out – $140 to $280 per week
• Gas, electricity – $10 to $20 per week
• Phone and Internet – $15 to $30 per week
• Public transport – $30 to $60 per week
• Car (after purchase) – $150 to $260 per week
• Entertainment – $80 to $150 per week

The major cost of accommodation varies largely across different cities and universities. It is recommended that you do some research to get a general idea for your case.

Appendix

Email etiquette

In Australia, emails are commonly used in university, these tips might help you:

• Use your university email account when sending emails to academic staff. This will guarantee that they receive the email (it won’t go into a spam/junk folder).
• Include an appropriate subject heading.
• Address academic staff appropriately and politely. • you can use the following format: 1. state the problem by being specific and detailed 2. include the question relevant to the problem 3. justify why an answer is needed 4. if a response required, politely ask for one.
• Always express gratitude
• Sign with your full name
• Proofread the email
• Allow adequate time for a reply
• Before sending an email to a tutor, consult with the course details and other materials to see if the question can be answered