International students

The City of Melbourne looks forward to collaborating with the Victorian Government to deliver Victoria’s International Education Recovery Plan 2025 External link, to promote Melbourne as Australia’s best student city, and to reinforce Melbourne’s strong position as a world class study destination, supporting international education recovery and attracting the best global talent.

For regular updates about international student support services and programs please follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter. 

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The Couch – International Student Centre

The Couch is dedicated to providing international students with a safe place to make friends, learn new skills, have fun, access free cooked meals, give back through volunteering, and connect with the local community through events and activities. The Couch is an initiative of the City of Melbourne and the Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614.

Address: The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614, 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000

Opening hours: 6pm to 8.30pm, Monday to Thursday.

Cost: Free for international students. A free meal is provided.

Follow The Couch - International Student Centre on Facebook External link and Instagram External link for updates and check out our events below for upcoming events at The Couch.

Key resources

Legal information for international students

If you need legal advice, we recommend first speaking with the legal advisers at your university, college or school.

The support staff at the Study Melbourne Hub External link may be able to connect you with employment or accommodation lawyers through their free clinics.

You can also check out Inner Melbourne Community Legal's free, multi-lingual International Student Legal Information Resource External link. It is translated in English, Spanish (Español), Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) and Chinese (中文). This resource is supported through City of Melbourne’s Connected Communities grants program, as well as the International Student Welfare Program, a Victorian Government initiative.

If you are experiencing any problems with your accommodation, you can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria External link for assistance.

Melbourne International Student Guides

Collect your free Melbourne International Student Guide by Insider Guides from the City of Melbourne Visitor Centres External link, or the City of Melbourne Libraries. You can also download the guide online External link. The guides are filled with useful and fun information so you can make the most of your experience as an international student in Melbourne.

Commonwealth Ombudsman – international student complaints

The Commonwealth Ombudsman External link investigates complaints that overseas students have with private education and training in Australia. The Ombudsman’s services are free, independent and impartial. Complaints about public education, which includes most universities, should be directed to state and territory ombudsmen.

'Act of Translation': The Documentary

'Which story do you want to hear? The one I tell my parents…or the one I tell my friends?'

In this moving and funny documentary, 20 international students are propelled out of their comfort zones through theatre workshops and performances. By learning to tell their real stories they challenge and transform the narrative about Melbourne’s international student community.

See the full documentary External link by film-maker Irene Metter.

Act of Translation was a collaborative theatre project between the City of Melbourne, Study Melbourne, RMIT University, AFIS, the Immigration Museum, and independent artistic director, Catherine Simmonds.

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