International Students

For some international students counselling services may not be common in your home country. However, student services in Australian universities generally include a counselling service.

The experience of living away from home and studying in a foreign university can be very stressful. Many international students attend the ANU Counselling Centre while studying here.

In addition to the normal problems faced by any student, international students sometimes face difficult circumstances such as:

• Pressure to achieve high marks
• Feeling lonely, isolated or different
• Homesickness
• An upsetting event or personal difficulty (for example, an accident or a family illness)
• A difficult life decision
• Cultural differences

While most international students find their time at ANU to be positive and rewarding, students sometimes experience psychological distress and/or physical health problems that may be affected by stress (such as headaches, sleep disturbance, upset stomach).

If you are experiencing any of these sorts of concerns, you can contact the Counselling Centre for an appointment. There is no cost for this service and it is confidential. Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information policy

Language Help
Although most students don’t need this, we can also arrange for assistance with translation and interpreting if required.

Special Information brochures
Here are some additional information brochures (pdf) especially for international students:

Adjusting to Life at University for International Students  (363kb)

Homesickness when Abroad (148kb)

If you or your friend has a psychological health problem (512kb)

For further information brochures see our Online Resources section.