Practical Matters
Australia: Students live together in comfortable and modern rented beach houses located in Byron Bay region. Decisions about living arrangements are made by students upon arrival, with 4-8 students sharing a house and students usually, also, sharing rooms with other students. Each of the houses has a television, Internet access and a washing machine. All houses have full kitchen facilities and students will be able to cook their own meals. While traveling on field trips, students can expect to stay in hostels, guesthouses, cabins and tents.
Fiji: During the Fiji trip, students will stay at hostels, eco-resorts and in community-based homestays.
New Zealand: In New Zealand, students will generally stay in a youth hostel dorms, Maori marae (meeting places/halls) and, occasionally, in tents.
Indonesia: When in Bali, students will mostly stay in local family-owned homestay accommodations. They may also stay in hotels, beach bungalows and university dormitories.
Students will receive a weekly food allowance and are encouraged to do their own shopping and cooking, either individually or communally. During field and camping trips the program may provide some meals. Students can expect to receive a reduced weekly food allowance during weeks where there are field and camping trips where meals will be covered by the program. Additionally, each student must cover all personal entertainment and independent travel costs outside of field trips and school activities. We recommend students budget at least $1,000-$2,000 per semester for personal expenses. Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Fiji typically accept all major credit cards, such as American Express, Visa and MasterCard. Students can get cash out from the ATMs, though bank fees may apply. Prior to moving abroad, students may wish to open accounts with banks that do not charge international withdrawal fees. Students should also stay abreast of the current exchange rates in the different countries they expect to travel in with the understanding that these rates may fluctuate during their stay. We recommend students also carry with them an emergency cash fund (around US$200) that can be safely stored away in case ATM cards are lost or other emergencies arrive.
Students are expected to bring their own laptop computers for all course work requirements. Student houses generally have a broadband Internet connection, but service may be slower than in the U.S. Students can also access Wi-Fi at Internet cafes and in the public library. While travelling with the program in rural areas in Australia as well as in New Zealand, Fiji and Bali/Indonesia, students should expect significantly slower and intermittent Internet access. Everyone should bring an international adapter that allows for U.S electronics to be plugged into outlets in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Indonesia. The electrical voltage in Australia is 240. If students plan to use their own hair dryers or other appliances from the United States, they will need to purchase a converter, which can be found at most electronics stores in the U.S. and in Australia.
All students planning on studying abroad with the Asia-Pacific Australia program must carry passports valid for at least one year as of the program start date. Passports must also have at least four blank pages for visas and entry and exit stamps. Please also note that all visa information listed below pertains to students travelling on a U.S. passport. Citizens of other nations outside the U.S. should check the relevant immigration department websites of Australia and Indonesia for information.
Australia: LIU Global students must apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). The ETA application can be completed online at www.eta.immi.gov.au and costs around US$20. Students should print the ETA receipt or confirmation of the document to take with them to Australia.
Fiji: Students will not need a visa for Fiji.
New Zealand: Students will not need a visa for New Zealand.
Indonesia: Students will not need a visa for Bali, Indonesia.