International Travel Preparations

How do I prove that I have been vaccinated with vaccine that is approved or recognised by the TGA?

You will need to obtain a copy of your foreign vaccination certificate. Your vaccine certificate must:

• Be issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider
• Written in English or accompanied by a certified translation
• Containing at a minimum:
  - name as it appears in the traveller's passport
  - either date of birth or passport number
  -  the vaccine brand name, and the date of each dose or the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed.
• Chinese students can find instructions on downloading their foreign vaccination certificate by searching 国际旅行健康证明 on WeChat. 

What happens if I don't have a visa or a TGA recognised or approved vaccine? Do I keep studying online?
Not all courses at ANU have an online option. Information on online availability is available on Programs and Courses. Students who are unable to enter Australia will need to speak to their college for advice. 

I am applying for a student visa and have been asked to provide my overseas students health insurance information. Where can I get that information?
It is a mandatory requirement as part of an Australian student visa for international students to hold valid overseas student health cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of their study in Australia. For more information about OSHC, please refer to this page.

New students are asked to arrange OSHC during the acceptance stage of their student journey. You can arrange your own OSHC insurance or have the University arrange insurance on your behalf. If you've opted for the latter option and was not given the insurance policy number, you are encouraged to contact OSHC@anu.edu.au for assistance.

For those who are planning to accept your offer and have questions in relation to OSHC arrangement through ANU, you are encouraged to contact the ANU International Admissions via contact details on this page.

I don't have a valid visa, can I still come to Australia? 
You must have a valid visa to travel to Australia. This is an Australian Government requirement. If you do not have a current visa, you should apply for one as soon as possible. For further information on visas, please visit the ANU visa requirements webpage.

My eCoE needs to be extended, what should I do?
An electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) document is issued to all international students once you have accepted your offer to study at ANU. If you have taken study leave or failed a subject, you may need to apply for an extension to your eCoE.

You can obtain an extension to your eCoE by completing an eCoE extension request form here and then sending it to your academic college. The request can take several days to complete so it is important that you submit your eCoE extension request as soon as possible.

Are spouses and dependent family members able to travel to Australia?

A full list of visa holders that are eligible to travel to Australia without seeking a travel exemption can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website. All travellers must be fully vaccinated with an approved or recognised TGA vaccine.

Australia has two popular types of COVID test; a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) and a rapid antigen test (RAT). Please see table below to understand differences between PCR and RAT kit.

Rapid antigen tests (RAT) are self-administered covid tests that only take 15 minutes to produce a result. If you return a negative RAT test on arrival into Australia, you do not need to quarantine. You can go straight to your accommodation. We recommend you take a photo of your negative RAT test. You will need to use a TGA-approved RAT kit for testing in Australia. 

RAT packs are typically available for purchase at pharmacies and local supermarkets. A list of TGA approved RAT tests can be found here.  

Polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) | If you cannot find a RAT test upon arrival and do not have your own, you may opt for free PCR test. The results of a PCR test can take a few days and you will need to quarantine while waiting for your PCR test results.

PCR Tests are administered by health professional at a number of clinics around Australia. You can find a test centre in your port of arrival from the list on this website.

For Canberra arrivals:

There are currently no direct international flights arriving into the ACT. This means that you will need to follow testing requirements at your port of entry. If you arrive in Sydney, this means that you will need to follow NSW COVID-19 testing guidelines. If you arrive in Melbourne, you will need to follow Victoria NSW testing guidelines. 

There are no longer any quarantine requirements for vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers entering the ACT. You do not need to take RAT or PCR at the ACT if you have done so at your port of entry. If at any time after arrival you develop COVID-19 symptoms, get tested and quarantine until you return a negative result. 

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, follow steps outlined below:
Information for people exposed to COVID-19 - COVID-19 (act.gov.au)

Government regulations are changing regularly, please check the relevant state or territory requirements before you arrive in Australia.

For Sydney arrivals:

Fully vaccinated international travellers arriving into Sydney are required to do the following: 

1. Go straight to your home or accommodation. If you are only transiting through Sydney, you may travel directly to Canberra. 
2. Undergo a RAT or PCR test for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival.
   
    

Frequently asked arrival questions (FAQs) -

Will I need to make my own quarantine arrangements?

Can I quarantine in ANU on-campus residential accommodation?