Australia Student Safety Guide for Nepali Students explains how to prepare trusted contacts, report danger, travel more safely, respond to racism, protect online accounts and preserve evidence. International students have the same access to Australian law and police protection as other people. For immediate life-threatening danger in Australia, call triple zero (000).
Information checked on 24 July 2026 using current Study Australia, eSafety Commissioner and Scamwatch guidance. Local campus and state services should be confirmed after arrival.
Student safety facts at a glance
| Item | Current official guidance |
|---|---|
| Immediate danger | Call triple zero (000) |
| Non-urgent police | Use the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 |
| Campus incident | Contact security and student support |
| Night transport | Use official timetables and well-lit monitored areas |
| Online abuse | Preserve evidence, report to the platform and use eSafety |
| Racism | Document it and use police, provider or rights pathways |
| Scam contact | Stop, check through official channels and protect accounts |
Create a personal safety plan
Save the Australian address, emergency contact, campus security, accommodation manager, OSHC helpline and a trusted local person. Share the routine only with people who need it.
Know the closest police station, hospital, late-night transport stop and safe place on campus. Update the plan after moving.
Know when to call triple zero
Call 000 for a life-threatening or dangerous situation requiring police, fire or ambulance. State the service needed, location and what is happening.
Stay on the line and follow the operator’s instructions. Do not delay because of visa status, English confidence or uncertainty about cost when there is immediate danger.
Report non-urgent incidents correctly
Study Australia lists the national Police Assistance Line, 131 444, for non-urgent police issues. Minor matters such as lost property can also use the relevant police online portal.
A student can visit a local police station in person. Ask for the report or event reference and keep the officer’s details where available.
Use interpreter support
Study Australia says interpreter assistance can help a student make a police report. Tell the receiving service that an interpreter is needed.
Do not let a suspected offender, unverified agent or financially involved person interpret a sensitive report. Use the official service or a trusted independent supporter.
Use campus security and student services
Education providers can help with incident reporting, emergency accommodation, wellbeing, academic adjustments and referral to specialist services. Save after-hours campus security details.
A campus report can be important even when police are also involved. Ask what will be recorded, who can access it and what immediate safety measures are available.
Travel safely on public transport
Check official timetables to avoid long waits, especially at night. Study Australia advises using well-lit areas with cameras and choosing the carriage near the driver or guard when travelling alone.
Share the route with a trusted person and tell transport staff when feeling threatened. Move to a populated or staffed area when safe to do so.
Verify taxis and rideshare vehicles
Match the number plate, driver and vehicle with the booking before entering. Sit where comfortable and use the app’s trip-sharing function.
Do not accept an unsolicited ride or move payment outside the verified app. Leave the vehicle in a safe public place if the route or behaviour creates concern.
Protect the home
Check doors, windows, smoke alarms, lighting and access arrangements when moving in. Do not lend keys, access cards or building codes casually.
Report broken locks or unsafe entry in writing. Call emergency services if an intruder or immediate threat is present.
Plan nights out
Charge the phone, plan the return trip, stay with trusted people and keep control of drinks, money, keys and identification. Agree on a meeting point if the group separates.
Do not leave an unwell person alone or with an unknown person. Get urgent help when someone is unconscious, seriously injured or cannot be kept safe.
Consent must be voluntary
Consent is not valid when a person is pressured, threatened, unconscious or unable to agree. A previous relationship or previous consent does not remove the need for current consent.
Seek immediate safety and medical or police help after violence. The provider can also explain confidential support and study adjustments.
Respond to racism and discrimination
Study Australia says international students can report racial discrimination through appropriate Australian Human Rights Commission, provider, workplace, Ombudsman, police or eSafety channels depending on where it occurs.
Record the date, location, words, witnesses and available images without creating further danger. Report threats or violence to police.
Protect online accounts
Use unique passwords, multi-factor authentication, device locks and official apps. Review recovery email and phone details after changing a SIM.
Never share a one-time code, banking password or student portal login. A legitimate support worker does not need the student’s password to explain a process.
Recognise serious online abuse
eSafety handles schemes for adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse and illegal or restricted content. Image-based abuse includes sharing or threatening to share an intimate image without consent, including altered or fake images.
Collect evidence safely, report the account or content and block further contact where appropriate. Use eSafety’s reporting guidance for the specific abuse type.
Do not pay sexual extortion demands
eSafety advises people facing image-based blackmail to stop contact and not pay or provide more money or intimate content. Payment rarely guarantees that content will be deleted.
Preserve the profile, messages, account details and payment demand. Secure accounts and seek police, platform, eSafety and trusted support.
Use Scamwatch’s stop-check-protect approach
Stop before sending money or information. Check an unexpected demand by contacting the organisation through details independently found on its official site or app.
Protect accounts quickly after sharing money, credentials or identity. Contact the bank or relevant provider and report the scam.
Watch for visa and government impersonation
A scammer may threaten arrest, deportation or visa cancellation and demand immediate payment. Government agencies do not require a student to transfer money to a private account to prevent arrest.
End the call and verify through the official agency website. Do not trust the caller ID, copied logo or link supplied by the caller.
Protect identity documents
Keep the passport, visa grant, bank cards and student ID secure. Share copies only through a verified process for a legitimate purpose.
Watermark copies where appropriate and record who received them. Act quickly if a passport or identity set is lost or sent to a scammer.
Preserve useful evidence
Save dates, locations, screenshots, messages, transaction records, witness names and incident reference numbers. Keep originals and avoid editing away context.
Evidence collection should not create more danger. Move to safety first and ask police or eSafety how to preserve sensitive material.
Support a friend safely
Listen without blame, ask what immediate help is wanted and respect privacy. Do not confront an alleged offender or publish the story without consent.
Offer to accompany the student to campus support, police or health care. Call 000 when there is immediate danger.
Prepare for weather and environmental risks
Follow official warnings for heat, bushfire, flood, storm and poor air quality. Learn the local evacuation route and keep water, medicine, chargers and essential records accessible.
Do not enter floodwater or a closed area. Follow emergency service and local authority directions rather than social-media rumours.
Student safety warning signs
- A threat demanding immediate secrecy or payment
- A stranger requesting a passport or banking code
- An unverified ride or accommodation pickup
- A person controlling access to friends, money or documents
- Online blackmail involving intimate images
- Repeated unwanted contact or stalking
- A fake official threatening arrest or deportation
Safety action checklist
- Save contacts. Keep emergency, campus and accommodation details.
- Plan routes. Know the last service and safe waiting areas.
- Secure accounts. Use unique passwords and MFA.
- Verify requests. Contact organisations independently.
- Move to safety. Avoid confrontation during immediate danger.
- Report correctly. Use police, provider, platform or eSafety.
- Keep evidence. Preserve records without increasing risk.
Common student safety mistakes
- Waiting alone after the last transport service
- Entering a rideshare without checking the number plate
- Sharing a student portal or bank verification code
- Paying a threat-based scam before independent verification
- Deleting abuse messages before preserving evidence
- Assuming visa status removes the right to police protection
- Confronting a suspected offender alone
Frequently asked questions
What number should I call for immediate danger in Australia?
Call triple zero (000) for police, fire or ambulance in a life-threatening or dangerous situation.
How do I report a non-urgent police matter?
Use the Police Assistance Line on 131 444, the relevant online police portal or a local police station.
Do international students have police protection?
Yes. Study Australia confirms that international students have the same access to Australian law and police protection.
What should I do about image-based blackmail?
Stop contact, do not pay or provide more content, preserve evidence, secure accounts and use police, platform and eSafety reporting.
Can my provider help after an incident?
Yes. Student services and campus security can assist with reporting, safety planning, referrals and study support.
Official sources
- Study Australia: personal safety and police reporting
- Study Australia: transport safety
- Study Australia: further student protections
- eSafety Commissioner: reportable online abuse
- Scamwatch: stop, check and protect
Safety preparation support in Nepal
For a visible review of airport transfers, housing contacts, emergency records, campus location and first-week safety planning, use MKS Education study in Australia guidance. For IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT or SAT preparation before enrolment, compare current support at MKS Prep. Australian police, emergency services, providers and regulators remain final.