DFAT Australia Awards

Congratulations on receiving your Australia Award Scholarship and we look forward to welcoming you to the Australian National University.

You will be notified once an offer has been made by your local DFAT representative. Please follow the instructions provided in the offer letter to complete and sign the following documents:

• ANU Offer Acceptance Declaration form
• ANU Acceptance form
• Any additional documents which may have been requested

You will need to return these forms via email on the address indicated on  your offer letter as soon as possible. 

*Further informational guides can be found under the 'Reference Documents' box on the top right hand corner of this page. 
 

Can I arrive on a weekend or a public holiday?

We strongly recommend that you arrive on a weekday (Monday to Friday during business hours) so that we can organise airport pick-up and temporary accommodation accordingly.

What can I bring?

Australia has strict quarantine laws to protect its valuable agriculture industries and unique environment. Before you travel, find out what you can't take into Australia via the links below:

• Department of Home Affairs - 'Travel and Crossing the border'
• Department of Agriculture and Water Resources - 'Travelling to Australia'

When entering Australia, all passengers must complete an 'Incoming Passenger Card' and declare whether they are carrying any food, plant material or animal products. If in doubt, always declare.

• Other items that must be declared include: Medicines and any cash currency worth over AUD $10,000.

NOTE: If you are using prescribed medication, contact the nearest Australian diplomatic mission to confirm that the medicines and the amount are permitted. You should also bring a letter from your doctor with details and purpose of the medication.

• It is prohibited to carry illicit drugs.

Our Sponsored Students officers will assist you in facilitating temporary accommodation and airport pickup on arrival - if requested. Our officers will meet students at the airport and transport you either to your temporary accommodation or the University - whichever is more appropriate at the time of your arrival.

NOTE: Please submit the Temporary Accommodation & Airport Pickup form (even if you have organised your own arrangement) at least 3 weeks before arriving in Australia. You can find this form under the 'Reference Documents' box above, once completed please forward the form to:

Crawford Students

• nooraishah.zainuddin@anu.edu.au or
• lam.hua@anu.edu.au

All other students

• australia.awards@anu.edu.au 

Accommodation Organised by ANU

The Australia Awards Team will be able to organise temporary accommodation for you. We also encourage students to seek out accommodation independently also as we have a limited number of places. The offer of temporary accommodation is for the Australia Award recipient only, unfortunately, we cannot extend the offer to other students, partners or children. Please note, you will be responsible for all costs associated with temporary accommodation (this will not be funded by your scholarship).

Students who wish to apply for permanent accommodation on campus please refer to the Applying for Permanent Accommodation section.

ANU guarantees all undergraduate and postgraduate students accommodation contracts, pending when they are starting their studies. If you are starting in Semester 1 you can find information relating to applying for accommodation here. If you are commencing study in Semester 2 please read over this page.

There are a multitude of different accommodation options available, shared rooms, self-catered and catered, please use this page to look over the many options available. 

Cancellation Policy

Confirmed bookings for temporary accommodation require payment for the entire period. Please be aware that if you arrive after your check in date or wish to check out prior to the contract end date, you will be still fully liable for the full payment. 

Self-Organised Temporary Accommodation

Students can organise their own temporary accommodation off campus prior to arriving in Australia, the following services may be helpful:

The Village Hostels: https://thevillagehostels.com.au/canberra/

Dickson Backpackers: https://dickson-central-hostel.getcanberrahotels.com/en/

Uni Gardens: https://unigardens.com.au/

Canberra Accommodation Centre: https://www.canberra-accommodation.com.au/

Off Campus Accommodation

ANU residential halls and colleges provide accommodation mainly for single students. This means that if you are bringing your partner or family with you, you will need to find rental accommodation off campus. You can also look into off campus accommodation if you are a single student.

Rental properties are in short supply and high demand in Canberra. Also, be aware of accommodation scams, and never sign a contract without viewing the property first. If you are not single and want to bring your partner or family out to Australia, you are recommended to arrive alone and have your family join you once you have secured accommodation for your family.

Off campus accommodation can be:

• Renting a property for yourself (and family if applicable)
• Sharing a rental property with one or more unrelated people
• Share house
• Boarding, renting a room with a local family.

More information on off campus accommodation can be found here.

Overseas Health Cover (OSHC)

During your Introductory Academic Program (IAP) a member from Alliance Health Insurance will attend to help you understand your health coverage and how to order a membership card.

Your OSHC policy number is your 7-digit ANU Student ID number ending with ANU, eg:1234567ANU. 

Money and Banking

Students will need to have an Australian Bank Account to receive their Contribution to Living Expenses. We have arrangements with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ANU Campus Branch to help you set up your account prior to your arrival. We will send all this information through to your email before you depart your home country. 

IAP

The Introductory Academic Program (IAP) is mandatory and intended to provide awardees with support during their first weeks in Australia. These sessions assist in preparing students for study in Australia, to enhance their ability to meet the demands of their studies and maximise the likelihood of completing their course by scholarship completion date. These sessions are not voluntary, and attendance will be marked and passed on to the Australia Awards Team, please avoid making appointments during the IAP sessions, if you are unable to attend a session please contact the Australia Awards Team.

The Pre-Sessional Program (PSP) aims to prepare students who may be embarking on graduate coursework for the first time or may have been away from formal studies for a significant period. It ensures students can adjust to the academic culture and expectations of graduate study. 

Contact Details

Australia Awards Team

australia.awards@anu.edu.au

Di Riddell Student Centre, Building 154 University Avenue, Acton ACT 2601

Australia Awards Crawford Team

Nooraishah Zainuddin nooraishah.zainuddin@anu.edu.au or Lam Que Hua Lam.Hua@anu.edu.au 

132 Lennox Crossing, Acton ACT 2601