Dhiraj Kandel
Managing DirectorSchedule a free consultation with our expert counselors to discuss your study
Travelling to Australia for the first time is an exciting milestone for many Nepali students planning to study in Australia from Nepal. Alongside tuition fees and visa paperwork, one very practical question often gets overlooked: how much money should you actually carry when you land? The short answer: most Nepali students only need AUD 500 to AUD 1,000 in cash on arrival, enough for airport transport, a local SIM card, meals, and public transport for the first few days. The rest of your settlement funds are better kept accessible through a forex card, international debit card, or a transfer into your Australian bank account once it’s open.
The answer depends on factors such as your accommodation, payment method, and initial living expenses. In this guide, we’ll explain how much money Nepali students should carry, the safest ways to manage their funds, Australian customs rules for carrying cash, and practical tips to help you settle in smoothly after arriving in Australia.
Students should carry AUD 500 to AUD 1,000 to cover initial expenses such as airport transport, meals, a local SIM card, and public transport. This is usually enough for the first few days after arriving in Australia.
A balanced plan looks like this: carry some cash for the moment you land, use a card or forex card for day-to-day payments, and keep a larger backup ready by bank transfer or family support for higher costs like bond and rent.
Visa funds are the financial proof you submit to show the Australian government you can afford to study there. Travel money is the smaller amount you actually carry when you fly out. You never carry your full visa funds. When you apply, you provide financial proof for an Australian student visa covering tuition, living expenses, and travel costs. This stays documented in your bank account, not in cash.
Once your visa is approved, you only need enough for your initial settlement: airport transport, temporary accommodation, and food for the first few weeks.
| Type of money | What it is | When it is used | Where it lives |
| Visa financial capacity | Savings shown during the visa application to prove you can afford study, living costs, and travel | During the visa process, before you fly | In your or your sponsor’s bank account |
| Travel money | The practical money for your first week and the first weeks | After you land in Australia | Carried as cash and kept accessible by card |
| Cash in hand | Physical Australian dollars in your pocket or bag | Airport, first transport, first meals | With you while travelling |
| Backup funds | Money you can reach when you need it | For rent, bond, and higher costs | Card, forex card, bank transfer, or family support |
For the student visa (Subclass 500), the Department of Home Affairs currently asks most students to show access to around AUD 29,710 for twelve months of living costs, on top of tuition and travel money. That figure is set by the government; it has changed before, and it can change again. It is money you show, not money you carry.
Because these rules can shift, always check the official Department of Home Affairs and Study Australia pages, or speak with your counsellor, before you apply. For carrying money to the airport, forget the AUD 29,710 figure. That belongs to the visa file, not your hand luggage.
Your first expenses are airport transport, a prepaid SIM card, temporary accommodation, food, and public transport, and you should budget roughly AUD 400 to 600 for your first week to cover them.
| Expense | Why is it needed | Realistic notes |
| Airport transport | To reach your accommodation | Train, bus, or shuttle is cheaper; a taxi or rideshare costs more. Varies widely by city and distance |
| SIM card or mobile plan | To call home, use maps, and set up accounts | A prepaid SIM is easy to buy at or near the airport |
| Food and groceries | First few days of meals | Buying groceries is far cheaper than eating out for every meal |
| Temporary accommodation | A place to stay before permanent housing | Hostel, homestay, or short stay. Priced per night, so a few nights add up |
| Rent bond (security deposit) | Required to move into a rental | Usually about four weeks of rent, paid once |
| Rent in advance | Landlords often ask for rent upfront | Commonly, two weeks paid before you move in |
| Transport card | Daily travel to campus and shops | Opal in Sydney, Myki in Melbourne, GoCard in Brisbane, and similar cards in other cities |
| Basic home items | Bedding, kitchen items, cleaning supplies | Second-hand or budget stores keep this low |
| Emergency cash | For anything unexpected | Keep this separate and do not touch it for normal spending |
| Orientation and campus travel | Attending orientation week and reaching classes | Small but real cost in your first days |
| Small admin costs | Printing, ID photos, minor paperwork | Minor, but handy to plan for |
The biggest jumps come from temporary stay, bond, and rent in advance. If those are already handled, your first days are much lighter.
You are allowed to carry AUD 10,000 or more. Australia does not ban it. But if the amount you carry is AUD 10,000 or more, in Australian dollars or the foreign currency equivalent, you must declare it to the Australian Border Force when you arrive. This is done with a simple cross-border movement form.
A few plain facts:
For most students, this is not even a worry, because carrying that much cash is rarely needed. If you keep your cash modest and your backup on a card, you will usually stay well below the limit and can simply walk through.
Each method has a job it does best, so the smartest approach is to use a mix rather than rely on one. Carry some cash for your first day, use a forex card for everyday spending, and keep an international debit card as a backup. Here is how each one works and when to use it.
| Method | Best use | Pros | Cautions |
| Cash | First transport, first meals, small shops | Accepted everywhere, works if cards fail | Not safe in large amounts, easy to lose, and poor to exchange all at once |
| Forex (travel) card | Everyday spending in your first weeks | Loaded in AUD, easy to budget, can be topped up from Nepal | Check load and reload limits, and any fees |
| International debit card | Payments and ATM withdrawals | Linked to your home bank, familiar to use | Confirm it works overseas, watch withdrawal and foreign-use fees |
| Bank transfer | Higher costs like bond and rent | Good for bigger amounts, no need to carry cash | Takes time to arrive, so plan ahead |
| Australian bank account (after arrival) | Rent, salary, and daily life once settled | Local, low cost, needed for work later | Opened after you arrive, so it is not available on day one |
Parents do not need to hand over everything before departure. You can send more once your child has landed and settled. Common options include:
Plan the first 7 to 15 days as a family before counting on any part-time work. This is important. A student cannot rely on Australian job income to cover early costs. Finding a job, applying for a tax file number, opening a bank account, and settling into a class timetable all take time. Work rights are a support later, not a substitute for money in the first weeks.
Your first few hours in a new country are when small mistakes cost the most, whether that means overpaying for a taxi, losing cash, or getting caught without a working phone. A little awareness saves you money and stress on day one.
Here are the common slip-ups to avoid:
A good travel-money plan should be safe, flexible, and easy to use after landing in Australia. Students should avoid depending on only one option. Carrying only cash may not be safe, while relying only on a card can be risky if it does not work immediately. So, the better approach is to keep a small amount in cash and use safer options like a forex card, international debit card, or bank transfer for larger expenses.
Cash is useful during your first few hours in Australia. You may need it for food, a taxi, local transport, or small purchases. Even if Australia is highly card-friendly, having some cash gives you confidence when you first arrive.
A practical cash amount can be around AUD 500 to AUD 1,000. This should be enough for your first few days if you have already arranged accommodation.
A forex card can be useful because it is safer than carrying too much cash. You can load Australian dollars before travelling and use the card for shopping, groceries, transport, and other basic expenses.
Before leaving Nepal, check:
If you already have an international debit or credit card, keep it as a backup. But do not depend on it completely unless you have tested it or confirmed international usage with your bank.
Some students face problems because their card is not activated for international transactions. So, before travel, inform your bank and confirm the card settings.
For larger expenses like rent, bond, tuition balance, or long-term accommodation, bank transfer is usually safer than carrying cash. Parents can also transfer money after the student reaches Australia and opens a local bank account.
Study Australia’s first week in Australia guidance also highlights important setup tasks like banking, phone setup, USI, and transport options. These are exactly the things students should plan for before and after arrival.
The first week in Australia can feel expensive because many costs come together at the same time. Most students should budget around AUD 400 to AUD 800 for their first week, covering airport transport, a SIM card, temporary accommodation if it isn’t pre-booked, groceries, local travel, and basic setup essentials. This is higher than what you’ll typically spend in a normal week later on, but it’s a one-time adjustment period rather than an ongoing cost.
Here are the common expenses students should expect:
Airport transfers typically cost between AUD 10 and AUD 45, depending on the city, distance, and transport mode. Public transport (train or bus) is cheapest at around AUD 10–20, airport shuttles like SkyBus run AUD 20–30, and a taxi or rideshare can cost AUD 25–45 or more, especially late at night or with heavy luggage. Keep some cash or a working card ready for this, since you’ll likely need it within your first hour in the country, before you’ve set up a local SIM or bank access.
A SIM card is one of the first things students need after arrival. You will need internet for maps, calling family, contacting accommodation, checking university emails, and using transport apps.
Many students buy a prepaid SIM first and later switch to a better plan. Keep around AUD 20 to AUD 50 for your first SIM or mobile recharge.
Most Australian cities use public transport systems such as buses, trains, trams, or ferries. Students may need to buy or recharge a transport card or use digital payment options depending on the city.
For the first few days, keeping around AUD 30 to AUD 80 for local transport is a safe estimate. The cost can vary depending on how far your accommodation is from your university, workplace, or city centre.
Most Australian cities use transport cards or digital payment systems for buses, trains, trams, or ferries. You may need to load money into your transport card after arrival.
Keep around AUD 30 to AUD 80 for your first few days of local transport, depending on your city and travel distance.
Even if you pack carefully from Nepal, you may still need to buy a few basic items after arriving in Australia. These may include toiletries, bedding, kitchen items, adapters, stationery, warm clothes, hangers, laundry items, or cleaning supplies.
Students should keep around AUD 150–300 for these setup costs because small purchases can add up quickly during the first week.
Carrying the right amount of money is only one part of preparing for Australia. Students also need to plan their visa documents, accommodation, airport arrival, banking, health insurance, and first-week expenses properly. If you are unsure how much money to carry or how to prepare your full travel checklist, speaking with an experienced counsellor can help you avoid confusion and plan your next steps more clearly.
Explore our Study in Australia from Nepal guide or book a free counselling session to prepare for your Australia journey with confidence.
No. The visa balance is proof of the visa and stays in the bank. You only travel with practical travel money for your first days and weeks.
If you can, yes. Confirmed accommodation lowers your first-week costs and stress. If not, keep a stronger backup ready for a temporary stay, bond, and rent.
Exchange only a little at the airport for immediate needs. Airport rates are often poor, so use cards or a local ATM for the rest.
No. Job search, a tax file number, a bank account, and your class timetable all take time. Plan your first weeks without relying on income from work.
Yes. Keep a small emergency amount apart from your daily spending money and do not use it for regular costs.
Avoid carrying large undeclared cash, exchanging everything at the airport, relying on a single card, and sending a rent bond before confirming the accommodation is real.
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