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Information for students in final semester

Finishing university

Returning home

Extending your stay

Graduation

Graduation is not automatic when you finish your course. You must apply to graduate. You can attend a graduation ceremony in Australia, South Africa, Singapore, China, or Malaysia.

 

Important:

·        You must apply to graduate before your exam results have been released, you can defer your application if necessary  

·        If you choose to attend a ceremony, a fee applies (except for South Africa). 

·        No fee applies if you choose not to attend a ceremony, i.e. in absentia

 

For more information and to download an application form visit the Graduations web site or telephone + 61 3 9902 6011.

Career advice

Before you finish your studies, you can take advantage of a wide range of workshops and recruitment fairs arranged by Employment and Career Development. You can also get advice on how to prepare for graduate applications, job interviews and testing.

Visit the Employment and Career Development web site for more information.

Academic transcript

If you require a formal transcript of your academic results, you can:

A fee applys. You will receive a free copy of your academic record with your testamur when you graduate.

Alumni

When you get your degree or diploma, you automatically become part of the global community of Monash University alumni. You need to register your details to receive information and updates.

 

Alumni can access a wide range of privileges including:

  • Receipt of information about the latest career news and networking opportunities
  • Access to international alumni networks in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Korea
  • Monash Magazine twice yearly
  • Subscription to free monthly alumni e-newsletter

Visit the Monash University Alumni web site.

Pre-departure checklist

There may seem to be a million tasks to complete before you can board the plane for your return trip home!

This list may help you organise your time, and remind you of some things that you may have forgotten:

  • Advise your landlord/estate agent at least 4 weeks before you intend to vacate your house/flat
  • Arrange for the premises to be inspected before returning the keys and request the return of your bond
  • If renting, arrange to have telephone, gas, water and electricity services disconnected and pay all outstanding accounts
  • Explore the various methods and costs of freight to send your things home
  • Check customs regulations and complete the necessary documents
  • Ensure your passport and visa are both valid. If you are stopping over in another country on your way home, make sure you get a visa if necessary
  • Apply to graduate and pay for your ceremony (if attending)
  • Arrange to have your degree certificate posted to your overseas address if you are not attending a graduation ceremony
  • Pay any outstanding University fees or fines (e.g. library, parking, etc). Your results will not be released, or your degree granted until all fees/fines have been paid
  • Return any borrowed items (e.g. library books, videos, furniture or household items)
  • If you are a postgraduate student, discuss with your supervisor how thesis corrections and binding will be handled once you have returned home. (You may need to leave money with your supervisor to cover the cost of binding)
  • Submit any outstanding OSHC claims
  • Make time to say farewell to friends and University staff
  • Do any last minute souvenir shopping
  • Advise your family and friends of your arrival details
  • Arrange transport to the airport 
  • Get your mail forwarded to your home address
  • Close all your bank accounts
  • Register your details with Monash Alumni

Re-adjusting to your home culture

Are you worried about going home?

Sometimes people who have lived abroad find the adjustment to returning home more difficult than their adjustment to the foreign culture.

While you may know your home, what you may not realise, after being gone for a period of time, is that you have changed as a result of your new and interesting experiences. You also need to remember that people at home have changed too.

Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself

  • Be prepared for an adjustment process. Give yourself time to work through your feelings. Your family will need time to adjust too
  • When you go home everything will look and feel familiar, yet some things may feel out of place. Take time to think about how your view of your familiar home and culture have changed
  • When you return you may have a heightened sense of awareness, this will last just a short time. Take advantage of this by writing your perceptions on paper. It may help you reflect later on
  • When family and friends ask about your trip, learn to give short responses. Save long discussions for those who have been in Australia, or are preparing to come here
  • Try to take things slowly at first. If opportunities arise to integrate some of your new knowledge into local traditions, go for it
  • Give yourself time to process what you have learnt, and think through the larger impact of introducing new ways of doing things. What works in one situation, may not work in another. Pick ideas that will work well for you, and disregard those that will not.
  • Try to be sensitive to other people's feelings. Are they really not interested in your experiences, or are they jealous because they have been waiting for years for the same opportunity?
  • Try not to idealise Australia, or criticise your own country...and vice-versa. Attempt to remain objective. Be careful about how you phrase your comments and criticism about your country. Many foreigners are shocked when they come to Australia about how free Australians are to criticise. Do not forget that it may not be acceptable to do the same at home

Shipping goods home

Allow yourself plenty of time to organise shipping your belongings home. Many companies provide freight services.

Go to the Yellow Pages online directory. Look under shipping companies, baggage agents and air cargo services. Make sure you get a few quotes as the prices and services vary.

Selling your belongings

There are a number of places you can sell your second hand books, furniture and other goods. You are likely to get a better price if you sell them yourself through notices on the noticeboards around the campus.

You can find contact details for second hand book or furniture dealers in the Yellow Pages online directory.

Alternatively, your furniture and other goods can be advertised in:

Leaving accommodation

If you are renting a unit, flat or house, you may need to move into temporary accommodation for two or three weeks before you leave. This will give you sufficient time to organise getting your bond back and attend to any other matters that may require more time.

Give reasonable notice of your intention to leave to:

  • Real estate agents
  • Landlords
  • Utility providers
    • Phone
    • Gas
    • Water
    • Electricity

This will allow you to clear any unpaid debts and make it easier for incoming students to get services from these providers. It will also prevent problems if you return to Australia at a later date.

Things to consider:

  • If you have a lease you need to break, speak to an Off Campus Housing Accommodation Officer first
  • Make sure the property is properly cleaned for final inspection
  • Organise the final property inspection and return the keys as close as possible to the date you will leave the property
  • Organise final payments

Do not leave your accommodation without notifying anyone because:

  • You may face difficulties if you return
  • Your actions will make it difficult for future students to get accommodation and other services. If international students get a reputation for being irresponsible or unreliable, landlords will become reluctant to rent their properties to future students
  • It is illegal and irresponsible

If you live in Student Residence or Homestay

In most cases, leaving should be relatively simple.

  • Make sure you discuss your departure with your host or manager with plenty of time to spare
  • One months notice is recommended to allow time to discuss how you will finalise your responsibilities and get your bond back, if you have one
  • You should have some idea of how much bond you will get back and when. If you can't clarify these details to your satisfaction you may like to contact an Off Campus Housing Accommodation Officer

Cancellation of services

Different companies usually provide Telephone, Gas, Water and Electricity services so you will need to contact each of them separately to finalise your accounts. Look at your bills for instruction on how to have your services disconnected.

You should give each service a weeks notice. You will need to let them know the date you no longer require the service and where they can send any outstanding bills.

Mail redirection

Your local post office can organise your mail to be redirected from your current address to almost any other destination. This means that mail addressed to you at your house can be redirected to another address either within Australia or overseas. There is a fee attached to this service. Contact a Post Office for further information.

Unfinished business in Australia can be made easier and quicker if you have someone in Melbourne or Australia to have mail sent to, especially if something comes up that requires a response within Australia.

Getting your financial matters in order

Tax return

If you have been earning income in Australia and have been paying tax, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will accept early lodgement of returns of your part year tax-free threshold for individuals prior to the end of the financial year (30 June).

If you are a non-resident of Australia and you are leaving Australia permanently you will need to:

  • Obtain a payment summary from each of your employers
  • Obtain a copy of TaxPack and the form 'Taxpayer leaving Australia - Request for early assessment' (NAT 3407). This form can be obtained from the ATO web site or from your nearest ATO office
  • Complete your tax return, attach the completed 'Taxpayer leaving Australia - Request for early assessment' to the front of the return and post both forms to GPO Box 9990 in your capital city

More information can be obtained from the Personal Tax Infoline on 13 28 61.

Departing Australia Superannuation Payment
Temporary residents of Australia who meet the eligibility criteria can now apply for release of their benefit once they have permanently departed Australia, rather than leaving it in an Australian fund until their preservation age.

The payment is known as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment and a flat 30% Government tax will be withheld from the benefit when it is paid. The legislation only applies to people who hold and have held a temporary visa for example, a student visa. Australian and New Zealand citizens and permanent residents who have the option of returning to Australia to retire will not be able to access their benefits until they reach their preservation age.

Visit the Australian Taxation Office web site for more information.

Visitor Visa

You may be able to apply for extension to stay in Australia as a visitor for graduation or sightseeing if:

  • You do not have the condition 8503 (no further stay) on your current visa
  • The application is lodged before the expiry of your current visa
  • You have abided by the conditions of your previous visa and
  • You have the financial means to support yourself during your stay

You need to provide the following to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC):

  • Your current passport (make sure your passport has not expired)
  • Form 601 Application for Further Stay as a Visitor. You can download form 601 from the DIAC Website
  • Evidence of sufficient funds for living expenses and travel without the need to work while in Australia. Once your visitor visa is granted, you will no longer have permission to work
  • If you are wanting to stay in order to attend graduation, confirmation is required from the University. You can get a "Proof of attendance at a future graduation ceremony" online via WES or a student service centre.
  • The application fee

More information about visitor visas

Please note:
If you complete your course one month or more earlier than expected, you are required to leave the country within 28 days even though your student visa might be valid for a longer duration. As per ESOS requirement, a report will be generated to DIAC regarding your early completion. Please visit your campus Hub for more information or advice.

General Skilled Migration

You may be apply to apply for permanent residency under the General Skilled Migration Program. Visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship web site for more information.

Only DIAC and registered migration agents are licensed to provide you with immigration advice. You do not need to use a migration agent to lodge a visa with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, however if you do please note that all migration agents must be registered with the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority in order to provide immigration assistance.