Australian National University

Visiting your child at ANU usually means flying into Sydney (SYD) and connecting to Canberra by coach or a short domestic flight. Plan the subclass 600 visitor visa well ahead.

Getting from SYD to campus

Visitor visa for parents

Indian parents need an Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600), usually the Tourist stream. It is applied for online through ImmiAccount and is fully digital - there is no visa stamp, and status is checked via VEVO. It allows stays of 3, 6 or 12 months; parents of a student in Australia often qualify for a longer 6 or 12-month stay, and in some cases a multi-year (up to 3-year) multiple-entry visitor visa is granted.

• Apply online via ImmiAccount; the visa is digital (no passport stamp) and verified through VEVO.
• Build a strong file: proof of funds, an invitation letter from your child, and clear ties to home for the 'genuine visitor' test.
• Parents of a student already in Australia have a strong reason for a longer 6 or 12-month stay - state it clearly.
• A health-insurance condition (8501) may be attached, and the visitor visa cannot be used to work or converted to a work visa.

Just admitted to the Australian National University (ANU)? Here's your arrival checklist.

Arrival checklist

• Book your flight into Sydney (SYD) with a Canberra connection early for the best semester-intake fares.
• Coach or connecting flight from Sydney to Canberra, then bus/taxi to ANU.
• ANU's on-campus accommodation is plentiful - the easy first-year choice; Canberra is a regional centre for migration.
• Arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay and show ~AUD 24,505 in living funds for the subclass 500 visa.

Canberra, the national capital, is a planned, green and safe student city - about AUD 1,750-2,400 a month all-in sharing and cooking, with weekly-quoted rents (a shared room typically AUD 220-350/week). It has the highest incomes in the country, very low crime, light rail plus buses (MyWay), and is a designated regional centre for some migration purposes.

Monthly cost of living in Canberra (a student estimate)

That's roughly A$20,500-28,500 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.

Finding accommodation

Canberra rents are quoted weekly and mid-to-high; students share or use ANU accommodation, which is plentiful.

• Rents are quoted weekly - multiply by about 4.3 for the monthly figure.
• ANU's on-campus accommodation is plentiful and the easy first-year choice.
• Canberra is a regional centre for some migration purposes - potential extra post-study work time.

Working part-time

On a Student visa (subclass 500) you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight (a rolling two-week period) while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks - this is visa condition 8105. Master's-by-research and PhD students have no hour limit. The cap counts all jobs combined and is enforced through tax-office data-matching, so staying within it protects your visa. After graduating you can apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485): full, unrestricted work rights for two to four years depending on your qualification and study location (regional areas give more time), with a pathway toward permanent residency. You must generally be under 35 and apply while in Australia.

Safety & student support

the Australian National University sits in a generally safe Australian city; use normal city awareness at night.

• the Australian National University has campus security and student-safety escort services - save the campus number.
• Australian cities are generally safe, with reliable public transport.
• Canberra has among the lowest crime rates of any Australian city; normal awareness at night.

Indian community & food

Canberra has a smaller but well-established Indian community with desi grocers.

Indian grocery stores

• Indian/South Asian grocers across the suburbs stock spices, lentils and staples.
• Mainstream Woolworths, Coles and Aldi carry world-food aisles; specialist stores cover the rest.
• Selection is good for the city's size; Sydney is ~3 hr away for a bigger shop.

Student community

• ANU has active Indian and South Asian societies with Diwali and Holi events.
• The capital has Hindu temple communities and cultural organisations.

• A solid range of Indian restaurants across the city.

Cost & living figures for Canberra last verified Jun 2026. Figures are estimates and change over time.