Pre-study checklist

When you arrive in Australia, you can purchase a local SIM card from major providers such as Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone at the airport, shopping centres, or convenience stores.

Prepaid plans are a popular option for students, offering flexibility and no lock-in contracts. You’ll need identification (such as your passport) to activate your SIM.

Once you arrive in Australia, make sure to contact your family or friends to let them know you’ve arrived safely. It’s a good idea to share your accommodation details and contact information so they can reach you if needed.

The cheapest way to travel by bus, train or ferry in Brisbane is with a go card. You need a blue, adult go card while you are an English language student.  Generally, your trips will be 2–3 zones.

Locations to buy and top-up

Buy and add money to your go card at:

• Train stations
• Selected convenience stores, such as 7-11
• UQ Campus News, the UQ newsagent
• Machines at UQ bus stations. 

Register your card and set up automatic top-up

Once you have a go card, you can register your go card online and set it to top up automatically if you wish. Once your card is registered, if you lose it you can transfer money to your new card.

Using your go card

You must touch on and touch off when you get on public transport and when you get off. If you forget to touch on and off, you will be charged more - the maximum fare.

Find out more about go cards

Visit a local bank branch if you need a local bank account. Please note many banks offer accounts for international students with no withdrawal account fees.

The four biggest banks in Australia are Australian New Zealand (ANZ), Commonwealth Bank (CommBank), Wespac and National Australia Bank (NAB).

Once you’ve secured your accommodation, it’s important to familiarise yourself with nearby essential services such as supermarkets, medical centres, pharmacies, banks, and public transport.

You can use tools like Google Maps to explore your local area and locate services close to where you live.

Explore Google Maps

If you plan to work while studying, you’ll need to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN). You can only apply after you arrive in Australia, and the application is free.

Make sure you understand your visa conditions and confirm your eligibility to work before applying. Once issued, your TFN is yours for life and is required for employment and tax purposes.

Apply for a TFN

In your first week, we will show you how to download the Allianz MyHealth app. This app is your electronic overseas student health cover membership card and you can use it to:

• update your personal details
• submit or check on a claim
• check your benefits and cover
• use health assistant to find local equivalents of brand name medicines

Brisbane has an easy and affordable public transport system, including buses, trains and ferries. Using a go card is the cheapest option—just remember to tap on and off to avoid higher fares.

You can also get around by bike using Brisbane’s shared bike scheme, or use taxis and rideshare services like Uber. For airport travel, the Airtrain connects Brisbane Airport to the city and surrounding areas.

Plan your journey

Your UQ Account is the first step to getting ready to study.

1. Two to three weeks before your course starts, check your personal email account. You will receive an email from accounts@its.uq.edu.au titled UQ Username Activation

   Note: Check your Spam and Junk folders if you can’t see it.

2. Click the activation link in the email
3. Confirm your identity and set a password

   Note: This password is very important. Keep a record of it.

4. Make a note of your username: it is the letter “s” followed by the first seven letters of your student number.

   Example username: s4123456

5. Use your username and password to access all UQ systems, whenever you see the UQ Authenticate login screen.

When you start at UQ College, you’re given an Office 365 email account. Your official student email address ends with @student.uq.edu.au. Your UQ email address looks like this: firstname.lastname@student.uq.edu.au (e.g. jo.bloggs@student.uq.edu.au)

It’s important to check this email account on a daily basis. We’ll use it for all important correspondence about your studies and for urgent information broadcasts. To activate your student email, click the email link in the my.UQ Dashboard. After you click the email link, you'll be directed to a page where you can set up a password. After you activate your student email, you can access your email online or set up an inbox on your mobile device.

For help with the your UQ email, contact UQ College Student Information.

Apply for a student ID

Where to go

To collect your ID card, wait until you receive an email confirming your ID is ready for collection and visit Student Central - Prentice Building (42) from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

What to bring

To collect your student ID, all new students need to show:

• Proof of identification (a passport), and
• Letter of offer (this was emailed to you).

The name on your letter of offer has to match the name on your proof of identification.

Where to use your ID Card

Your student card is important because you need it to:

• borrow from the Learning Centre and UQ Libraries
• access services for students at UQ College and on campus.
• provide proof of your identity for onsite tests
• get full-time student discounts for some Brisbane services like going to the movies.

Note: English language students are not eligible for discounts on public transport. The discount will be available for you once you commence a UQ degree course.

Use your UQ username and password to login to UQ systems.  You have been sent a UQ Activation email with your UQ student number and link to set your password.  Contact Student Information (info@uqcollege.uq.edu.au) if you do not have this information.

Connect to wifi

To connect to wifi, enter your

• username as s______@uq.edu.au where 's' is followed by the first 7 digits of your 8 digit student number, and
• your password.

See Connecting to wifi for specific information on setting up wifi for your device.

Password reset

If you have been issued a temporary password by UQ College Student Information, then reset your password online. You must reset your password before it will work with the wifi on campus.

If you have forgotten your password, email UQ College Student Information to have it reset. If you have previously entered your mobile phone number in the UQ College portal, you can reset your password online.

The UQ College portal gives you easy access to your enrolment and study progress at UQ College.

1. Log in to the portal and bookmark the address
2. Click the Profile button, and edit to update your address, phone and personal email.
3. Check you enrolment details (Course button) are correct.

For more information on the UQ College Student Portal, click here. For help with the UQ College Student Portal, email UQ College Student Information.

Get to know your surroundings by exploring the UQ St Lucia campus, including key locations such as lecture theatres, libraries, study spaces, food outlets and student services.

Use the campus map to help you navigate and find everything you need during your time at UQ.

Explore St Lucia campus

Blackboard is the UQ online learning environment. Students can:

• see announcements
• access course materials,
• communicate with classmates and teachers.

Your group (class) will become available on Blackboard the Friday before your course starts.

1. Log in to Blackboard and bookmark the address
2. Find your course
3. Complete the Orientation Modules section first (on the left menu)

For help with Blackboard, email UQ College Student Information

For English Courses

When you have access to Blackboard, please complete the Orientation Training. This training will prepare you for a successful study experience at UQ College.

How to access training

1. Inside Blackboard, click on Orientation in the main menu
2. Follow the instructions

For help with the Orientation Training, email UQ College Student Information

For the Foundation Program and Tertiary Preparation Programs

Orientation information sessions will be provided in the week prior to course commencement;  sessions will be held for both face to face and online students (via Zoom). Students will be provided details of these orientation sessions via email. Students who are unable to attend orientation will have the opportunity to view orientation session recordings on Blackboard from Week 1.

Online classes are held in Zoom. If you are studying online you need to sign in to your UQ Zoom account and learn how to use Zoom.

How to sign into your UQ Zoom account

1. Go to Zoom and sign in with SSO​​​​​​
2. The company name for The University of Queensland is uqz
3. Sign in with your UQ Username and Password

For help with Zoom, email UQ College Student Information​.

Students may find access to some UQ software and systems restricted from their country or their connection slow. We recommend students use a VPN service if this occurs.

All students may use the UQ VPN service through Cisco AnyConnect VPN.

If you experience difficulties with your VPN service, please contact UQ Ask Us for help. Support is available from 8am–8pm Monday to Friday and 12pm–5pm Saturday to Sunday.

Email UQ College Student Information if you have any queries.

For the Foundation and Tertiary Preparation Programs

UQ College will provide you with a textbook (hardcopy or e-copy) and/or a learning guide in the first week of your course. 

Learning Guides are accessed via the course’s Blackboard site. 

For further information, speak to your teacher during the first week of your course or access the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) on the Blackboard site.

For English courses

UQ College will provide you with a textbook in the first week of your course.

​​​​​UQ College uses two different textbook companies. The textbook provided to you will depend on your course, level and time of the year.