Housing:

Included in your program fee is the cost of your housing at a newly built student apartment complex called "Sydney University Village." This housing is, in our opinion (and the opinion of the students who are housed there now), the best housing available at the University of Sydney.

Sydney University Village [or as it is known informally, "SUV"] is located immediately adjacent to the University of Sydney (just across the street from the university's main campus). It is a self-contained, purpose-built, housing "village" consisting of 360 apartment-style units. Only 60 American students will be housed here, the other 300 places are intended for Australian and other international students. Thus, this housing will contribute significantly to your integration into Australian student life.

About Sydney University Village:

At SUV there are two styles of accommodation:

  • A self-contained studio apartment consisting of a bedroom (king-size bed), en suite bathroom, microwave oven and refrigerator.
  • A single bedroom unit (with a shared bath) in a five-bedroom suite that also includes two shared bathrooms, a shared kitchen and living room/lounge.

    Participants cannot choose or specify which of these styles of accommodation they will be assigned. Places and types of accommodation are assigned by the management of the village in order to insure that American study abroad students are fully integrated with Australian students, not clustered into an "American student ghetto."

  • This housing is very secure. Security at SUV is provided by the University of Sydney's own security service.
  • The housing is a "student village," with an extremely high level of amenity - there are telephones, television hook-ups and data ports in every room, there is a snack bar ["The Hub"] on site - provided.
  • Although the cost of the rent for this housing is included in the cost of the program, there are several additional minor expenses associated with living in SUV:

    a. There is a compulsory partial "meal plan" for residents of SUV (at what will amount to an extra US$650 per semester). This compulsory food plan consists of "points" amounting to about AUD$40 per week during the entire semester. These "points" can only be spent at the various food outlets in the housing village and only up to a maximum of $40 per week. You need to be aware that this point-based "food plan" will probably NOT cover the total cost of the meals that you will consume each week (consequently you will probably have to buy additional points or additional food to be prepared in your apartment). Remember that each unit will have some type of cooking facilities so, if you choose to do so, you will be able to prepare all or most of your own meals and use these "points" just for snacks, etc. Alternatively, if you choose, you will be able to buy your meals at the cafeteria in SUV and use these "points" towards that cost. This partial "meal plan" is not an option; all SUV residents - Australian and American alike - are required to purchase it.

    b. Participants housed in SUV will be expected to purchase a "bedding package" [consisting of sheets, pillowcases, blankets, pillows, towels, etc.] on arrival at an additional cost of AUD$165.

    c. Participants should expect to pay monthly for the electricity and telephone service they use as well as for those things that vary by use by the individual [do you really need satellite TV?].

    d. Participants will be expected to pay a damage deposit of $250 that will be charged to their credit cards upon arrival. This damage deposit will be returned (i.e., credited back to the credit card) at the end of the semester minus the cost of repairing any damage done to the apartment.

    e. There are also some minor fees charged for such things as replacing lost keys, club membership, etc.

    This housing is (in my opinion) the best student housing in Australia. Don't just take my word for it; look at this housing for yourself http://www.suv.com.au.

    But there is a catch (so please read this next section very carefully):

    Although Brockport has secured for the participants in its University of Sydney program fully one third of the total number of apartments that are available to American study abroad students at SUV, that still only amounts to ten places. These ten places will be assigned to the first ten participants who return the reply form (by mail, messnger or in person) to the Office of International Education at Brockport with the $650 partial meal plan payment [checks/money orders should be made payable to "BASC271-822"].

    Once those ten places have been assigned (and we are unable to get additional places), a waiting list will be established (and the partial meal plan payments of those students who did not make the assigned list will be returned to them). In the event that one of the ten students who have been assigned places in Sydney University Village withdraws, that vacated place will be offered to the next student on the waiting list.

    Participants who (because they have not applied for this housing in a timely enough manner) are not placed at Sydney University Village will be provided temporary housing for the period between their arrival in Sydney and the end of Brockport's on-site pre-semester orientation (and for a short time afterwards [usually in a student hostel or some other accommodation at or near the University of Sydney]). By the end of the orientation program, these students will, with the assistance of the housing office of the University of Sydney and Brockport's resident director, have found appropriate nearby permanent housing for the semester.

    Those participants who find themselves in the position of having to obtain alternate off-campus accommodation in Sydney will (as our policies dictate) be partially reimbursed by Brockport's Office of International Education for the cost of that alternate housing (temporary and permanent) to a maximum of US$2,500 per semester. Participants should be aware that this $2,500 may not cover the full cost of the housing they secure and should be prepared to have to pay some additional amount beyond this US$2,500 (depending on the value of the US dollar at that time) for this alternate housing.

    Orientation

    Participants in Brockport's direct enrollment programs in Australia receive two independent (but closely related) orientations:

  • The Brockport Orientation conducted by its Resident Director and
  • The host campus's Orientation for International Students.

    The Brockport Orientation is specifically focused on the needs and requirements of students enrolled in Brockport's study abroad programs in Australia; the host campus's international students orientation is a more general orientation to study and life at that university. It is aimed at all of the study abroad students, the exchange students and the matriculated international students who are beginning study at that university during that semester. While these two orientations serve different functions both are a compulsory part of each semester's program and attendance at both orientations is mandatory for all participants beginning their study in Australia.

    The Brockport Orientation:

    Upon their arrival in Sydney, participants in the Brockport University of Sydney program will be met by Brockport's Resident Director and will spend several days prior to the start of the university's international student orientation overcoming jetlag, exploring Sydney, becoming familiar with life in Australia-academic and otherwise-and generally enjoying themselves prior to the start of the semester. This orientation includes a program of field trips, activities and social events that are designed to provide participants with an opportunity to acclimatize socialize and prepare themselves to make the most of the semester ahead. The cost of orientation activities, events, housing (and some meals) during the Brockport Orientation is included in the program fees.

    During the Brockport Orientation, participants will be housed in temporary housing. At its conclusion, they will move into the units that will be their permanent housing during the semster.

    The University of Sydney International Students Orientation:

    An orientation program specifically for study abroad and exchange students is conducted during the week prior to the commencement of classes in both semesters. Issued covered include settling in to life in Sydney, culture shock, accommodation, health insurance, clubs and societies, email access, study skills, weekend trips, and social events.

    These orientation programs are usually held two weeks before the start of the semester in March and one week before the start of the semester in July.