Information: everything you need to know about IIA

Orientation

It is important to give yourself time to “settle in” before you start at IIA. Try to arrive in Brisbane at least 24 hours before your first day of study.

On your first day at IIA, we will give you lots of information! This will help you adjust to your new life as an IIA student. Enjoy meeting other new students and our friendly staff, learn about IIA and student life in Brisbane. You will join your regular class after completing a placement test with the other new students.

Student Activities

Friday afternoons, workshops and the weekend program.

We strongly encourage you to join the IIA activity program during your time with us. After-school activities and workshops give you the chance to make friends with other students and to practise speaking English with native speakers.

Supervised Self-Study

Supervised Self Study is available in the Resource Centre from 3.00 to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 1:30 to 3:00 pm on Fridays. An English teacher is available to answer questions and assist students. We recommend you make the most of these additional hours of study on offer.

Working in Australia

If you hold a Visitor Visa, you are not allowed to work while in Australia.

If you hold a Working Holiday Visa, you are able to work while in Australia but can not have continuous employment, with the same employer, for more than 6 months.

If you hold a Student Visa and you have permission, you can work up to 20 hours per week during your regular study period while in Australia.

Regular part-time work outside class hours is not easy to find. Success in finding work will depend on your:

Students should not depend on finding a part-time job to pay for necessities, such as food and rent. Students’ work commitments must not prevent them from attending classes.

Student Counselling

International Institute Australia offers support to students through academic and personal counselling. If you are worried about your progress in English, your study skills, if you need advice about career options or you are missing home, family or friends, please talk to your teachers or to one of IIA’s counsellors. All staff at IIA are committed to assisting you resolve any difficulties you may have during your time at our college.

Student Grievance Resolution Procedure

Your opinions as a student are important to us. If you are unhappy with any part of your IIA experience, please talk to a staff member. They will refer you to the right person at IIA to help solve your problem. If you are unhappy with the outcome of your discussions with IIA, you can:

  1. ask for an independent mediator to help you resolve the problem (International Institute Australia will refer you to a professional mediator or you can nominate a person).
  2. make a complaint to the chief executive of Education Queensland (the chief executive has the authority to suspend or cancel the registration of IIA or any IIA course).

This does not remove your right to take further action under Australian consumer protection laws or to pursue other legal remedies.