Help! Paying for uni (1 Viewer)

[henry08]

I am a rural student currently undertaking a gap year to earn some money. I am planning on going to Sydney and UNSW next year however I am worried about how to pay for it.

I am not an Australian citizen or permanent resident. I am a New Zealand citizen (have been here for several years) and it is my understanding that I am hence a Commonwealth supported student, however are not eligible for HECS and must pay the fees up front (at the start of each semester I belie). I can't afford to pay this up front each semester, what with living costs as well etc having to move away from home.

In Sydney I could probably get accommodation cheap with a relative and would be working as well (hopefully) obviously.

If I returned to New Zealand it is my understanding that I would be entitled to StudyLink (their version of HECS from what i have read) and after 6 months of living there the interest on the loans would be free. I don't really wish to return to New Zelaand however and consider myself an Australian (and have done for a nubmer of years). However I would not have a palce to stay.

I cannot get Australian citizenship as that is going to take at least 2 years and there is no gurantee I would even be accepted, what woth not being qualified at anything yet.

Obviously I'd like to stay in Australia (and plan to after I finish Uni hopefully) as that is where my family is, however I need to get to Uni bottom line and I'll consider most options.

Thoughts guys on what I can do and anything extra which may help me out?

 

[Andi0390]

I'm like opposite to you.

I'm at ANU and going over to Uni of Otago for a bit, and I can get Studylink which is good. There is no way I would be able to afford it without it. I've program leave from ANU though in case I change my mind.

I don't think that there is much you can do. Although, its not actually that expensive, paying university, depending what you do. If you were going to do Arts or something in that band, its only like $2000 a semester which you could easily earn over the christmas break, and mid semester break.

I think the best thing you can do now is save all the money that you can. Then when selecting a university choose one where living costs are lower, like rent food and transport. Although that would rule out UNSW and Sydney. Its a shame you didn't start the whole process years ago.

You could also just not go to university for a few more years and wait till you are a citizen, or get a scholarship to pay for you. Just don'tput yourself in a position where you can pay uni and living fees but work so much that you can't study well and don't have a life.

 

[DTFM]

I guess you could get married to an Australian girl, but I'd rather you didn't.

 

[likingtherain]

So you can't get any support from the NZ systems? All the debt systems do my head in.

 

[bryandawn]

If I were you, I'd go back to NZ. If I had lived in NZ and worked there for 2 years, I'd prefer to study there, actually. The fees are lower, the living costs less, and you could get into Auckland Uni easily. Law schools there are open entry.

If you arrived in Australia prior to 27/02/2001, and lived here ever since, you'd be considered a PR, and would be eligible to apply for citizenship.

Otherwise, you will need to apply for permanent residency, instead of staying on your SCV. There are a few ways to apply for it. It takes work and time though. If you do not want to apply for PR through the spouse pathway, you could go to TAFE, learn a trade, like electrician, get 900 hours of working experience, and get an independent skilled migration visa. After you get that, wait for one more year before you are eligible for citizenship. The process for obtaining citizenship once you have lived in Australia for a total of 4 years, including 1 year as a permanent resident is pretty simple and straightforward. You will need to pass the citizenship test, pay 260 dollars, the whole process should not take you more than 1 year. In my case, it only took 10 weeks from my lodgement of application to the ceremony.

But like I said, I'd rather study in NZ. I just don't see much employment prospect for me there to enable me to work there for 2 years in order to qualify all the social security benefits.