Clothing, school uniform and personal items
Victoria has varied seasonal weather, so you’ll need clothing to suit. Most Victorian government schools have a school uniform. So, you will likely only need casual clothes for extra-curricular activities and weekends.
You can go to school on your first day in casual clothes. Your International Student Coordinator (ISC) will give you uniform information, as part of the orientation. You may find it cost effective to bring some basic school clothing items with you if you have them, i.e. plain dark-coloured socks, warm underclothes for winter and black leather lace-up shoes.
Don’t forget enough personal care items to last you for the first few weeks in Victoria, i.e. a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, etc. You don’t need to bring too much if you are staying in homestay accommodation as many household items are provided by the homestay family.
To help with your transition, it’s also a good idea to pack photos of family and friends, or a small reminder of home.
Medicine
Remember to pack your medicines if you are taking any. Stopping your medication without professional medical advice is dangerous and can negatively impact your health and studies.
If you need regular medicine for a medical condition (like diabetes, asthma or eczema), pack this along with a letter from your doctor and your medical history. For more information, see: Before you pack.
Money
If you are not travelling with family, it’s a good idea to bring about AUD $400 in cash for unexpected or immediate expenses. You can take our cash at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at the airport and many shopping centres.
You can also change foreign currency at currency exchanges at:
- the airport
- shopping centres
- central business districts in Melbourne and across Victoria
- some banks will also exchange foreign currency.
Customs and quarantine
The Australian Border Force has strict rules about what you can bring into Australia. These include how much money you can carry, vitamins and medicines (pharmacy or natural/traditional), food items, animal products and pets. In many cases, these types of items will be confiscated at the airport. Try to avoid bringing them with you, and always declare what you do bring on the Incoming Passenger Card given to you by the airline. Australian Border Force officers at the airport can advise you on what you can bring and what you should declare.
Victoria is a very multicultural state, we have many cultural shops, so we do not recommend bringing food from home. Ask your International Student Coordinator for the location of these multicultural shops.
For more information on the food items you can bring to Australia, see: Can you bring it in? (abf.gov.au)
Pre-travel checklist
To make your journey as smooth as possible, we have created a pre-departure checklist.
