The NSW Government is providing a $20 million package for international students who are stranded in Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The package includes:
- a temporary crisis accommodation scheme delivered through quality student accommodation and homestay providers
- increased support via RLC's International Legal Service NSW and availability of 70,000 free subscriptions to RLC's multilingual app, My Legal Mate
- a dedicated 24/7 international student support hotline (13 77 88) offering free advice and information about medical, mental health, legal, emergency and other support.
The crisis accommodation is available for international students in genuine need, who:
- hold an international student visa
- have lost, or are at risk of losing, access to secure accommodation
- have no other avenues of support.
To ensure the scheme can assist as many international students in NSW as possible, the NSW Government has recently updated the eligibility criteria for this scheme to:
- remove the requirement to demonstrate less than $1,500 in savings through a bank statement
- remove the requirement to provide a letter of support from your educational institution at the time of application. This can now be provided once international students have been placed into accommodation.
We encourage international students in need to apply, and invite our international education community to continue to promote this support measure through their networks.
What you need
- MyServiceNSW Account
- your personal and contact details
- documentary evidence that you meet all the eligibility requirements.
View the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 Crisis Accommodation and apply online at www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-international-student-covid-19-crisis-accommodation or call the NSW Government COVID-19 hotline on 13 77 88.
Further information about NSW Government supports available to international students is available here
