A Packing List for International Students Going to Australia

If you’ve decided to study abroad in Australia, we can understand how excited yet overwhelmed you must be feeling as the time to pack and leave approaches. To take away some of the stress, we’ve prepared an exhaustive list of things to pack for international students going to Australia, and how to avoid over-packing.

Before diving into the packing list for international students, let us break down the different pieces of luggage you can carry with you.

• A laptop bag
• A carry-on cabin bag with a maximum weight limit of 7 kg
• Check-in luggage has a maximum weight limit of 23 kg depending upon the airline

Now let’s check out the things to carry for international students coming to Australia

1. Cash & Cards

It is important to have sufficient cash on you whenever you’re travelling. It is best to have your local currency exchanged into Australian dollars before leaving. This will help avoid getting involved with any fake currency exchange processes.

If you’re wondering how much money international students bring to Australia, it is recommended that you carry around AUD$700-AUD$1000. The best way to carry this cash is to distribute it and have some in each of your bags. Put some cash in your wallet, some in your carry-on cabin baggage, and some in your check-in luggage. This way, you’d always have some money in case of any mishaps with any of your baggage.
You can also choose to access money from your bank account back home via a debit card. And if you plan on using digital money, we suggest it be distributed across different bank accounts. This will help you still access your money in the event of a particular bank’s downtime.

Read more about Cost Of Living In Australia For International Students.

2. Documents

It is best to have a copy of all your important documents stored in a digital format, as well as keep print duplicated copies of the same. This will help just in case anything gets misplaced. 

Important documents to carry apart from your visa and passport are your

• Air tickets
• An extra photo identity proof
• College admission proof, and
• Accommodation proof

All your documents are best kept handy in your carry-on cabin baggage.

3. Clothing & Toiletries

Apart from the clothes you have on, you should carry an extra pair of clothes in your carry-on cabin baggage. A t-shirt and a travel-friendly pair of pants, along with your oral hygiene essentials or a mouthwash, should suffice.

In your main check-in baggage, you must pack clothes that fit the varying climate of Australia. You can start with 

• Eight t-shirts or shirts and six pairs of pants or shorts, keeping a good mix of casual and formal
• A couple of sweaters, jackets or hoodies, and mufflers if you are going to cities of cold winters like Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth
• Your toiletries kit with all essentials
• A decent number of underwear and sock pairs
• A raincoat or an umbrella for the unpredictable weather in Australia
• A hat and a pair of sunglasses for the classic sunny Australian weather
• A traditional attire. This country is a melting pot of cultures and people from different countries and cultures love to celebrate their festivities together in Australia
• A pair of formal and casual shoes, as well as a pair of slippers

In case you forget to pack any of these, you can still get these things for cheap at local stores if you steer clear of the big brands.

4. Electronic Equipment

We highly recommend carrying a camera because the beautiful landscapes of Australia and the memories you’re going to make on this journey truly deserve it. Most importantly, Australia has a very unique plug socket and you must bring a universal adapter.

5. Food & Utensils

Pack a couple of your favorite snack packets as you will be busy for the first few weeks settling down in Australia. You might not get time to cook or learn to cook while you’re busy exploring the city. Bring only a basic set of utensils and you can buy the rest for cheap at most local stores in Australia.

6. Medication

If you have a history of medical treatment, you must bring a doctor’s prescription and the medications in their original packaging.

Remember to pack all the medicines that you need. Please have a list of alternative medicines ready in case the medicines you require aren’t available at medical dispensaries in Australia. 

You can carry your first aid kit in your main check-in luggage bag while general medicines like paracetamol, anti-allergens, bandages, etc. can be found in your carry-on cabin bag.

All of us have travel anxiety before making a big move. The only thing to remember is that even if you forget to pack any of these things, you can easily purchase them for cheap at local department stores like Kmart Australia. Just don’t forget your basic cash and important documents. The best way to go about packing is to keep this list handy or make your own travel checklist!

To know more information, have a look at this detailed video: