10 essential apps to download before travelling to Australia

Google Maps is the simplest app to prepare before travelling to Australia. Use it to find your university, accommodation, supermarkets, pharmacies, train stations and bus stops, and to compare walking, driving and public transport routes.

Download offline maps of your city before you fly. Airport wifi is unreliable and your Australian SIM may not be active the moment you land.

Australia does not have one single public transport app for every city. The correct app depends on where you are studying — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities all run different systems with different official apps.

Students in Sydney, for example, use the official resources provided by Transport for NSW. Students in Melbourne use the Victorian system. Find the right one for your city before you fly, and read how the travel card works.

Moving to another country for university is exciting. The journey itself can feel lonely, though — especially if this is your first time flying alone.

For a student flying from Kochi to Melbourne for the February intake, this changes the day completely. Instead of arriving at the airport not knowing a single person, you can find others on your journey, coordinate at the terminal, or simply have one familiar face on a fourteen-hour flight.

UniMate describes itself as a student-focused platform rather than a general social feed, and says users control who they connect with.

If you are travelling from India, Australian prices take some getting used to. A currency converter helps you understand the approximate value of Australian Dollars (AUD) in Indian Rupees (INR) or UAE Dirhams (AED) while you are still learning what things should cost.

Once you open an Australian bank account, the bank's official mobile app becomes part of your daily routine — checking your balance, reviewing transactions, making payments and managing your account.

Many Australian banks let international students begin the account-opening process before arrival, then collect the card after landing. Ask your university's international office which banks they work with.

For students travelling from Kerala, WhatsApp is already part of daily life. After you move, it keeps you connected with parents, siblings and friends back home — and it is how most student communities in Australia actually organise themselves.

Two Guide to Heights student groups — pick the right one

We run two separate communities, and which one you belong to depends on whether you have landed yet. Please join only the one that applies to you — it keeps both groups useful.

Australian weather is very different from what you are used to in Kerala. Melbourne can swing through four seasons in one afternoon. Brisbane summers are humid. Canberra winters get genuinely cold.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology is the country's official weather service. Reliable forecasts help you plan your commute and pack correctly.

Public transport handles your daily commute, but there will be times you need a taxi or ride-hailing service — arriving late at night, carrying several bags, or reaching somewhere public transport does not cover well.

Students planning to work part-time can use platforms such as SEEK and Indeed to research vacancies, filtering by location and job type to understand what is available near your university or accommodation.

Understand your individual visa work conditions before taking any paid work. Check the Department of Home Affairs for current student visa work rights rather than relying on job platforms or social media. For pay rates and workplace rights, the Fair Work Ombudsman is the official source.

Not every important resource needs to be a traditional app. Before flying, bookmark the official websites you may need during your stay:

• Department of Home Affairs — visa and immigration information
• Study Australia — official information for international students
• Fair Work Ombudsman — workplace rights and responsibilities
• Healthdirect Australia — health information and services
• Smartraveller — Australian Government travel advice
• Bureau of Meteorology — weather forecasts and warnings

For health questions, Healthdirect provides health information and guidance on accessing services. In a life-threatening emergency in Australia, call 000. Save that number in your phone before you fly.