Important Information

Knowing the average living costs in Australia is an important part of your financial preparation.  

Living costs vary depending on your location within Australia, and your study and personal needs.

To find out more about calculating your everyday costs, please visit the Australian Government website Study Australia

Health insurance is compulsory for most international students who are studying in Australia (see Student Visas for further information). It is a condition of your student visa that you maintain OSHC for the duration of your studies. You must purchase your health cover from an Australian Government-approved provider.

There are costs associated with applying for a visa. This will include the visa fees and any other expense associated with it (eg. administrative costs to prepare the documents requested). See Student Visas for further information on applying for a visa.

Airfares to and from Australia are a significant expense. Once in Australia you may wish to travel domestically for study, leisure and other purposes.

It is important you are able to cover costs that may vary such as phone and utility bills, as well as being prepared for any emergency expenses. 

Students studying on an Australia Student Visa are covered by the Tuition Protection Service (TPS), an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study. The TPS ensures that international students are able to either:

• complete their studies in another course or with another education provider or
• receive a refund of their unspent tuition fees.

Sydney College of Divinity makes a compulsory payment to the Government to protect the interests of our international students.

In the event that a CoE is withdrawn by the Sydney College of Divinity on the grounds that the original offer was made on the basis of incomplete or incorrect information supplied by the international student, the college reserves the right to withhold 10% of the tuition fee paid for the first semester and to refund the balance.

The Sydney College of Divinity Refund and Withdrawal Policy has been developed in accordance with Section 28 of the ESOS Act 2000 (as amended in 2007).

SCD policies can be downloaded here

In addition to the requirements of the Threshold Standards, the Australian Government’s legal framework requires SCD to deliver quality education and a high level of care to our international students on an Australia Student Visa. The framework consists of:

• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the Act)
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (the National Code)

The below resources will help you understand your rights and responsibilities and the obligations of the Sydney College of Divinity under the ESOS framework.

• ESOS framework
• Overview of the National Code 2018
• Tuition Protection Service (TPS) information

In the higher education sector, these arrangements are primarily enforced by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), which also enforces the Threshold Standards.

The office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is an independent government agency. The FWO gives advice and support to all workers in Australia, including international students, who have the same work rights as all workers in Australia. it is safe for you to reach out to the FWO if you need help.

You won’t lose your visa by talking to the FWO as it’s not the FWO’s job to check your visa. You can get general advice from the FWO or report issues without giving your name. If you have breached your visa (like working too many hours), the FWO can still help with issues like underpayment.

If you want, the FWO can also share your information with the Department of Home Affairs, who generally won’t cancel your visa if there is evidence your workplace rights have been breached.

Call 13 13 94 to contact the FWO. You can access their services in different languages – all for free.