Arriving at the University of Melbourne as an international student in 2026 means setting up housing, banking, transport, phone, and OSHC in your first two weeks - while jet-lagged and figuring out the Parkville campus geography. This is the practical guide: what to do in what order, what each step costs, and which Melbourne Uni services actually help.
Before You Arrive
Confirmation of Enrolment from Melbourne Uni, student visa subclass 500 approved, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) booked. Pre-arrival accommodation: Melbourne Uni offers short-term homestay through Australian Homestay Network ($350-$450/week including meals) or temporary residential college placement ($550-$750/week including meals). Most international students book 1-2 weeks of one of these while finding permanent housing.
Week 1: Permanent Housing
For first-year undergrads: residential colleges (Trinity, Ormond, Queen’s, Newman, Janet Clarke Hall, International House, Whitley) at $30,000-$45,000 per academic year, all-inclusive (room, meals, social programs). For postgrads and senior undergrads: share-houses in Carlton ($300-$400/room/week), Brunswick ($230-$320), North Melbourne ($260-$360), Footscray ($180-$260). Use Flatmates.com.au and the Melbourne Uni Student Housing service.
Week 1: Bank Account
Big four banks (CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB) all offer student accounts free of monthly fees. CBA Smart Access is the most common - opens in branch with passport + CoE + Australian address. The Melbourne Uni Wellbeing Centre has CBA representatives on-campus during enrolment week. ATM fees zero at own-bank machines, $2-$2.50 at others.
Week 1: SIM Card
Optus, Telstra, Vodafone, ALDI Mobile - student prepaid plans $30-$40/month for 30+ GB plus unlimited domestic. Buy SIM at airport on arrival, switch to cheaper plan in town once bank set up. Plan-month-to-month flexibility is more useful than 12-month contracts in your first 3-6 months.
Week 2: TFN and Tax
Tax File Number application via the ATO website is free, takes 28 days. Required for any paid employment. International students on subclass 500: 48 hours/fortnight work allowance during semester, unlimited during semester breaks (per Department of Home Affairs 2026 conditions). Without TFN, marginal tax rate is 47% on all income - apply early.
Week 2: OSHC and Health
OSHC providers: Bupa, Medibank Private, NIB, Allianz Care, AHM. Find your provider’s nearest practitioner. Melbourne Uni Health Service (Building 168, Parkville campus) handles student GP visits at concession rates. The University Pharmacy is on-campus. Reciprocal Medicare countries get Medicare in addition to OSHC (UK, Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Ireland, NZ, Slovenia, Sweden) - bring your home Medicare card.
Transport: Myki Setup
Buy Myki at any 7-Eleven or train station - $6 card cost. Student concession: $4.60/day cap, $9.20/week cap. Apply via PTV Concession Application portal with Melbourne Uni student ID + photo. Without concession, full-fare cap is $11.10/day. Myki Money is default; Myki Pass cheaper for daily commuters on the same route.
First-Week Eating
Cheapest student lunches: Lygon Street ($14 pasta lunch deals), Queen Vic Market deli hall ($8-$10), Footscray Vietnamese ($10-$14 pho), Swanston Street Korean and Japanese ($13-$16). Campus options: Union House food court ($8-$14), University Cafe ($14-$18, an institution since 1952). Avoid Bourke Street Mall food.
Melbourne Uni Services Worth Knowing
Stop 1 (Building 168, Parkville campus): the catch-all student services hub - enrolment issues, visa questions, ID cards. Counselling and Psychological Services: free counselling for enrolled students. Career Hub: resume help, internships, career planning. Melbourne Uni Sport: cheapest gym in inner Melbourne ($10/week student rate). MU Student Union: cheap food, social clubs, advocacy.
Cultural Adjustment
Most international students at Melbourne Uni report homesickness peaks at week 6-8. Strategies: join one of 200+ student clubs (Melbourne Uni Student Union runs the largest club network in Australia), attend Welcome Week events (free food and tours), find cuisine from home (Footscray for African/Vietnamese, Box Hill for Chinese, Springvale for Vietnamese, Coburg for Middle Eastern, Carlton for Italian). Counselling is free for enrolled students; Stop 1 routes you.
What This Means for You
Two weeks of setup: housing, bank, SIM, TFN, OSHC, Myki. Use Stop 1 for any visa or compliance questions - they’re the official authority and free. Most international students settle by month three. For housing specifics, see cheapest suburbs near Melbourne University; for daily food, cheap eats near Melbourne University.
Jack Carver covers Melbourne food, drink, and city life for MELBZ.
