Students with family
Before bringing your spouse or children to Australia, you need to prove that you can support them financially. Supporting a family in Melbourne is very costly. You may find it easier to come on your own first. Once you have adjusted to life in Melbourne and settled down, you can arrange for your family to join you.
Things to consider
Some issues you should consider before bringing your family are:
- airfares to and from Australia
- rent costs if you need a bigger place
- employment opportunities for your spouse can be limited
- extra costs for food, clothing and other necessities
- how it will affect your studies
- how your children will cope in an Australian school
- vacancies at child care centres
If you are an AusAID student, read AusAID students with family.
For visa information, read visas: bringing your family.
Employment for your spouse
If your spouse is on a Dependent Student visa, they can work if you are a full-time student. They will need to apply for permission to work and must follow the conditions set out in their visa.
Keep in mind that employment opportunities for your spouse can be limited. There is no guarantee that your spouse will be able to find work in Australia. You should factor this into your budget if you plan to bring your family with you.
Language support for spouses
The Language Support and Professional Development Program is free for spouses of all international students and visiting scholars. You will not only be taught general everyday English, as it includes professional support activities and excursions to places of cultural and historical interest.
Lessons cover topics such as family and friends, health, shopping, employment and current affairs. Professional support activities include seminars on finding work in Australia, preparing a resumé and visits to university and local libraries.
Everyone is welcome, even if you are a native English speaker. Feel free to bring your children along if they are under 5 years old.
If you are interested, contact Alex Younes by email or at +61 3 8344 4505.
Schooling
It is immigration policy that children on a dependant visa attend formal schooling in Australia if they are of age. Children who turn 5 years old before 1 April of that calendar year are allowed to start school in Victoria. You are responsible for school fees (unless you are exempted) and other costs including school uniforms, books, excursions and stationery.
Fee exemptions
Your dependants may be exempt from school fees if you:
- are a postgraduate research student (PhD or Masters by Research)
- receive sponsorship or scholarships from the Australian Government (e.g. Australian Development Scholarship, IPRS)
- hold a higher institution or approved non-government scholarship. These scholarships must be approved by the Victorian government for the dependants to be exempt from school fees
Please check your eligibility for fee exemption with your scholarship provider or the Victorian Government’s International Education Division.
You will need to provisionally enrol your child in a school before you leave your home country and will usually have to pay the school fees one semester in advance. The school will issue an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) stating the program and its duration, so that you can obtain the appropriate visa for your child.
The Diplomatic Mission in your country can advise you on which Victorian schools are registered to take international students. When choosing a school, ask about the school's curriculum, size, extracurricular activities and the size of individual classes. Take into consideration the distance from the school to the University, the suburb you plan to live in and your mode of transport.
For more information, go to the Victorian Government Schools International Student Program website or contact us.
Childcare
Many schools offer before- and after-school care programs (usually 7.30am to 8.45am and 3.30pm to 6pm). Children who need these programs must be registered with the school.
The University's Children's Services provides the following services:
- Day Care — full time, part time or sessional care, for children from 3 months to 5 years between 7.45am and 6pm
- Integrated Preschool Program — for children from 4 years to 5 years
- Student Rebate for child care centre fees
Students in receipt of AusAID scholarships, University of Melbourne Postgraduate Scholarships, and other awards sponsored by the Australian government may be eligible for financial assistance – Child Care Benefit, and Child Care Tax Rebate – from the Australian government. Application is through the Family Assistance Office at Centrelink.
All students are able to apply for the Student Rebate, funded by the University. However this is a means-tested rebate (based on how much the child care centre fees are), so not everyone receives a rebate.
New places in the University's childcare centres are allocated in November, to start in the following year. Waiting list applications are accepted from October onwards to be considered for this process. If spaces become available, a second round of offers is sometimes made in late January. Families seeking care midway through the year should be aware that it may be difficult to obtain centre-based childcare from May onwards. There are, usually, long waiting lists at many centres for places for children under 24 months of age. Places for older children, 3 – 5 years old, are slightly easier to obtain.