Student orientation – subclass 500 (schools) visa procedure

Audience

Education Queensland International (EQI), EQI staff, school staff, Overseas students, EQI homestay providers, parents/ Department of Home Affairs (DHA) approved guardians of Overseas students and their agents.

Purpose

To clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of EQI and schools and the steps they follow to develop pre-arrival, arrival and ongoing orientation programs to support Overseas student adjustment to study and life in Queensland.  

Overview

EQI and school staff develop and distribute orientation information to Overseas students. Orientation starts prior to arriving in Queensland and EQI ensures that orientation information is age and culturally appropriate and supports the wellbeing and academic success of Overseas students. EQI informs schools of the essential information to be conveyed to Overseas students and parents when developing school-specific orientation programs. Ongoing orientation is developed by EQI and maintained by school staff to further ensure Overseas student understanding of orientation materials and to provide additional information to ensure Overseas student wellbeing and adjustment to study and life in Australia. Orientation materials and practices are reviewed to ensure currency, accuracy and effectiveness of delivery.

This procedure should be read in conjunction with the Ongoing enrolment – subclass 500 (schools) procedure.

Responsibilities

EQI staff

• ensure pre-arrival information is relevant, accurate and available to the general public on the EQI website and the Your Passport to Queensland mobile application
• provide further pre-arrival orientation to Overseas students, parents and agents once enrolment has been confirmed
• review and update Overseas student orientation materials annually or when otherwise required
• review and update EQI, International Student Program (ISP) student orientation checklist (Department of Education [DoE] employees only) annually or when otherwise required
• review and update orientation information provided to Overseas students and parents, ensuring relevance and accuracy as well as the effective facilitation of information 
• provide ongoing support to schools in the development and delivery of the orientation program
• ensure staff contact available for overseas students for the purpose of providing advice regarding ongoing orientation
• approve publication of pre-arrival information on the EQI website.

School staff (for example, International Student/Homestay Coordinator or Line Manager)

• develop and coordinate the delivery of pre-arrival information and materials for Overseas students to complete prior to arrival (such as subject information, uniform requirements and bring your own device information)
• develop and coordinate the delivery of an age and culturally appropriate orientation program and Overseas student orientation handbook
• review and update orientation information (as directed by EQI or school principal) provided to Overseas students and parents, ensuring relevance and accuracy as well as the effective facilitation of information
• provide ongoing orientation and support to Overseas students and parents to adjust to study and life in Australia
• maintain accurate and up-to-date records (for example, adding a record of contact in OneSchool for each contact with Overseas student).

School principal (or delegate)

• approve the orientation program and orientation handbook
• oversee the ongoing support provided to Overseas students to adjust to study and life in Australia.

Process

Image 1 : Flowchart - Student orientation process

1. Pre-arrival orientation

EQI staff

• maintain pre-arrival orientation information for availability on the EQI website and Your Passport to Queensland mobile application, including (but not limited to):
  • welcome
  • about Queensland and arriving in Queensland
  • communicating
  • schooling in Queensland
  • homestay
  • 1800 QSTUDY
  • Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) information
  • Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) information
• ensure delivery of pre-arrival information to Overseas student, via parent/agent, once enrolment has been confirmed.

School staff

• develop and maintain pre-arrival orientation information, including (but not limited to):
  • timetable information
  • uniform requirements
  • school policy and procedure (for example, Student code of conduct)
  • non-tuition fees (for example, non-curriculum excursions, uniforms and excellence programs)
  • bring your own device requirements and specifications
  • subject selection information
  • local transport options
  • homestay rules and expectations
  • wi-fi access 
• issue the pre-arrival orientation information to Overseas student/parent/agent prior to Overseas student arrival.

School principal (or delegate)

• approve or request further amendments to pre-arrival orientation information.

2. Arrival orientation

School staff

• refer to EQI, ISP student orientation checklist (DoE employees only) to assist preparation of age and culturally appropriate Overseas student/parent arrival orientation program and orientation handbook that includes (but is not limited to):
  • introduction to the school
    • school hours and routines
    • responsible behaviour plan 
    • facilities and resources
  • introduction to EQI, ISP
    • Enrolment Agreement, including ISP standard terms and conditions
    • Complaints and appeals - subclass 500 (schools) visa procedure
    • ISP policies and procedures (for example, Incident management policy)
    • travel and activities (for example ISP travel and activities request form, Water Skills (DoE employees only), driving and Holiday Adventure Programs)
  • student visa conditions
  • support services and school staff available to assist Overseas students
    • to adjust to study and life in Australia
    • with issues that may adversely affect their education
    • with their English language proficiency
    • with study and academic achievement
  • how to seek help and report incidents which occur at school and outside school, including
    • school-based Overseas student support services for example, guidance officer, school-based health nurse
    • who to contact in an emergency (including information about emergency services in Queensland)
    • 1800QSTUDY international student emergency hotline student visa conditions (for example, Overseas student health cover (OSHC), attendance, behaviour, course progress and working while studying)
  • orientation to local area
  • homestay, if required
  • safety, awareness and actions that Overseas students can take to enhance their personal security and safety (for example, water safety, beach and sun safety, personal wellbeing, safety with adults)
• meet Overseas student, parent and DHA approved guardian on the first day of attendance at school:
  • introduce Overseas student and parent to school staff including school principal and support staff
  • designate a central meeting place for Overseas student and agree to meeting times
  • match Overseas student with a local student (buddy) to assist during class and transitioning between classes
  • undertake tour of the school and supply map of the school
  • provide Overseas student and parent with timetable and orientation handbook, and assist Overseas student to read and understand
• within the first week of starting to attend school:
  • finalise subject selection and inform parent/agent, if required
  • deliver approved orientation program with orientation handbook
    • complete ISP student orientation checklist (DoE Employees only)
    • ensure Overseas student/parent has understood information by asking questions about the information provided
    • provide access to interpreter services, if required
    • document and record Overseas student attendance.

School principal (or delegate)

• approve or request further amendments to orientation program and orientation handbook
• meet Overseas student and parent/DHA approved guardian and welcome to the school.

3. Ongoing orientation

EQI staff

• provide advice to overseas students, regarding ongoing orientation queries

School staff

• schedule a follow-up orientation session with Overseas student within the first two months of program and:
  • discuss adjustment process and possible coping strategies
  • reiterate items covered throughout the orientation program – refer to EQI, ISP student orientation checklist (DoE employees only)
  • provide opportunity for Overseas student to ask questions
  • discuss health services (for example, online health advice may be provided by the Overseas student’s OSHC provider or by contacting 1800QSTUDY – international student emergency hotline and support)
  • discuss legal services
  • discuss driving as per  ISP standard terms and conditions
  • provide advice about money and banking
  • discuss working while studying
    • including Child Employment Act 2006 (Qld) and Fair Work Ombudsman
  • Australian laws and customs (for example, legal age of consent, alcohol, smoking, drugs and how to seek help and report actual or alleged physical, sexual or other abuse)
  • discuss natural disasters
  • discuss online safety
• communicate with Overseas student on an ongoing basis regarding their wellbeing and adjustment to study and life in Australia as per the Ongoing enrolment – subclass 500 (schools) visa, DEi student homestay placement procedure, DEi homestay provider management procedure and Course progress – subclass 500 (schools) visa procedures
• take action under the relevant EQI or departmental policy or procedure – for example, the relevant DEi incident management procedure or the Department of Education Student protection procedure, if required.

4. Review of orientation

EQI staff

• ensure pre-arrival information is up to date and relevant by conducting regular reviews of:
  • EQI website information
  • Your Passport to Queensland mobile application
• ensure EQI, ISP student orientation checklist(DoE employees only) is up to date by conducting regular reviews and notifying school staff of any changes
• ensure appropriate information is being delivered by schools and appropriate support is offered to schools when required.

School staff

• review the orientation program and orientation handbook, at least annually, to ensure accuracy and relevancy
• provide updated orientation program and orientation handbook to school principal for approval
• implement approved changes to orientation program and orientation handbook.

School principal (or delegate)

• approve or request further amendments to orientation program and/orientation handbook.

Definitions

Legislation

• Child Employment Act 2006 (Qld)
• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cwlth)
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 – Factsheets

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Before you arrive – EQI pre-arrival information
• Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy
• EQI - ISP Team Site (DoE employees only)
• Get Ready Queensland
• ISP standard terms and conditions
• Online safety
• Overseas student health cover
• PRISMS user guide
• Student protection procedure
• Student visa conditions

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

Nil