Feeling overwhelmed in Australia does not mean you have to handle it alone. Australia has dedicated helplines that international students can contact for urgent mental health support, no matter which education provider or city you are studying in. If you are in a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000) for police, ambulance or fire services.
Beyond those hotlines, your campus, your state or territory, and national associations all run support that is free to use. Here is what is actually available, and how each option fits a different kind of moment.
Start with the helplines
When you need to talk to someone now, these national services are set up for urgent support:
- Lifeline offers an online chat service, text and phone support, and a free language translation service for people who do not speak English.
- Beyond Blue lets you talk or chat online with a counsellor.
- Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 telephone and online counselling.
- Headspace offers many services, including support for work and study, and has translated materials into other languages.
- Embrace Multicultural Mental Health has multilingual information about mental health.
- Head to Health supports culturally and linguistically diverse people.
You do not need a referral to reach out to these services. Many of them are built for exactly the situation of being far from home, in a new culture, and unsure who to ask.
What if English is not your first language?
Language should not be the reason you go without help. Lifeline runs a free language translation service for people who do not speak English. Embrace Multicultural Mental Health publishes information about mental health in multiple languages. Headspace has also translated its flyer into a range of other languages.
If you would rather speak to someone who understands your background, these multilingual options are a reasonable place to start.
Support at your place of study
Your education provider is the closest option, and it is included in what you already pay for as a student. Education providers at all levels have committed student support staff who look after international students, and many services are free.
Typical support at Australian institutions includes:
- mental health, wellbeing and counselling services
- academic and student support advisers
- language and learning support
- employment and careers services
- on-arrival welcome and orientation programs
- student accommodation and housing services
Check the website of your place of study for the exact services and opening details. Your campus can usually point you to a counsellor the same week.
Free support from your state or territory
Each state and territory in Australia offers free support services for international students. These commonly include support officers, careers advice, counselling, legal advice, social groups and events, plus information about local services.
You can find your local page here:
- StudyAdelaide
- Study Queensland
- Study NSW (New South Wales)
- Study Canberra
- Study Melbourne
- Study NT (Northern Territory)
- Study Perth
- Study Tasmania
Which one applies to you depends only on where you are studying, not on your visa type.
Other options that help
Beyond urgent helplines, there are several lighter-touch ways to steady yourself:
- Talk to a counsellor at your place of study.
- Talk to your GP.
- Use online self-help tools and resources.
- Join a peer support group or workshop to share your experiences and learn from others.
Student clubs and associations are also part of this picture. They are usually run by your student peers and can be a good way to make friends and build networks. National associations include the Council of International Students Australia (CISA) and the Australian Federation of International Students (AFIS). Most education providers also have their own student association.
It can get overwhelming when you first arrive
Aayush, a student from Nepal studying a Bachelor of Business specialising in Hospitality and Hotel Management at TAFE NSW in Sydney, describes the same feeling. He says the biggest challenge was adjusting to a new culture and lifestyle, and that he struggled at first with time differences and homesickness.
What helped, in his account, was making new friends, exploring Sydney and keeping in touch with his family. His advice to new students is to stay open to new experiences, manage your time well, and seek support when needed, because it can get overwhelming when you first arrive. He notes that reaching out, joining student events and talking to classmates can make a huge difference, and that support services, community groups and teachers are ready to help.
In an emergency
For life-threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000) for police, ambulance or fire services. Study Australia has a dedicated page on what to do in an emergency if you want to know what happens next.