The first 48 hours in a new country aren’t pretty. You’re jet-lagged. Your phone probably doesn’t work. You’re dragging two suitcases through an airport where the signs are in English but nothing quite makes sense. And somewhere in your head, you’re supposed to be getting excited about your new life.
Most arrival guides pretend this isn’t the case. They hand you a neat bulleted list of tasks and assume you’ll power through them like an unusually organised robot. This one doesn’t. Here’s an honest international student checklist that is Melbourne-specific enough to actually help, and realistic enough to work even when you’re running on four hours of sleep.
Before you board the plane
The smartest prep happens before you fly. An hour of organising now saves a full day of scrambling at the other end — and it sets you up to sleep on your first night rather than stress about logistics.
Coordinate your check-in time with your accommodation. This trips up more new students than anything else on the list. Before you board, message your residence with your flight details and arrival time, and confirm when you can actually check in. Birch Ridge and most legitimate student residences will work around your schedule, but nobody can help if they don’t know you’re coming.
Download the apps you’ll need on day one. Uber, DiDi, Google Maps, PTV (Public Transport Victoria), plus a food delivery app like Uber Eats or DoorDash. Set them up with your international card now, because sorting this after you land with no Wi-Fi is a nightmare.
Sort a local SIM strategy. Most Australian airports have SIM vendors in arrivals, and getting an Aussie number working from the airport makes the rest of day one infinitely easier. If you’d rather not queue, pre-order an eSIM before you fly so your phone connects the second you land.
Pack a carry-on survival kit. Phone charger, the right power adaptors, a change of clothes, your accommodation address written down on paper, and either cash or an international card you’ve actually tested. If your checked luggage gets delayed, your first 48 hours don’t have to fall apart with it.
One note on adaptors: Australia uses Type I plugs, which aren’t the same as anywhere in Asia, Europe or North America. Grab a couple before you fly. If you forget, don’t stress — the Birch Ridge team can point you to where to buy one locally.
Getting from Tullamarine to the city
Melbourne Airport is about 25 kilometres from the CBD, and you’ve got three real options for getting into town. Pick the wrong one with big luggage and you’ll remember it.
SkyBus. The most student-friendly option. It runs 24/7, drops you at Southern Cross Station in the CBD, and handles big luggage without drama. Book online in advance at skybus.com.au for the cheapest fare. Allow about 25 to 35 minutes.
Uber or DiDi. The fastest door-to-door option. Expect to pay somewhere between $55 and $85 depending on time of day and traffic. Worth it if you’re arriving late at night, have heavy luggage, or just want to go straight to your accommodation without changing vehicles.
Taxi. Still an option, but not my first pick. A taxi from Tullamarine to the Melbourne CBD runs around $65. The issue isn’t the fare itself — it’s that some drivers try to haggle or quote inflated prices to passengers who look fresh off a plane. Uber and DiDi both show the price upfront, which takes the guesswork out.
Heading to a Birch Ridge residence? All three options work. Swinnerton House is a short onward ride from Southern Cross if you’re on the SkyBus, and O’Connell Residence is a quick tram from there.
Your first night: survive, don’t thrive
Your goal on night one is simple: get to your accommodation, sort the basics, and sleep. You don’t need to conquer Melbourne. You need a shower, a meal and eight hours horizontal.
A handful of things to knock over before you crash:
- Check your Wi-Fi works. Every Birch Ridge residence has Wi-Fi included — connect before you do anything else, because everything else relies on it
- Send proof-of-life messages. Parents, friends, anyone who cares. A two-sentence “I landed safely, here’s my address” saves everyone a lot of worry
- Eat something. Uber Eats and DoorDash both deliver across Melbourne and can get food to you without needing to navigate anywhere new
- Grab essentials if you need them. Woolworths Metro and Coles Express stores are dotted through the CBD and inner suburbs, often open late — perfect for toothpaste, a kettle, a phone charger or basic groceries
- Set a hard sleep deadline. Jet lag lies to you. It tells you staying up is fine. It isn’t. Force yourself into bed at a reasonable local time and start adjusting your body clock from night one
Day one: the essentials
When you wake up — probably at 3am, then again at 10am — work through this international student checklist Melbourne-style in priority order. Most of it can be knocked over in a single day if you plan the route.
Buy a Myki card and set up auto top-up. Myki is Melbourne’s public transport card, and you need one to ride trams, trains or buses. Buy one at any 7-Eleven, Southern Cross Station or online via the PTV app. Set up auto top-up so you’re never stuck at a tram stop without credit. International students can also apply for the iUSEpass, which gives you 50% off fares.
Open an Aussie bank account. Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB and Westpac all offer student-friendly accounts, and most let you start the application online from overseas. Bring your passport, student visa, offer letter and Melbourne address. The account is usually active within a day, and having an Australian card makes everything — rent, groceries, transport — cheaper and smoother.
Register with your university. Pick up your student card, enrol in orientation events, and double-check exactly when your classes start. If something’s gone wrong with your enrolment, finding out on day one beats finding out in week two.
Stock up properly. Groceries, basic cookware if it’s not provided, toiletries, a reusable water bottle, and seasonal clothing you didn’t pack. Most Birch Ridge residences sit within walking distance of a Woolworths Metro or Coles Express.
Getting around Melbourne without embarrassing yourself
Melbourne’s public transport is good once you know it, but it has quirks that catch new arrivals out. Here are the ones worth knowing on day one:
- Trams don’t stop automatically. Push the “stop” button inside the tram to request the next stop, or watch it roll straight past yours. Same rule applies at tram stops when you want one to pick you up — give it a clear signal
- Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations are your anchor points. Almost every tram, train and bus route in the city connects through one of these two stations. If you’re lost, head for either one and re-orient from there
- The free tram zone. All tram travel within the Melbourne CBD is free — no need to tap your Myki on or off. It covers the CBD, Docklands and a small part of Carlton. Outside that zone, tap on as normal
- Walk when you can. Melbourne’s CBD is compact and flat and designed around a simple grid system. For trips under two kilometres, walking is often faster than waiting for a tram, and free.
Safety, emergencies and the stuff nobody wants to think about
Melbourne is one of the world’s safer cities, but that’s not the same as zero risk. A few things to have sorted in case day two goes sideways:
000 is the emergency number. For police, fire or ambulance, call triple zero from any phone. It’s free and works without credit.
Save your accommodation address offline. A note on your phone, a screenshot, a scrap of paper in your wallet. If your phone dies or you need to tell a driver where to go without squinting at a tiny screen, you’ll be glad you have it written somewhere.
Carry a second form of ID. A passport scan on your phone plus a physical student ID or driver’s licence. Pubs and some venues require 18+ ID, and some won’t accept a non-Australian licence on its own.
Save your university’s support contacts. Most Melbourne unis run a 24/7 student support line for international students. Save the number before you need it, not when you need it.
You’ve got this
The first 48 hours in Melbourne aren’t supposed to feel easy. You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed, and the city doesn’t quite make sense yet. That’s completely normal. By week three it’ll feel like home, and by month three you’ll be the one giving advice to the next round of new arrivals.
Birch Ridge runs six student residences across inner Melbourne, all fully furnished and all within easy reach of the universities our residents actually study at. If you’re still sorting your 2026 accommodation, browse our locations or apply directly to lock in a room before semester starts.
Save this international student checklist Melbourne edition somewhere handy, and share it with anyone else heading to the city. Welcome to Melbourne — you’ll love it.
