LukeM

NAB. $0.00 per month account keeping fee regardless of how much $ you deposit into the account. You can leave it open without using it and not incur any fees for doing so. You get a Visa debit card and you can control all of the features of the debit card in the app, including setting a PIN and you can even turn the PayWave features on/off if you would rather insert and use your PIN instead (note: if you do that and try to use PayWave it'll just decline). They also have no overdrawn fees. If a direct debit goes out of the account and is dishonoured, there's no charge to you. The transaction just reverses and it appears on your statement - that's it. No questions asked. You can also add your Superannuation account to Internet Banking if you go with MLC for Super. The interest rates on savings accounts are not great, though, so you could get NAB Classic Banking and link it to a ING Savings Maximiser with ING if that really bothers you...

There's a high chance of being killed in Chicago as a result of gun violence. Perhaps the "fun" is that element of danger? As for Sydney being bottom of the list? No way! Canberra takes the cake if you want a boring Australian city !

Have heard a lot of mixed reviews about Pimpama SSC. Some people say the bullying/student body is terrible, but the teachers are great. Others say it's the best school. Unfortunately, the same with all schools. If you're looking for a good school in the region, Coomera Anglican College is K-12.

Hmmm was only really an idea, thought I'd look into it for them. We don't really have the kinds of money to deal with it and she certainly doesn't have 30 years left in her... I'd bet 4 or 5 tops, so that 838's out of the question. She does have a pension, yes. She's not dependent on anyone financially (that I'm aware of). Oh and someone asked before if my dad has siblings - no, he doesn't. Both my parents are their parents' one and only child.

Mmmm while I understand your point of view, unfortunately she's not got anyone there. She lives alone and doesn't socialise with anyone - even immediate family including her brother and sister. She would rather be with us - whether that means her being here or us being there. She has a lot of mental and physical health issues and as I said we all know she would rather be here with us. It certainly wouldn't be easier on us but it would be easier on her. $50k is a lot. I don't think we would be able to afford that. I was just curious about options.

Just wondered how we go about doing this now, and how easy it is to do? We are citizens and wondering whether it's possible to bring my dad's mum over. She's living on her own currently. Finding it increasingly hard to travel. She's just turned 70 and we felt it might be something to look into for her benefit if we were able to sell her house in the UK (we own it anyway) and bring her over here. i think it would be better for us all in the long run. I've not really followed the forums since I got here and became a citizen so I've come crawling back for advice hehe

Currently living in Qld. Thinking of making the move to Vic after my fiancee and I get married. It will be the two of us and possibly a bun in the oven! Where would be a good place for us to start, based on this criteria? - Reasonably central location. Preferably further from the CBD, as we're not really city people, but close enough to a decent shopping centre and with reasonably good links to the CBD if we need to go there for anything. I'll still be at Uni for example, so it might be beneficial to be able to access the CBD for that reason (though I'm thinking more about doing online study so I can do things a bit more at my own pace!) - Easy access to doctors/hospital/chiropractor/other health services. - Quiet. Must be quiet and "out of the way", family friendly, good for raising kids. Again - refer to above, we're not city people! - Green! - Relatively cheap - we would be renting, looking around the $370 per week mark. That's what we're paying at the moment for a townhouse. We would prefer to have something a bit more private. I don't really like townhouses/apartments. I like separation from neighbours! They've proven to be noisy here!

I have a Gumtree ad with all of the details in it. Please PM me if you would like information or the link to the ad. Please comment or message if you require information, please only do so if you know someone who is interested or you are seriously interested yourself. Thanks.

Depends on study area and level...

If you're not a Permanent Resident you may have to pay "full" fees, same as University. Depends on study area and the level. A Diploma of IT at TAFE can be $10,800 up to $14,900 just as an example. Certificates and random courses would be a lot cheaper.

Said friend attends UQ, and stays in a UQ residential college.

You might want to start looking at the news about all the "proposed" changes to University funding in Australia. They haven't been passed by the Senate as yet but if they are, then I'm afraid your "cheaper than the UK" may be abruptly shattered I hope for the sake of all those who rely upon a University education to secure their career and boost employability, myself included, that these ridiculous measures never come to pass.

Really? I was of the impression from a friend who lives at the residential colleges that you can't stay over summer or the break between semesters but you can obviously stay for mid-semester break...

Eh? What? Degree easier? No. The timing is different as Quoll said. To be honest it's just more stressful dragging it out over so many years I say stuff 'em in to 2 years full time and deal with it. But they cleverly plot it so they can index fees and interest rates and steal your money for the government. Depends. Queensland I read has the highest dropout rate for University as they go younger from school to Uni. I don't think it's easier at all. Everything is just what you make of it. Obviously a 'brighter' student is going to handle it differently... Public/private makes no difference IMO.

Got my drivers license (Aus path to getting licensed is painful) Known how hideous the public transport system can be Researched University life more and been more aware of my options and opportunities relating to what I want to do with my life rather than what people thought/think I should do with my life. Known how terrible 3G/4G speeds are :jimlad: Oh well no time for dwelling on the past those are all minor things so I don't really care I wasn't expecting aus life to be like the UK anyway so I guess I just went in with no expectations and I haven't ever been disappointed - I wouldn't go back so yeah.

Because that's life and if people feel they made a mistake voting for the party (lead by Tony Abbott) then they will just vote for someone else in the future and thus the cycle starts all over again. A different party will gain power. That party will make promises. The party will introduce changes. They will break their promises. They will introduce/not introduce changes accordingly. Then everyone will come on this here Interwebs and have a whinge about them. Rinse, and repeat. And to be honest I'm not the biggest fan of Tony Abbott and I'm not into all these cuts and that other stuff he's got going on but when you look at the recent stuff - the Malaysian plane crashes, terrorism etc I've sort of warmed to him a bit. I think he knows he's got to dig himself out of a hole a bit and his other key figures in Parliament are letting him and his party down somewhat (yes, you - Mr. Pyne!) Also, Harpodom, I hope your tongue is placed firmly in your cheek with that signature...

I realise I already posted here once before, just to backup what was said, you've got better chances if you have A2s. You can use AS as well. I think A2 has more weight though.

$65 is excessive for 1hr. You're being ripped off at that! Check out My Driving School. http://www.mydrivingschool.com.au I've had a number of instructors with them, all are very very good. My brother also used them and passed his test first time with them. 1hr lessons are $57 currently. If you "block book" the cost per lesson goes down but you do have to pay up-front if you do "block book" I've had a looooong and hectic experience being a learner driver here in Qld and only just got my first car about a month ago so I can tell you pretty much whatever you want to know about driving in Brisbane and the surrounding areas from a learner perspective. If you want to know more or have specific questions you can drop me a PM on here.

I can't remember exactly... I'm in Qld. Here's what I had... - 9 GCSEs - Level 3 "Advanced" Diploma in IT (which was 'equivalent' to 2.5 x A2 subjects... I freaked out so much that they wouldn't accept this). - A2 Media Studies, A2 General Studies - AS Psychology. And I got in fine with no troubles. I don't think they looked at my GCSEs. Yes, you need the original - NOT just the Statement of Results. I tried to give them the Statement of Results and because those are un-finalised, you needed the certificates. Again, I'm talking for QTAC in Queensland. So I guess it'd be the same in Vic. If you're worried about not having them in time to apply, check your deadlines for applications. I was cutting it very fine but I still made the 'early' offer round when I applied 4 years ago. And don't panic. I celebrate my 4th year (to the day) in Aus tomorrow. I arrived around this time after completing my A Levels a month prior, and still got everything sorted out. Worst case scenario you may just have to do some kind of tertiary prep course through either TAFE or a local University. Usually you can do them online and they run for 1-2 semesters depending on if you do them full/part time, online or on campus etc. It'd be worth looking in to all your options, applying, giving them the documentation, but putting that as an option on your application (I'm not so sure what the system is like in Vic - in Qld we have preferences and offers are made based on your preferences... So if you put your degree as your top preference and if they can't offer you a degree, put the tertiary prep program as your next option, for example). Hope that helps - if you need anything clarifying please do feel free to ask, it's getting late, it's winter and I'm fading... Haha. Even though it was 28 in Brisbane/Gold Coast region today!

If you wanna head down Gold Coast... Tamborine is pretty great. Some nice places to stop on the way up. Also up the Sunshine Coast there's the mountainous villages such as Maleny/Montville, that are worth a look, set in the mountainsides - nice atmosphere (though maybe not the kinda mountain stuff you're talking about!) NSW - Mt Warning is a good one. I'd love to go see The Blue Mountains some day.

That would be quite unlikely I would think. As you know, when you become eligible, you have to apply - then when that's approved you have to book the test and sit the test, then you'd have to organize the Ceremony. In other words - if you are currently not eligible and have not made an application yet it is very unlikely that you would be eligible in time for semester 2's census date. Lots of people are trying to do this every year to become eligible for HECS. If the timing isn't quite right you miss out unfortunately. I had that fear too. I sympathise. May as well just make sure that you have all of your documentation and stuff ready and go for it ASAP and see how you go.

Oh but no loans. Deferring fees with HECS (a "loan") is only available to citizens. If you can secure a loan for your fees in your home country and then pay for your fees using credit card online or a cheque that's fine.

Yes. But usually they are limited scholarships available. Even for domestic students it is hard to find a full scholarship for the entire degree. You might find something for a year or two. Check the websites of universities you are interested in for details. Sometimes if you're already at university in your home country they might offer scholarships for you to go to an overseas university (in other words to Australia) for a term or more. If you know where you want to go, check out their website's scholarships pages or contact them with an online form on their website.

Seems to me that the opposite is sadly the case in Australia and there's too many GDipEds, IMO. Lots of people taking the light-footed way around the system to get into teaching because they spent time and money on a degree without prospects so they turn to the GDipEd hoping that it'll have something in store for them which is wrong, I feel. In many cases they're not even passionate or invested in teaching. It's just for the money. That may be a minority but it seems to be an increasingly popular trend! Even so, doing a PGCE just to get a visa and then having to go through all the stuffing around of having to convert your qualifications is a lot of time/effort and money. I think requirements of entrance to pre-service programs for teachers in Australia needs to be seriously toughened up regardless of whether you're training as an undergrad or postgrad here, or moving from overseas and wanting a visa to continue or start work as a teacher. Let's get some portfolios, entrance interviews, required levels of proficiency in particular subject areas, demonstration of interest through things like volunteer work etc. What did I hear on the radio the other day about a possible 6-week intensive teaching qualification?! Good grief that'll send our schools down the hole faster than you can say "but...!" Anyone can get into teaching these days it seems. And I can promise you now it is N-O-T easy. People seem to have this horrible misconception that teaching is easy and that it "comes naturally", no, you can entertain and captivate a group of kids but does that mean you can teach them? Heck no! I've never been mentally and physically challenged so much in my short life! It's an endurance test. I've already had friends drop out after only a year! Don't fancy my chances at getting anywhere fast on a career path on the other side with the rate that the GDipEd and whatever other new fast track schemes the gov't may be cooking up can spit out another hundred-or-so fresh teachers per week who are underqualified and mostly uninterested in the job for anything other than the dollar. Slightly off-topic. Rant over!!

And as someone who moved to Australia and is currently studying an undergraduate Education degree program I can confirm that it is standard to be qualified in two subject areas - pretty much all secondary education programs are either dual degrees (BA or BSc with BEd) and you major in two areas within the former or you have a single degree (BEd) with everything in a mishmash. I'm doing the former. You can't pass the degree without two subject areas. It's a requirement. Because that's what schools want, at least in Qld but I'm sure others here will be able to clarify that it's the same through most of Australia. That's the long and short of it.