University of Queensland

Visiting your child at the University of Queensland (UQ) means flying into Brisbane Airport (BNE); the Airtrain reaches the centre in about 20 minutes. Plan the subclass 600 visitor visa well ahead.

Getting from BNE 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 University of Queensland (UQ)? Here's your arrival checklist.

Arrival checklist

• Book your flight into Brisbane (BNE) early for the best semester-intake fares.
• Airtrain from BNE to the centre (~20 min), then train/bus/ferry to campus.
• Sunnybank (south) is the desi hub - line up first-week housing before arrival.
• Arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay and show ~AUD 24,505 in living funds for the subclass 500 visa.

Brisbane, the sunny Queensland capital, is more affordable than Sydney or Melbourne - about AUD 1,650-2,350 a month all-in sharing and cooking, with weekly-quoted rents (a shared room typically AUD 200-330/week). It has a warm climate, a growing job market, a large Indian community in Sunnybank, and trains/buses/ferries covered by the go card.

Monthly cost of living in Brisbane (a student estimate)

That's roughly A$19,500-28,000 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.

Finding accommodation

Brisbane rents are quoted weekly and below the southern capitals; students share near campus or in the southern suburbs.

• Rents are quoted weekly - multiply by about 4.3 for the monthly figure.
• Sunnybank (south) is the heart of Brisbane's Indian and Asian community.
• Get the go card transport concession if your provider makes you eligible.

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

Brisbane's universities sits in a generally safe Australian city; use normal city awareness at night.

• Brisbane's universities has campus security and student-safety escort services - save the campus number.
• Australian cities are generally safe, with reliable public transport.
• A relaxed, generally safe city; normal awareness in the Valley nightlife area at night.

Indian community & food

Brisbane has a growing Indian community, with the main desi and Asian hub in Sunnybank.

Indian grocery stores

• Sunnybank (south Brisbane) is the desi and Asian grocery hub - Indian grocers, sweets and restaurants.
• Mainstream Woolworths, Coles and Aldi carry world-food aisles; specialist stores cover spices, atta and lentils.
• Selection is strong and growing across the southern suburbs.

Student community

• Brisbane's universities have active Indian and South Asian societies with Diwali and Holi events.
• The city has Hindu temples and growing community organisations.

• Sunnybank is a multicultural food destination, with Indian restaurants city-wide.

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