Safety and support
Tasmanian cities have high level of personal safety. Although Tasmania has safe and welcoming cities and communities, it is important to take care and look after yourself.
Download the Study Tasmania Welcome Guide
In an emergency
In an emergency, dial 000 (it is a free call) to contact the police, fire brigade or ambulance.
Top tips from Tasmania police
Here are some top tips by Tasmania Police to have the safest stay possible in Tasmania:
Wellbeing
A big part of staying healthy during your studies is leading a balanced lifestyle with plenty of exercise and eating a healthy diet. In Tasmania, we have the advantage of a superb natural environment where you can exercise, eat healthy local food of exceptional quality and breathing some of the cleanest air in the world.
Medical assistance and health insurance
If you need medical assistance, high quality health services are available across Tasmania. As part of student visa requirements in Australia, you must have health insurance cover for the entire length of your enrolment. Your education provider will discuss this with you and your options when you enrol, as well as the many specific health and mental health services they provide.
When going to a doctor
When making an appointment, let the doctor know that you are an international student and check that they take your health insurance.
Mental wellbeing
We understand that study can be a stressful time and in Tasmania there are many services to help with any mental health challenges. Speak to your education provider when you arrive for information on their specific health and mental health services available. Some of Australia’s national mental health services with 24-hour free hotlines are:
Call 13 11 14 to access crisis support.
Call 1300 22 4636 to speak to someone about anxiety, depression and suicide.
Physical wellbeing
Ensure you get enough exercise. Sports and physical activities can be a great way to meet new friends and to reduce stress. Talk to your institution about sport and club options.
Healthy eating
We know that as a student, you may be on a tight budget. Eating well is important for your overall health and your academic performance. Eating can be cheaper at home if you do a little bit of meal prep. To keep costs low, buy fruit and vegetables that are in season. Tinned and frozen produce can also be a great alternative and won’t perish as quickly.
You could cook food in bulk and refrigerate/freeze it. This way, it will last you a few days, and you won’t need to think about it when you are working on submitting your assignment.
Have a look here for Australia’s national healthy eating guidelines.
Help when you are having trouble with your employer
When you are an employee in Australia (including international students), you have the same rights as any other worker in Australia. The Fair Work Ombudsman will help investigate if you have any complaints about law breaches at workplace. These are generally around pay and entitlements issues.
Please see their website for more information.
There is also a specific information page for migrants and visa holder including international students.
Help when you are having issues with your education provider
The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman is a free service for international students who have a complaint about their private education provider (school, college or university in Australia).
For General information and what they can help you with can be found here
And when making a complaints are advised to use this online form online form. Or call them on 1300 362 072.
Information about private Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) complaints, can also be found here:
On the website you will also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and below are some fact sheets on common complaints to help you as an international student.
Fact sheets
- COVID-19 related complaints – This fact sheet outlines some general principles to encourage resolution of complaint issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Attendance - This fact sheet is about maintaining satisfactory attendance to meet the conditions of a student visa.
- Course progress - This fact sheet is about maintaining satisfactory course progress.
- Education agents - Many international students who choose to study in Australia use the services of an education agent. This fact sheet is about education agents and what students should do if they think something is not right.
- Fees and refunds - This fact sheet includes answers to common questions we receive from international students when they disagree with their education providers about fees and refunds.
- Transferring between education providers - This factsheet is about transferring between education providers and includes some information students should know and consider before applying to transfer to another education provider.
- Written agreements – The written agreement is a legal contract between a student and the education provider. This factsheet provides some basic information to students about written agreements. Written agreements (also called ‘enrolment agreement’ or a ‘letter of offer’) are a legal contract between the student and provider.
- Overseas Student Health Cover - Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a type of insurance policy which covers international students for certain health-related expenses while they are in Australia. This can include doctor’s visits and some hospital expenses. This factsheet provides an overview of student rights and responsibilities.
- Grades and assessments - This factsheet is about making a complaint if you are unhappy about your mark, grade, exam result or other measure of competency.