Macquarie University

Macquarie's guide for living and studying in Sydney

Please note: the following tips have been provided by students who have studied abroad in Australia - Global Opportunities recommends that you use these as a guide only and do your own research on what is best for you.

Money and Banking: 

• Definitely set up an Australian bank account - I used CommBank. If you get a job, make sure to claim back your tax before you leave Australia and while you still have an Australian phone number, otherwise you'll have huge difficulties like I did!

• I set up and Australian bank account, which my college helped me do. 

• I set up a bank account before I left for Australia with a bank called ANZ. I transferred my spending money in one lump sum before I left, which was both useful (no repeat international transfer fees) but also difficult as I hadn't realised how expensive Sydney would be. I also ordered a debit card online which I picked up a week or so after arriving (I made sure to bring enough cash with me to last until I could access my account).

• I got a Monzo account before I left, as they don't charge you for using your card abroad! So I used that until I got an Australian bank account set up - it was surprisingly easy to do that - I went to ANZ (you just need your passport, address and an Australian phone number to set up an account), and then transferred money from Monzo to my Australian ANZ account 

• I got a Monzo card before I left - a god send! No fees or exchange rates, just tap your card and GBP will be transferred into the local currency with no hidden fees. Then when I found my feet I set up a bank account with Commonwealth so that i could pay for my phone bill and get paid from my job. 

Staying Connected: 

• I bought a pay monthly Australian sim, then changed my UK package to the cheapest possible one I could find just so I could keep my UK number active for when I came home. 

• I bought an overseas package with my UK mobile provider. 

• As a year long exchange student, it worked out cheaper to buy a new SIM. I did get a new phone in Australia (I bought one there in case there were any issues with unlocking the phone), but I took advantage of a good deal by JB Hifi (entertainer/goods shop) and Telstra to buy it. Mobile plans are pretty expensive in Australia if you want to get a decent amount of data - I'm pretty sure texts and such to other Aussie numbers are always free though. But a number of semester students chose not to buy a phone/SIM. 

• Because I was on a Vodafone Global Traveller plan I was able to use my phone in Australia at no extra cost which was very helpful, but because you need an Australian number to set up various things (such as a bank account) I bought a basic pay-as-you-go Australian SIM for that purpose, and just put $20 on it which lasted the whole year. Most people I know got more comprehensive SIM packages for good prices, and they are really easy to set up. At the University of Sydney you can find Vodafone, the Commonwealth Bank, health services and basically anything you need which is great! And of course you can find more options and alternatives at shopping centres etc. 

• I was with the network '3' before I left the UK. They have a 'go roam' feature where you can use your phone abroad for 3 months at no extra cost. I used this until I got a SIM with 'Optus' who do great SIM deals. Always best to go with an unlocked phone. Over Christmas I earned enough tips at work to buy a brand new unlocked phone that I have now brought back to the UK and simply put in a UK SIM - easy! 

Food: 

• Coles or Aldi in Broadway Shopping Centre are the best places to shop! The food on campus is extremely expensive so try to avoid if you want to save money. There's so many amazing restaurants of all different cuisines to try, especially around Newtown - some favourites of mine were Hanoi on King which did the most amazing pho, and Newtown Pork Roll which have the best banh mi. (Sydney)

• I stayed at a residential college so meals were catered for and included. However I was able to buy random bits of food from supermarkets such as IGA, Coles and Woolworths. The university had lots of cafes and food places on campus. (UWA)

• Most exchange students would go to the local shopping centre, Broadway, for our general food shop - shops like Coles or Aldi. But there are loads of places for takeaway or to have a meal in if you're willing to explore a bit.  (Sydney)

• I went grocery shopping at either Coles or Woolworths, both of which are your classic supermarkets. Despite the huge meat culture in Australia, I went 100% vegetarian when I got to Australia and by the time I left was on a vegan diet. It is definitely possible to be veggie/vegan in Australia, I would hugely recommend going to Newtown (10 minutes walk from the university) - it has the best vegan food and I miss it a lot! And of course, places like Bondi have great options too.  (Sydney)

• Aldi is your cheapest option - there's a large one in Broadway shopping centre right by USYD campus! Woolworths is a great blast from the past too but its not like our woolies, its a supermarket. (Sydney)

Paperwork and bureaucracy: 

• It really wasn't that bad! Global Programmes at York are so helpful and the host university is very used to dealing with study abroad students so they have all sorts of helpful structures in place to assist you! 

• Keeping it all in a folder in a safe place and writing down deadlines. 

• I didn't have too much paper work to deal with fortunately, but the main way I dealt with it was by setting a lot of reminders on my phone, and I would chat to friends if I needed help. 

What I wished I'd known...: 

• Get a job! Your savings will run out much faster than you think due to the high cost of living, but jobs pay so much out there (I was getting equivalent of £15 an hour as a waitress). It makes travelling much more accessible too when you have an income.

• Travel as much as you can and don't keep putting things off. Australia is so far away you probably won't be in that area of the world again soon and your time will go so fast! I got to the last month of my year and still had so many places I wanted to go, but unfortunately never got round to them before I left.

• I had such an amazing experience and did so much with my time before COVID-19. I wish I probably saved up some more money so I could have travelled around more before quarantine kicked in. 

• I wish I'd known how fast my time would go. There are a lot of experiences I wish I could have had, but never got the chance to because I kept putting them off (and then lost an entire semester). And that I shouldn't have been so stubborn in some of my plans, because that meant I missed out on some experiences with friends and the opportunities for deeper friendships. 

• Don't miss the deadline for on-campus accommodation like I did! I ended up having to spend 6-months in Urbanest (off-campus student accommodation). It is ridiculously overpriced and not that friendly. Also, all the friends I was making from other British/European universities, as well as the local Australians, were based on campus and I felt I was missing out a little. That being said, I did make friends in Urbanest - two of whom I now would consider best friends so it worked out fine! 

• Your life does not exist solely within the university, the best friends I made were with locals and people I worked with! Its more than just studying abroad - you're living abroad too so make a whole life for yourself!