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University of Melbourne

Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Web address: www.unimelb.edu.au/international
ADS contact phone: +61 (3) 8344 4529
ADS contact fax: +61 (3) 9349 3204

Relevant campuses: Melbourne metropolitan: Parkville, Hawthorn, Werribee (Gilbert Chandler), Burnley, Victoria College of the Arts. Regional campuses of the Institute of Land and Food Resources: Dookie, Creswick, Longerenong, Glenormiston, McMillan, Shepparton.

Community and surrounds

The main campuses of The University of Melbourne are located in Melbourne. Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and has a population of 4.9 million. It is the second largest city in Australia, and has a strong European influence. Built on the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay, the city is a major commercial and industrial centre. It is a multicultural city with more than 233 ethnic groups and more than 180 languages spoken. Melbourne is renowned for its culinary variety, cultural events and festivals, famous sporting events, architecture and shopping.

There are numerous large parks throughout the city. The outer suburbs spread for over 1,500 square kilometres from the central business district, but the public transport system is reliable and convenient. Melbourne is a short distance from many beaches as well as the Victorian mountain ranges. The city is close to ski fields, wineries, the Great Ocean Road, and abundant wildlife.

Climate

In summer (December to February), the temperature ranges from 14 to 34 degrees Celsius. In winter (June to August), the temperature ranges from 7 to 14 degrees.

Cost of living and accommodation

The average costs for a single student living in rented accommodation in surrounding suburbs of Melbourne (sharing a house with two others), including food, household costs and travel expenses is $1,126.70 a month. Costs are generally higher for accommodation close to the central business district. Students with families can expect to pay around $585 a week for accommodation and living expenses.

The university has 13 residential colleges on or near campus. The weekly cost is about$360 a week, which includes two meals and other fees. On a yearly basis, a residential college would cost around $16,530. Homestay costs around $190 a week for full board.

The suburbs which are within walking distance to the university fetch high rental rates. These suburbs include Carlton, Fitzroy, North Carlton, Parkville and some areas in North Melbourne. Students are still able to find more reasonably priced accommodation in suburbs like Brunswick, Coburg, Preston and West Brunswick. The public transport system for these suburbs is very good. They are serviced by buses, trams and trains. Many students also cycle to the university.

Students have found that share housing is the cheapest form of housing. The rental on a room in a share house, in good condition, ranges from $95 to $210. Lower rental is possible but the quality of the housing may be compromised.

Campus descriptions

The main campus is located in Parkville, a suburb renowned for its parklands, five minutes drive from the central business district of Melbourne. It is set on 22.5 hectares and nearby to the cosmopolitan suburb of Carlton, known for its shops, restaurants, and cafes. There are 37,050 students on this campus.

The Parkville campus is a small town with banks, a post office, health services, a dental service, an optometrist, an employment service, a housing and financial aid office, news agency, shops and restaurants. There are several general 24-hour access computer laboratories on the Parkville campus, and faculties also provide computers for student use. The university has one of the largest library collections in the Southern Hemisphere with more than three million volumes. Melbourne University Sport has facilities for a wide range of sports, as well as gymnasiums, an athletics track, playing fields, a Boat Shed on the Yarra River and an alpine lodge at Mount Buller.

Each campus has student services facilities including accommodation assistance and access to Parkville’s amenities. Hawthorn (Education) and Burnley (Land and Food Resources) campuses are in the suburbs of Hawthorn and Burnley, east of the Melbourne Central Business District, along the river. They have 530 and 184 students respectively.

The Werribee (Gilbert Chandler) campus (Veterinary) is in the town of Werribee, on the western edge of Melbourne and has 21 students.

The rural/regional campuses are outside of Melbourne in the Victorian countryside. Dookie campus (287 students) is in Shepparton, north east of Melbourne. Creswick campus (82 students) is in Ballarat, a regional city two hours north west of Melbourne. Longerenong campus (120 students) is in the town of Horsham in Victoria’s far west.

International student population

In 2003, there were more than 7,799 international students from over 98 different countries studying at the university. Of these, 244 were from Africa and the Middle East, 312 from Southern and Central Asia, 2006 from North-East Asia and 3864 from South-East Asia. There were 36 students from Papua New Guinea and the Oceana region. Most of the remaining students were from countries that do not receive ADS awards such as Europe and the USA.

Family and community services

The University of Melbourne runs a free program for spouses of international students and visiting scholars. The program helps spouses acquire English language skills and professional development through class activities and weekly excursions. Parents can bring their children. Students can also receive referrals to community-based language support. The AusAID Student Club enhances both the social and academic life of students and their families.

Melbourne has a wide range of primary and secondary schools, which may be State-run, private or Catholic.

There are good health services in Melbourne including public and private hospitals, health and community centres, maternal and child health centres, medical centres, general practitioners and medical specialists.

As Melbourne is a large city, there are many working options for spouses. Melbourne has strong multi-lingual capabilities with around 30 per cent of the city’s population speaking a language other than English. There are several multi-lingual radio stations in Melbourne, as well as multi-lingual newspapers and magazines. Ethnic organisations from many different cultures support the ethnic communities.

Childcare services

The university has a daycare centre for children up to five years and an Integrated Preschool Program for children from four to five years of age. Outside of the university, there are a large number of childcare centres throughout Melbourne's suburbs.

Students are eligible to apply for childcare, provided by the university, for non-school aged children, three months to five years of age. In 2004, the fees are $239.20 weekly, and $55 per day.

In 2004, ADS students who receive the family stipend as their sole source of income pay $80.20 per week for full-time childcare per child. These prices are likely to increase in 2005 but prices for the current year should give you an idea of chilcare costs.

For further information and application details please contact:
Children's Services228 Queensberry StreetCarlton VIC 3053
Phone: +61 (3) 8344 9470
Fax: +61 (3) 8344 9471
Web address: www.services.unimelb.edu.au/childcare/

Facilities for special needs

The University of Melbourne provides services that accommodate the needs of people whose disability adversely effects their studies. Disabilities can include specific conditions such as epilepsy, chronic fatigue, diabetes, dyslexia, long-term medical conditions, and mental health issues along with traditionally identified conditions such as vision, hearing and physical impairments.

Adjustments can be negotiated which assist such students to study in a more equal environment. These may include alternative assessment arrangements, access to alternative reading materials, and academic support workers to assist with a variety of tasks. For more information contact the Disability Liaison Unit on email: DLU-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au.

Foods for different cultures

Melbourne is well known for its variety of cuisines. There are cafes, bars and restaurants serving food from every major world cuisine. Supermarkets and speciality stores stock foods from around the world. For example, numerous speciality stores cater for Chinese, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and many other cuisines. Halal and kosher food is available at many restaurants, supermarkets and butchers. The university food hall caters for many different cultures. The Queen Victoria Market, which is a five-minute walk from the university, offers a wide range of fresh produce.

Religious facilities

Melbourne has worship centres for all major religions. The university has an Ecumenical Chaplaincy and an Islamic Centre. There are also several religious organisations in metropolitan Melbourne.

Public transport

From the airport: Melbourne airport is located about 20 kilometres northeast of Melbourne city. An airport bus runs around the clock to and from the city and costs about $30 for a return trip. The university offers a free airport reception service.

Getting around: Melbourne has an excellent public transport system (the Met), using buses, trains and trams. Trams are the primary mode of public transport, and service suburbs as far as 20 kilometres out from the city centre.

The cost of public transport ranges from $1.80 for a short trip to $5.20 for a daily ticket in Zone 1. The university is located in Zone 1. Zone 1 covers a radius of approximately 10 to 12 kilometres from the city centre. The following fares apply for 2004:
Two hour ticket $3.00Daily ticket $5.80Weekly ticket $25.00

Apart from the short trip ticket, the same ticket can be used on buses, trains and trams. International students cannot apply for concession fares at present.