About us
International Student Services (ISS) provide support services for international students and their families. You can visit us for visa-related matters, welfare and general support, bringing your family to Australia, supervision of students who are under 18 years old. ISS is a part of Academic Enrichment Services.
What we do
International Student Support
Pre-departure
- Plan, organise and deliver pre-departure information sessions
- Recruit, interview and train student mentors and volunteers
- Update and compile information about living and studying in Australia
- Help new international students with temporary accommodation and airport reception
- Advice for students with family
- Liaise with key staff within and outside the University for students' arrivals
On Arrival
- Run orientation programs and activities
- Run a Melbourne Welcome program for incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Run International Student Briefings
- Manage the Orientation Welcome Centre
- Assist new international students with settling into Melbourne and University life
- Provide assistance to international students who arrive late
- Remind students about the support services available
- Refer international students to appropriate support services
- Liaise with key staff within the University to plan and run Orientation and Enrolment programs and activities
While Studying & Living in Melbourne
- Provide ongoing support and advice to current international students regarding welfare and wellbeing
- Provide information regarding visa and Overseas Student Health Cover related issues
- Update and alerting international students regarding important information and programs
- Lobby the University decision makers to maintain and improve the highest quality of services
- Coordinate and organising cultural events and activities for international students
- Provide volunteering opportunities for international students to get involved with our work within the University and in the Australian community
- Refer international students to appropriate support services
Returning Home
- Planning and running a Returning Home Program for international students finishing their studies and planning to return home
- Provide essential information for the international students to deal with many issues after graduations
- Encouraging international students to join the Alumni network
- Providing information on visa extensions
- Coordinating with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to run information sessions regarding skilled migration programs
- Organising farewell functions for study abroad and exchange students returning home
Family Support
Being away from your children or family members while studying and living in Australia can be very challenging. Many international students may bring their families with them to Australia while studying at the University of Melbourne.
We understand the importance of family to our international students and the impact of families on students’ academic achievement and the Melbourne Experience.
What we do to support our international students' families:
- Invite new international students' families to Pre-departure briefings (information sessions) for opportunities to meet and discuss concerns with ISS staff;
- Provide information about schooling, childcare, employment for spouses and additional financial responsibilities;
- Provide information on family visa related issues;
- Organise campus tours for parents and families;
- Organise and running a Language Support and Professional Development Program for spouses;
- Run excursion programs for spouses;
- Refer international students' families to community services; and
- Help families overseas to keep in touch with their children
Confidentiality
Information that you provide to ISS is confidential and will not be disclosed beyond our service without your permission or unless permitted or required by law.
International Student Services may be obliged to disclose personal and identifying information without your permission if:
- there is concern of the possibility of you causing harm to yourself or to another person
- we are legally obliged to do so
The University of Melbourne has a statutory obligation to comply with the Information Privacy Act (VIC) 2000 and the Health Records Act (VIC) 2001 in its treatment of personal and health information regarding students.
An individual has a right to gain access to their personal information held by the University.
The University's privacy website provides detailed information about the contact details, complaints procedures and other aspects of the University's privacy regime.
International Visitors Program
ISS also plays an important role in international visitor programs. Each year, we jointly host many international visitors including visiting scholars from overseas partner institutions and education agents to raise the profile of our world class services and facilities.
- Liaising with key staff within the University and student clubs and associations;
- Scheduling programs for visitors;
- Giving presentations to international visitors;
- Introducing international visitors to University facilities and student support services;
- Organising an Agent Day program for overseas international education agents.
For more information about the International Visitors Program, contact the International Relations Office. The International Relations Office is a member of the University Development Division within the University of Melbourne. The overall role of the division is to develop and to foster the University’s relations with internal and external constituencies.
Quality Assurance Processes
Quality assurance is the key factor of our management principle.
We believe that ongoing quality assurance will help us maintain and improve our services and programs for international students and their families. This will in turn enable us to effectively minimise transition issues, to maximise academic opportunities and to enrich the Melbourne Experience for international students and their families.
- Conducting surveys to evaluate our services and programs;
- Planning and running focus group interviews with international students;
- Measuring satisfaction levels of participants of current programs and events;
- Participating in professional development and training sessions;
- Attending conferences, seminars and workshops coordinated by the professional bodies such as ISANA: International Education Association, the representative body for professionals in Australia and New Zealand who work in international student services, advocacy, teaching and policy development in international education;
- Discussing and exchanging knowledge and experience with other people working in the role of international student adviser or student support service.