Perth is a safe, multicultural and clean city, making it a great place to raise a family.  

When deciding on bringing your family to Australia, there is a lot to think about and take into account, including, visas, financial, social, educational and cultural differences. Things such as where you will live, where your children will go to school and your family's ability to cope with language, before your dependents arrive in Australia. 

We do recommend as a student, you arrive in Australia on your own, to allow time to settle in and prepare for your family's arrival. 

If you do have school aged children, they must attend school while you are living in Perth. They can attend either a government (public) or non-government (private) school. There are several government policies that you should familiarise yourself with prior to them relocating. Please visit the Department of Education for information. 

More information on schooling for dependents can be found on the UWA Future Students website.

Studying in Perth allows for a more affordable cost of living than other major cities in Australia.  

Working out your living costs is an important part of your financial preparation before leaving home. You should do your research to know how much it will cost to live and study Perth.  

Costs could include rent and utilities, health insurance, running a vehicle or public transport, food, textbooks, holidays and travel, entertainment and schooling for children.  

The StudyPerth Cost of Living Calculator is an excellent tool to help you estimate your costs of living expenses based on factors such as where you want to live, the type of accommodation, the type of transport you like to use and how often you like to eat out.   

The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs also has financial requirements you must meet to receive a student visa for Australia. 

The type of visa you arrive in Perth on will determine if you can work while studying. You should carefully read the conditions of your visa or check the Department of Home Affairs website for further information.   

If you come to Perth on a student visa, currently this allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight when your course is session, and unlimited hours during your semester breaks. However, you should not rely on any part-time work in Perth to pay for all your tuition fees or all your living expenses.    

Perth is famous for it’s endless blue sky, and as the sunniest capital city in Australia, you can expect clear blue skies 70% of the year. Perth has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters and average temperatures of: 

Summer: December to February, 17.5 - 30 o C (63.5 – 86oF)  

Autumn: March to May, 13.5 - 26 o C (56.6 – 78.8oF) 

Winter: June to August, 8 - 19 o C (46.4 – 66.2oF)   

Spring: September to November, 11.7 - 23 o C (53 – 73.4oF)   

Perth shares the same time zone as 60% of the world’s population, including with countries such as China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, and uses Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) and is equal to Coordinated University Time plus 8 hours (UTC +8).