Pre-Arrival Information
Follow the links on this site to find practical information to help you prepare for your time in Wollongong. You can also download a copy of our Pre-Arrival Information Booklet.
- Documents
- Clothing & Weather
- Electrical goods
- Phone
- Computer
- Money
- Time zone
- Flights
- Arrival
- Useful links
Documents
You should prepare a folder of documents to bring with you, including:
- Valid passport with student visa
- Offer of Admission letter
- electronic Confirmation of Enrolment
- Receipts of payments (tuition fees, OSHC)
- Scholarship letter (if applicable)
- Original or certified copies of your academic transcripts
- For credit exemption, all relevant documents, including syllabi for courses and subjects completed overseas
- Personal identification documents such as driver’s licence or ID card
- Medical records or prescriptions
Clothing & weather
Students usually dress casually. Jeans and sports shoes are commonly worn at university.
Summer in Wollongong and Sydney is hot and can be humid. Many students wear shorts, skirts, t-shirts and sandals. You may require a light jacket or jumper in the evenings and in air-conditioned lecture theatres.
Winter is generally mild but you will need warm clothing if arriving in July. Most private housing is not centrally heated, and heating in university accommodation may not be available or as warm as you are used to. It does not snow in Wollongong, but a warm coat or jacket is recommended. View the average temperatures.
If you are taking a course with a laboratory component, you will require covered shoes.
You should bring at least one set of semi-formal clothes. A sports coat or suit and tie for men, and dress or suit for women are necessary for some university functions. You may want to bring traditional dress for festive occasions.
Electrical goods
The electricity supply in Australia is 230-250 volts/AC 50 Hertz. Electrical goods from other countries usually need a conversion adaptor, and 100 volt appliances (shavers, hairdryers etc) cannot be used without a transformer, which can be purchased in your own country, or in Australia.
Phone
If your existing mobile phone provider has an ‘international roaming’ agreement with a network in Australia, you can use your phone to make and receive calls in Australia. However this can be expensive – your home network provider can supply you with details on charges.
You should also check that the technology and handset are supported by mobile networks in Australia. Most phones in Australia are connected to GSM networks which operate on 900MHz and 1800MHz frequencies. The Australian Communications & Media Authority has more information on technology and compatibility.
A cheaper alternative may be to purchase a ‘pre-paid’ mobile phone package in Australia:
Computer
Students have access to email, internet, software, laser printers and tuition at the Student Central Computer Laboratory. The campus has a wireless network, so students with a notebook or PDA with appropriate wireless card can connect from wireless hotspots. Wireless notebooks and network cards are available for loan from the library. Limited dial-in access to the UOW IT network is available to postgraduate research students.
Money
The exchange rate for the Australian dollar (AU$) fluctuates, depending on the foreign exchange market.
We recommend you do not carry more than $200 in cash when you arrive in Australia. This should be enough to cover incidental expenses until you arrive at your accommodation in Wollongong. There are money exchange facilities at Sydney International Airport, and you can also exchange money at banks in Wollongong (9.30am-4pm Monday-Thursday & 9.30am-5pm Friday).
You will require at least $500 in your first few weeks to cover personal expenses and textbooks. We recommend you bring this in traveller’s cheques or on a credit or international debit card.
Time zone
Wollongong is on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) – the equivalent of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +10 hours. Daylight saving is from the first Sunday in October until early April (GMT +11 hours). See conversions.
Flights
You should fly into Sydney International Airport (SYD), which is 80km from Wollongong. As a UOW international student, you can arrange free airport pick-up.
Arrival
You will need to have several documents ready to show when you arrive in Australia.
After leaving the plane, you will proceed to Immigration, where an officer will ask to see your completed Incoming Passenger Card (given to you on the plane), your passport and your student visa. You may also need to show your Offer of Admission letter, electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) and evidence that you have enough money to support yourself while studying in Australia (eg, bank statements).
Useful links
Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service
Australian Health Management (OSHC provider)
Therapeutic Goods Administration (prescription medication)
Sydney Morning Herald newspaper
