Your WHV to Australia or STUDENT VISA has been GRANTED? Congrats’, you have obtained THE key that will open the doors to AUSTRALIA for you!
You can finally breathe, but not for too long because now you need to get ready for your trip to Australia! Yes, you’re about to embark on one of the best adventure of your life and, as usual, we are going to help you!
Here is the best checklist to successfully prepare your trip to Australia and to avoid FORGETTING anything.
1 – INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENSE
Make sure you request your international driving License on time to obtain it before you leave. You can pre-order it on the official website of the French administration.
It is essential if you are thinking of going on a road trip or driving a 4WD on the beaches of Fraser Island!
2 – SUBSCRIBE TO INSURANCE!
Your health insurance is a MUST-have. Medical costs for visitors in Australia are extremely high and you can quickly collect debts if something happens to you. For example, 5 days in a hospital in Australia can cost up to 10,000 AUD, which represents more than 6,000 EUR.
Now you understand why insurance is important!
3 – YOUR MOBILE PHONE PLAN
Don’t forget to cancel your home mobile phone plan or to change it. Get an Australian one! Vodaphone, Optus, Telsta and so many other smaller (cheaper?) ones you can choose from. Get on there websites and start comparing plans!
4 – SCAN ALL YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Your passport, your driving license, your insurance, your ID, your Visa and so on scan everything and send it to your email address or save it on your Google drive!
5 – PAY A VISIT TO YOUR BANK
Let your banker know that you are leaving for Australia and ask them all the questions about potential partnerships with Australian banks or if they have a special plan that you could benefit from once in Australia.
While you are at it, see if you can give power of attorney to a trustworthy person like a parent. If something happens, they will be able to help you from France.
6 – CHOOSE YOUR CITY OF ARRIVAL
This will depend on your project and what you want to do in Australia. We have even prepared a little video to help you choose depending on what you want!
7 – BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
If you don’t know anyone in your city of arrival, we seriously recommend that you book your accommodation for the first few days or even for the first week. Websites like Hostelworld, Booking.com or Airbnb will help you do this easily!
8 – AIRPORT TRANSPORT
That’s the one thing we tend to forget but after 26h travelling or even more from France, that’s important! Bus, train, shuttle or Uber, you will have plenty of options depending on your city of arrival. Get some information beforehand and find the best-suited solution for you to go to your chosen accommodation.
9 – YOUR PLANE TICKET
It’s best to book in advance if you don’t want to pay a crazy price! Two tips to find the cheapest flights:
- Open your browser in Incognito/ InPrivate mode to avoid cookies that later on lead to increase in prices.
- Book your ticket outside peak hours and in the middle of the week. Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually the days where you will find the best deals.
10 – BACKPACK OR SUITCASE?
The never-ending question: backpack or suitcase? Well, that’s simple; it depends on your project in Australia. If your objective is to work or to do an internship, we recommend the suitcase! If instead you want to maximise your road trips and adventure, a backpack will be way more useful!
It’s up to you now!
You have more questions? Don’t hesitate to ask us or to register to one of our welcome meetups when you arrive in Sydney. We will give you all the tips and tricks you need to avoid scams, and on top of that there’s free breakfast ☺!
Cheers!
The StudyBird Team!
