The government are currently offering financial support packages for people affected by COVID-19.
For a full list of government support payments, including International Student support, Jobseeker, the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, the COVID-19 Test Isolation Payment, Food relief and more, please visit here.
- Local and International students who are experiencing hardship may be eligible for financial assistance through the Extreme Hardship Support Program.
- Students can access the Utility Relief Grant for support paying bills.
- If you are 16-21, you may be eligible for Youth Allowance.
- If you are 25 or older and studying, you may be eligible for Austudy payments.
- If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student, you may be eligible for Abstudy payments.
- If you are receiving a Centrelink payment, you may also have access to Rent Assistance or the Pensioner Education Supplement.
COVID-19 Disaster Payment: From June 7th 2021
This is a new payment for Victorian workers who are unable to earn income due to the current lockdown restrictions. The payment is $325 if you’ve lost less than 20 hours of work, and $500 if you’ve lost 20 hours or more of work. More info here.
COVID-19 Test Isolation Payment
Workers in Victoria who are self-isolating while waiting for a COVID-19 test result can apply for a $450 COVID-19 Test Isolation Payment, which provides financial support if someone cannot earn an income while they self-isolate.
International Students
International Students can access support through Study Melbourne’s COVID-19 support hub, free food and meals, as well as confidential support and practical help through the Study Melbourne Student Centre.
UMSU Welfare
The Welfare department provides free and confidential Food Bank service, as well as assistance with household essentials and emergency accomodation.
UMSU Legal
You can also read more information about financial counselling from our Legal department here. If your request is urgent, please contact the UMSU Legal team at legal@union.unimelb.edu.au.
![🌟 Peer Support Network 🌟
We know uni can be overwhelming and the need for social/emotional support is ever-growing, so here we are presenting you (drumroll please) the Peer Support Network 2.0! Come along at UMSU International’s Peer Support Sessions, bond with your peers and the lovely Peer Leaders, and enjoy this crazy ride of zoom university together 🥰
The network will run online throughout Semester 2. Each week there'll be a different theme (making friends, tackling procrastination and so on) to ensure you get the most out of your uni journey!
So hop on the ride, we can’t wait to meet you there!
👉 Wednesdays from 11th Aug, [6-7pm] and Fridays from 13th Aug, [6-7pm] | Online via Zoom.
👉 Find out more by checking out the UMSU events calendar — link in bio!
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[Image description: The words "UMSU International's Peer Support Network" in blue are at the top of the image, with the 'o' in 'support' made up of four interlinked hands. This sits next to a blue logo with an outline of three figures in a square. The background is beige with a blue boarder, and a purple UMSU logo and purple UMSU international logo sit in the upper left hand corner. Two figure wearing t-shirts are at the bottom of the image. One holds a sign that reads "Be a part of this community today!". The other figure points to three speech bubbles that say "managing stress," "Get tips of study," and "navigating UniMelb services and more." There is a black logo in the bottom right hand corner that says "Brought to you by the SSAF."]](https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)