AEC Services   
AEC SERVICES
arrow  Application and LIST OF FREE SERVICES FROM AEC
arrow  Advisory Services
arrow  Subject Selection/Credit Transfer
arrow  Financial Aid
arrow  Scholarships
arrow  Housing
arrow  Medical Insurance
arrow  Group Airfares
arrow  Host University on-arrival Orientation Program
arrow  AEC “Experience Australia” Program
arrow  Other Travel/Tour Opportunities
arrow  Visa Process
arrow  Pre-departure kit
arrow  On-arrival services in Australia and New Zealand
The AEC provides a comprehensive service to students (and their advisers and parents) from the point of application right through to departure and even after arrival in Australia! AEC have Australian educated and experienced staff, who know Australia/NZ so they are competent to deal with any matters that come up in relation to your study abroad experience.

Read about the AEC professional standards and ethics
Application and LIST OF FREE SERVICES FROM AEC

Click here for List of Free Services from AEC. Students wanting to apply will find greater value in going through the individual `Programs Available' Section to fully understand the program of your choice before applying. Yes, there are short cuts but we have made the information available in a manner that you have the choice of reading extensive information or taking the short cut. Extensive information and applications are at:

If you have already read the information on the various programs and you wish to proceed with an application CLICK HERE
Advisory Services

The AEC Program provides free of charge expert advice and assistance to students participating in direct enrolment for semester, year abroad and full degree programs. Services include advice and support for matters related to:

  • the application process
  • subject selection
  • credit transfer (and transcript)
  • housing
  • financial aid (and consortia agreements)
  • medical insurance
  • visa
  • travel arrangements
  • International Student ID card
  • pre-departure orientation kit (including even basic info for day to day living abroad like banking, telephone, internet use etc.)
  • university orientation
  • access to optional “Experience Australia” Tour Programs, Internships and Working Holiday Visa Programs through AEC.


(The AEC also provides other services such as the assistance to students pursuing the Working Holiday Visa program, Summer, Winter and Short Courses, Internships and Tours.)

Click here if you need to know the advantages of applying through the AEC.

Details of services on offer at the Australian/New Zealand university are listed within the individual university profile pages
Subject Selection/Credit Transfer

Once you have been offered admission into the AEC semester or year abroad program and have accepted the offer, the AEC will quickly move to assisting you with your subject selection. Students undertaking a full degree program would generally choose their subjects after arrival in Australia or New Zealand.
Financial Aid

When you are offered admission into an AEC Semester or Year Abroad Program, the AEC automatically sends you information on how to begin the process of continuing your financial aid. A letter of introduction is also sent to your Financial Aid Adviser. You can also click here for detailed financial aid information. If you are a full degree student Click Here
Scholarships

The AEC acknowledges that there simply isn't enough scholarship and aid money to finance the costs of study abroad. Click here for more information.
Housing

AEC staff know Australian/NZ universities and go through great lengths in identifying on campus and off campus housing options. As a program, the AEC is mindful that not all students are alike; some have specific needs; some cannot afford the straight out "one size fits all" requirements for housing. Therefore, the AEC provides complete flexibility. Where a student cannot afford say, a housing package with meals on campus, the AEC will endeavor to find lower cost housing perhaps 20-30 minutes away from campus but providing a lower cost opportunity. The AEC realizes that for some students, study abroad is not a possibility without a flexible program that permits its students to choose its services based on budget. Housing is one item where the AEC has the most flexibility.

Click here if you need to know why you should apply through the AEC.

Click here if you need to have even more detail information about housing.
Medical Insurance

All students participating in an AEC semester, year abroad or a full degree program must have medical coverage for the duration of their student visas whilst in Australia and New Zealand. The Governments and universities also expect this as part of the visa process - in other words, no medical insurance no visa! The AEC program ensures that you will have access to medical insurance coverage whilst studying abroad. Note that based on the policy offered, you will pay some deductibles in much the same way as you would pay deductibles on your policy at home.
Group Airfares

The AEC now provides great flexibility for students with airfares. The AEC provides students with an up-to-date list of providers of the best airfares available in the marketplace. This includes group airfares. Arrangements can vary due to market conditions but in all cases, the AEC will provide you details of group airfare providers as well as low cost and budget travel agencies. Students may also use their own frequent flier miles or have their families use frequent flier miles, to get overseas and back. Again, there is much flexibility offered through the AEC Program.

Travel and airfare information is provided to you as you progress with your application and admission through the AEC Program.
Host University On-arrival Orientation Program

This is a mandatory program. It is free. The program is held at the Host University after your arrival. You do usually have 1-2 days for settling in before the orientation begins; the AEC arranges your travel or assists you with your Schedule.

The Host University's comprehensive university orientation program for newly arrived students is mandatory unless you can provide reason why you can't make it to the program on time (e.g. flight delays or change in schedule, etc.). The AEC will provide you dates for the on campus orientation which is usually scheduled about 7-10 days prior to the start of formal classes and can run from 1-5 days, depending on the Host university you are going to. The program is completely free except if you choose to undertake optional activities such as meals, planning excursions which have entry fees and other outdoor activities. Information about your on campus orientation is included in your acceptance papers from the Host University which the AEC will provide you after you have applied and been accepted through the AEC Program.
AEC “Experience Australia” 5 nights program in Cairns, Australia

Feedback received from AEC students suggests that:
  • affordability is a major issue for most students when going abroad and some students are not able to come to Cairns because of the add on to their International airfares.
The AEC decided to offer a direct enrolment program to Australian/New Zealand universities and only offer the AEC Experience Australia program to students on an optional basis. In this way, students can benefit from the direct enrolment service which ensures that they pay the Host University's tuition fees and actual costs related to medical insurance, housing, airfares etc.

It is therefore, best that you Compare Prices and Services of as many programs as possible before you decide what works for you. Check the section on Prices and Choosing a Program

For further details about the optional AEC `Experience Australia' program, click here

For other Travel and Tour opportunities, please click here
Other Travel/Tour Opportunities

The AEC is able to provide various travel opportunities to students that want to stay in Australia/NZ longer. For example it is possible for the AEC to: arrange a few weeks of travel before or after the semester or year abroad experience, arrange a four week internship at the conclusion of the semester abroad experience, arrange add on programs to the group airfare so students can stop in places like Fiji or New Zealand, and/or arrange a two city (two university) program so that students can undertake one semester at one university and the other at another university. This can also be done now with universities in Australia and New Zealand so students have a two country dimension added to their overseas experience. If you are interested in any AEC travel opportunities, please remember the AEC will only assist with your program once you are already a student with the AEC study abroad program. Usually, a package of special offers will go out to you during the course of your enrolment processing.

For information about travel and tours planned by the AEC, click here
Visa Process

The student visa process for students from some countries such as those from the US, Canada, UK and most of Western Europe has been simplified through an online visa processing service. For other countries, student visas still need to go through the paper submission system. Either way, the AEC will guide you through the process of applying for your student visa and work with you through any issues that may arise.

WHAT CLIENTS SAY ABOUT THE AEC ADVICE ABOUT THE VISA PROCESS:-
Sigh of relief for Matthew
“...We can't thank you enough for your excellent help and concern (via phone calls and e-mails) regarding Matthew's visa. Your comforting help in assisting us and making the long wait less stressful was very much appreciated!!!!! By now, Matthew is almost to Sydney and we gave a sigh of relief (and also some tears) as he left on this new venture of his life. I am sure that he will enjoy his experience at Macquarie University. Many thanks again for your concern, work and time in seeing this through with us. Best Wishes, JoAnn (re her son Matthew, whose home university was University of California, San Diego, California)”
Pre-departure Kit

The AEC prides itself in knowing Australia and NZ, understanding its culture and mores. Therefore, the pre-departure orientation kit that is prepared for students provides everything necessary to make your trip to Australia/NZ a pleasant experience. It confirms all your arrangements and provides you with many items including but not limited to:

  • a record of all your arrangements
  • confirmation of housing arrangements or pending issues
  • visa documentation and instructions
  • arrival information
  • any pertinent dates (although you would have received these in earlier communications)
  • info about the International Student ID Card
  • telephone information
  • international office contacts list at the Australian/New Zealand university
  • emergency contacts in Australia/New Zealand
  • AEC Australia contact details
  • confirmation of any other arrangements such as Internships or Travel or Tours.
Before you leave North America, you will have information about:
  • How to access your health care (insurance) card
  • What is and is not included in your health care plan (this is offered to all AEC students)
  • Who should you contact in case you get sick - list of doctors, hospitals and AEC Australia/New Zealand contacts of AEC staff.
  • Keeping a low profile in public places, particularly during US State Department alerts
  • Contact details for the American Embassy and Consulates in Australia/New Zealand
  • Contact details for local AEC coorindator - this will include after hours and 24 hr emergency telephone contacts for AEC in Australia/New Zealand
  • Possible networking opportunities with other study abroad students - so you feel more comfortable (safety in numbers)
  • Contact details for university staff in Australia/New Zealand
  • Contact details for US Dept of State website and local in Australia/New Zealand US Consular office details.
On-arrival Services

Before departure, the AEC will provide pre-departure briefings and in Australia arrival service information. As an overseas student in Australia/NZ, you are entitled to the full range of services available to students on campus. These include but are not limited to:
  • On campus Orientation Program
  • academic advisement
  • personal counseling including in many cases legal advisory services
  • housing (there is usually a Housing Office on campus however, remember the AEC makes your housing arrangements in advance for you.)
  • student employment offices
  • sporting facilities and student unions (in some cases if the fee was not compulsory as a part of your package then you may be required to pay a small fee for use of sporting facilities)
  • social activities
The International Office at the Australian/NZ university can also provide support with questions ranging from:
  • how do I get my medical card (as the AEC would have paid your medical premium before your arrival in Australia or NZ - in the case of NZ the AEC makes slightly different arrangements)
  • who should I contact about changing my classes?
The International Office is capable of handling most issues that come up from overseas students. They should be the first point of contact for you. Prior to your departure for Australia or NZ, the AEC will provide you details of the International Office contacts. You may also contact the AEC Coordinator for any issues that cannot be resolved by the International Office. In addition the International Office, note that an AEC contact in the same time zone is available to students to deal with any emergencies.

The universities also usually have the following facilities on campus:
  • bank or credit unions
  • bookshops
  • restaurants, cafes and studen halls
  • social clubs
  • hairdressing salons
  • libraries
  • computer facilities
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