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Living in Sydney

One of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, Sydney is an exciting, but safe, city with an international range of services and a clean natural environment. A high standard of education and good student services have given Sydney a reputation as a wonderful place to study. With its mild to warm climate, a wonderful harbour and numerous clean safe parks and beaches make Sydney perfect for enjoying outdoor activities and a healthy lifestyle. With 40% of its population born overseas, Sydney’s rich mixture of ethnic and cultural groups give the city an exciting international atmosphere. With restaurants, cafes and cultural attractions catering for all varieties of food and cultural interests, Sydney has something for everyone and many new experiences for international students to enjoy. For further information, please City of Sydney website.

  • Climate

The climate in Sydney is mild, and the seasons are distinguishable from each other. For those of you who live near the Equator, you will notice a distinct difference between summer and winter, and that we have no Wet Season. For those of you who come from countries higher up in the Northern Hemisphere, you will notice that our summers and winters happen at the opposite times of the year to what you are used to.

Summer December – February 25 – 35 °C
Autumn March – May 12 – 18 °C
Winter June – August 10 – 15 °C
Spring September – November 15 – 25 °C

  • Health Services

As well as the high-quality public hospitals, Sydney offers many doctors and dentists to choose from should you need to be treated. There are also chiropractors, physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians, optometrists, Chinese medicine, natural therapies, and many more specialists. A very useful tool to help find any of the services you require is the yellow pages website. Remember to bring your healthcare card with you to any appointment if you currently hold one.

Living in Melbourne

Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and is rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities. With its mild to warm Mediterranean climate, diverse community, rich cultural life and sports crazy population, Melbourne, if a rich vibrant and exciting city for international students. EGI’s Lonsdale Street location is close to Melbourne’s rich pavement and laneway cafe, restaurant, club and small bar lifestyle. It's clean environment, beautiful parks and galleries and world-class universities make Melbourne an ideal place to live, learn and experience life. For further information about what’s on in Melbourne, please visit City of Melbourne website.

  • Climate

Melbourne generally has a Mediterranean climate but it has been known to have unpredictable weather; warm one day and cool the next. The weather in summer tends to warm up around late January with temperatures rising to 40° on some occasions.

Summer December – February 14 – 25 °C
Autumn March – May 11 – 20 °C
Winter June – August 6 – 14 °C
Spring September – November 10 – 20 °C

  • Health Services

As well as the high-quality public hospitals, Melbourne offers many doctors and dentists to choose from should you need to be treated. There are also chiropractors, physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians, optometrists, Chinese medicine, natural therapies, and many more specialists. A very useful tool to help find any of the services you require is the yellow pages website. Remember to bring your healthcare card with you to any appointment if you currently hold one.

Living in Brisbane

Australia’s third-largest city, Brisbane is the hub of Queensland culture and the capital of Queensland. Brisbane’s metropolitan area has a population of 2.3 million and it is an energetic river town on the way up, with an edgy arts scene, pumping nightlife, and great coffee and restaurants. Lush parks and historic buildings complete the picture, all folded into the elbows of the meandering Brisbane River. Brisbane, Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are the Queensland Museum and science centre, with noted interactive exhibitions. Another South Bank cultural institution is Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums.

  • Climate

Brisbane is a subtropical paradise, blessed with wonderful, warm sunshine throughout the year. Boasting a long-term annual average high temperature of 26.4C and minimum low of 16C, Brisbane has the perfect climate for life in the great outdoors. The city’s heart is as warm and welcoming as its weather. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Brisbane is the perfect location for visitors to enjoy a range of activities – sport, picnics in parks, bushwalking, water sport and other relaxing forms of recreation. A testament to Brisbane’s wonderful weather is the fact that most of the city’s public spaces, such as the city malls, South Bank, cafe strips, and bayside areas, are alive with activity all year round.

  • Hotspots

Southbank Parklands - The South Bank Parklands are located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River at South Bank. It has parklands, restaurants, river views and hundreds of events all year round make it the perfect place to relax.

Queen Street Mall - The Queen Street Mall is a pedestrian mall located on Queen Street and it is the premier shopping and entertainment destination in Brisbane’s CBD. More than 1,000 events take place throughout the mall each year.

City Botanic Gardens - The City Botanic Gardens are located 2 min walk from EGI and are Brisbane’s oldest park. You can view the many attractions within the gardens including the river frontage, river stage, bamboo grove, weeping fig avenue, water hill fountain and Jemmy Morrill.

Mount Coot-tha Lookout - Mount Coot-tha Lookout offers the Brisbane’s best view and you can experience breathtaking panoramic views of Brisbane City out to Moreton Bay.

Fortitude Valley - Fortitude Valley is one of the hubs of Brisbane’s nightlife, renowned for its nightclubs, bars and adult entertainment. The Valley was Australia’s first dedicated entertainment district and continues and the Chinatown Mall is a hub of exotic Chinese supermarkets and restaurants.

  • Accommodation in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane

Choosing the right accommodation is as important as choosing the best college. Most EGI students find shared accommodation with friends in apartments/flats and houses, and others find accommodation as borders in Australian’s homes or with family or friends already living in Australia. However, it is important to find the best accommodation for you and it should be close to public transport. This can take time and EGI offers different options to meet the accommodation needs of our students.

  • Homestay Program (Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane)

Our most popular style of accommodation is Homestay, where you have the opportunity to practise your English with an Australian family at home while you study at EGI. A range of different family types including retired couples, single professional people, and families with children or families with teenagers provide our Homestay places. This gives you a great opportunity to learn first hand about the Australian way of life and to establish new friendships. Homestay usually includes a single furnished room, two meals a day (breakfast and dinner) during weekdays and three meals a day on the weekends.

  • Accommodation Placement Fee $209
  • Homestay Single Room $285/pw
  • Homestay Single Room (No Meals) $210/pw

You can book for at least 4 weeks. The maximum booking length is for 6 months. Before you come to Australia, we will send you the family profile of your Homestay. It will help you to know them before you arrive.

  • CozzyStay Accommodation (Share House) (Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane)

For students who would like more independence, and a chance to socialise with friends from all around the world, do your own cooking, meet with a small group of other international students and learn from each other, become a member of a large “Family”. We can arrange a residence for you. Single rooms or double rooms available. A live-in supervisor can make sure you receive personal attention.

  • Single Room:$330/pw
  • Double Room: $220/pw

Getting Around in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane

  • Public Transport

As an international student, you will need to travel from your home to college and also to work if you find employment. Most students live in residential areas away from the central cities and use public transport and EGI campuses are located close to major transport hubs.

  • Sydney students, visit www.transportnsw.info for information on buses, trains, light rail and ferries, timetables and maps. Sydney uses the “Opal” card to pay for public transport. It is a card similar to a credit card which you tap against the receiver when you enter the train station/tram/bus or ferry and tap again as you get off. Opal cards can be purchased at major train stations and many newsagents and some local stores. You can buy your Opal card and put money on it on www.opal.com.au.
  • Melbourne students, visit www.ptv.vic.gov.au for information on trams, trains and buses, timetables and maps. Melbourne uses the “myki” card to pay for public transport. It is a card similar to a credit card which you tap against the receiver when you enter the train station/tram/bus and tap again as you get off. Myki’s can be purchased at major train stations and local 7 Eleven stores. You can buy or put money on your myki card on www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki
  • Brisbane students, visit https://translink.com.au/ for information on trams, trains, buses and ferries, timetables and maps. Brisbane uses the “go card” card to pay for public transport. It is a card similar to a credit card which you tap against the receiver when you enter the train station/tram/bus/ferry and tap again as you get off. You can buy or put money on your go card on https://gocard.translink.com.au/

  • Driving

If you have had a Driver Licence in your home country for over a year, you can apply for an Australian Driving Licence for which you must undergo a driving test. If you already have a Student or Working Holiday Visa, and studying for 10 weeks or less, you can drive using an International Licence if you already have one.

  • Sydney students can visit Road and Maritime website for information on drivers licencing and registration for cars and motorbikes.
  • Melbourne students can visit VicRoads for information on drivers licencing and registration for cars and motorbikes.
  • Brisbane student can visit Department of Transport and Main Road for information on drivers licencing and registration for cars and motorbikes.