International student orientation

Make sure you book your flights to arrive at least one week before your course starts. This also means you will arrive in time to attend your TAFE International Orientation Session.

Take some time to visit the Living in NSW section on this website or download the Guide to Studying and Living in Australia. In the guide you will find useful information about health, safety and work.

We will talk about your enrolment at orientation. Your International Customer Experience Coordinator will help you.

Typically, the orientation will cover the following:

• A welcome and introduction to TAFE NSW.
• Enrolment procedures.
• Visa regulations.
• Working in Australia - your rights as an employee.
• Information on counselling and career services.
• Study skills - what these are and how we can support you.
• Student support services.
• Accommodation information - helpful tips and tricks.
• Library resources to support your study success.
• Overseas health cover to keep you safe and healthy.
• Banking - how it works and what you need to know.
• Safety tips for your new Australian life.
• Local places of interest to keep you having fun in your spare time.
• Question and answer sessions (Q&A).
• Campus tours to help you to get to know your campus environment.

Orientation sessions are a great way to understand more about your course and the resources available to you. You’ll meet other students and staff and learn about campus facilities. You’ll also get important information on academic expectations and student support services. The sessions will provide:

• helpful information on studying, living and working in Australia
• answers to any questions
• the wide range of services available to you, as an international student, throughout your stay.

Attending orientation is important because it provides a thorough introduction to your new learning environment. Not only that, these sessions introduce you to TAFE NSW’s policies.

Attendance is compulsory. If you are not present at orientation, you may lose your place in the course. Contact your International Customer Experience Coordinator if you cannot attend.

It's important to enrol by your enrolment dates to avoid having your Student Visa cancelled by the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA).

Please ensure you have completed and returned the following documents to the TAFE NSW International team before your orientation session:

• Your enrolment form, including your USI number (for onshore students only).
• Your student information record.
• A copy of your passport.
• A copy of your valid visa grant notice (onshore students only).

Join the Teams International Student Hub to stay up to date with international events, opportunities and communications.

To participate in the virtual online community you will need to create an account on a specific online platform such as the student portal or a discussion forum. These platforms make it easy to interact, network, collaborate and chat with peers. It’s also a great and easy way to access course materials.

To ensure your USI is set up before orientation, you must complete your application on the USI website. This is essential for enrolment and for accessing your academic records. You can apply for your USI once you have arrived in Australia.

To complete this process, follow the below steps:

1. Visit the official Unique Student Identifier website.
2. Follow the instructions provided on the website.
3. Input your personal information accurately on the USI website.
4. Make sure your details are exactly the same as your passport.

If you are already studying in Australia, you are considered an onshore student. As an onshore student, you would already have a USI.