Along the bustling economy and record growth and stability, Brisbane’s diverse population and expanding infrastructure are among the top reasons why students from both Australia and overseas choose this regional hub as a place to study. When you add a beautiful climate and a vigorous blend of art, culture and cuisines, as well as golden beaches and countless hiking trails, it’ easy to figure out why 28% of Brisbane residents were born overseas. However, on the ground level, studying is often time-consuming and sometimes exhausting. If you want to save time and fully experience everything this marvellous city has to offer, you should rely on these five services that can save you a lot of time, stress and sometimes even money.

Overseas Student Ombudsman

The office of the Overseas Student Ombudsman (OSO) investigates complaints about problems that overseas students have with private education and training institutions in Australia. The best part is that the Ombudsman’s services are free, independent and unbiased. If you are studying at an institution like TAFE Queensland colleges or any other public university or school, your complaint should be lodged to the ombudsman in the state or territory in which you are studying. Find more details about what falls under the Ombudsman’s purview, which is ombudsman.qld.gov.au, for Brisbane.

Consumer protection

Besides protecting the rights of Australian consumers, its consumer protection framework also extends to international students in Australia. Therefore, if someone feels as though their rights have been disrupted, they can seek advice from a consumer rights attorney. The Australian Consumer Law guarantees consumer rights for buying goods and services, which is great news for consumers! This means if a product doesn’t work as it’s supposed to or if a service doesn’t work as described, a consumer can seek a resolution to their problem. If you want to find out more about your consumer rights or have a problem with a consumer good or service that you have bought or are considering buying, you should contact the government trade and consumer agency that is in charge of the state of Queensland.

Food delivery services

During finals, for most students it’s Def-Con 2 and time is more valuable than money. In this period, healthy food is equally important as quality sleep and rest. Unfortunately, not all eateries out there offer delivery on demand. This is when food delivery services jump in. With hundreds of restaurants on its route, the Uber Eats app lets you scroll the feed for inspiration or simply search for a particular restaurant or cuisine. A single tap separates you from sending a tasty meal into your cart. Once you check out, you’ll see your address, an ETA and the price of your order, including tax and booking fee. Since your card is already verified, everything is automated, with no need for cash. Most of these apps also let you track your order, with stages such as ‘restaurant accept’ and ‘start prepping’.

Mobile mechanic

Since Brisbane prides itself on being green and sustainable, its public transport is one of the best ways to get around the city. The TransLink card lets you travel seamlessly on all TransLink bus, rail and ferry services across SE Queensland. Still, nothing can replace the freedom of having a car to explore the surroundings at your own pace. However, if your car breaks down on the road, you don’t have many options. Especially if you’re an overseas student, there’s a little chance that you’ll know a qualified mechanic or have a car savvy friend to help you out. You can either call an expensive tow service and end up in the nearest garage, or call a reputable mobile mechanic of your choice. Besides offering on-the-spot maintenance and repair services, this mobile mechanic in Brisbane also offers complete mobile pre-purchase service. Having your next car professionally checked by an expert can save you much repair money down the road.

Bike sharing

International students and bikes go together like avocado toast and eggs. It was estimated that overseas students spend between $700 and $1500 a year on transport. Compared to this, renting a bike is a cheap alternative. Besides being good for your physical health and the environment, a bike is a great way to get around traffic jams and late trains. Brisbane’s CityCycle bike hire scheme is a part of the City Council’s policy to encourage more people to ride bikes and make it an integral part of the public transport system. A quick and fun alterative to walking or using a car for short trips, the CityCicle network conveniently complements bus, train and ferry connections.

The student life carries a lot of challenges, especially if you’re studying in a student paradise, such as Brisbane. As the sheer amount of things to see and do often gets in the way of academic performance, services like these help students save time when the ride gets rough, but also make their life easier every day.