What It's Really Like to Live in Australia: A Practical Guide for Pacific Island Students and Families

Moving to a new country is one of the most exciting and challenging things a person can do. For students from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines arriving in Australia for the first time, the experience is often described in two words: different and wonderful. Sometimes in that order. Sometimes simultaneously.

This guide is written for students — and the parents watching their children take this step — who want a clear, practical picture of what daily life in Australia actually looks like. No sugarcoating. No unnecessary alarm. Just the useful information that helps you settle in faster and more confidently.

The First Week: Practical Priorities

Before anything else, there are a few practical things to sort out in your first week. Get a SIM card — Optus and Woolworths Mobile are popular with international students for their affordable plans. Open a bank account — Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, and Westpac all have accounts designed for international students, and you can often open one before you arrive. Register with your institution's international student services team — they are there to help you and are an underused resource.

Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as soon as possible, especially if you plan to work. Every employer will ask for one.

Getting Around

Australian cities have good public transport systems. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth all have train, bus, and ferry networks. Get the local transport card for your city — Opal in Sydney, Myki in Melbourne, go card in Brisbane — and keep it topped up. Ride-share apps like Uber and DiDi are widely used and often cheaper than taxis for shorter trips.

Food and Groceries

The main supermarkets are Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi. Aldi is consistently the cheapest option for everyday groceries. In cities with significant Pacific Island communities — Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne — you will find Pacific-specific grocery stores, churches, and community groups that can make you feel more at home.

Eating out frequently is expensive in Australia. Most students find that cooking at home, sharing costs with housemates, and finding the local markets makes a significant difference to their weekly budget.

Health and OSHC

As an international student, you are required to hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your visa. This covers you for visits to GPs, hospital treatment, and some medications. To see a doctor, search for a bulk-billing GP clinic near you — bulk billing means the Medicare schedule fee is billed directly to your OSHC insurer, and you pay nothing out of pocket.

If you feel unwell — physically or mentally — do not wait. Australia has excellent healthcare and students have access to more support services than many realise. Your institution's student services team can help connect you with counselling, crisis support, and welfare services.

Working While You Study

As an international student, your visa allows you to work a set number of hours per fortnight during your studies and full-time during scheduled course breaks (confirm the current conditions with your registered migration agent, as work rights may change). Australia has strong minimum wage protections — every worker, regardless of visa status, is entitled to the national minimum wage and cannot legally be paid less.

Common student jobs include retail, hospitality, tutoring, cleaning, and aged care support work. In high-demand fields like aged care, students with relevant qualifications can often find paid work relatively quickly.

Homesickness Is Real — And Normal

Almost every international student from the Pacific experiences homesickness at some point. Missing family, familiar food, the sounds and rhythms of home — it is a completely normal part of the experience. What helps: staying connected with family via WhatsApp and video calls, finding your Pacific community in your city, keeping busy with study and work, and being kind to yourself in the adjustment period.

Ferguson's team is also here for you throughout your studies — not just at enrolment. If you are struggling, reach out to us. We have been through this journey with thousands of students and are here to help.