Finding Help as an International Student: The Gap Between Services and Real Support in Australia

Why is it so hard to find help as an international student in Australia? When services exist but feel impossible to access, when information is scattered across a dozen websites, and when you're not even sure what "good therapy" looks like... where do you even start?

In this episode of the Asian Mental Health Podcast, Marcus sits down with Vinca Metta Julicia and Sania Jatin Prabhu, two international students and Student Changemakers participants, for an honest conversation about what it's really like trying to navigate mental health services in Melbourne.

Vinca, from Indonesia, has studied architecture in Taiwan and urban design in Melbourne. Sania, originally from India with time in South Africa, is pursuing her Master of AI at Monash. Together, they break down the barriers international students face: the one-month wait times for uni counseling, the confusion about costs and confidentiality, the fear that seeking help might affect your visa, and the overwhelming reality that no single place exists to guide you through it all.

But this episode isn't just about what's broken. It's also about what helps: ClassPass and bouldering for moving your body, BumbleBFF for finding community, The Couch for free meals and connection, and the small acts of resilience that keep students going when the system fails them.

Watch the episode below or find us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

🎧 You'll hear about:
✅ Why international students struggle to access mental health services in Australia
✅ The reality of university counseling: long wait times and mismatched support
✅ The fear that accessing mental health services might affect your visa
✅ What international students actually need: a single navigation point and welcoming spaces
✅ How to build community through movement, online platforms, and university events

💡 Episode Highlights:

• Vinca's experience in Taiwan: informal support from teachers over meals versus Melbourne's formal, clinical model
• Sania's story from India: school counselors breaking confidentiality and calling parents without consent
• The visa fear: "Will seeking mental health support affect my student visa?"
• The Couch International Student Centre: free chef-made meals, housing support, and community connection
• How Vinca uses ClassPass to explore Melbourne and Sania on using BumbleBFF to make friends
• What makes a service welcoming: transparent costs, cozy spaces, and bilingual options

🧠 Key Takeaways from Vinca and Sania:

"There are a lot of support systems, but there is no one single navigation. They are all scattered. So you can only understand after you try it one by one. But is there any one thing that can give a faster solution to all this? I think we need that." – Vinca

"When I finally reached the point where I realized I needed help, I didn't really know what a good session or good resources look like. So when I had one bad experience, I just avoided it completely in the future." – Sania

"Sometimes it's really hard to talk about my thoughts in a second or third language. If there were bilingual services, I would be more interested." – Vinca

"As international students, we need to remember that we are all resilient. It's important to take care of ourselves because we are away from family. Don't listen to too many people telling you that you are not enough. We are good, and we have different perspectives than most people." – Vinca

"We are so resilient and strong. It's okay to struggle sometimes. I hope you know that there are services that will genuinely help you if you do need help. You don't have to wait until you're at your absolute worst." – Sania

👤 About the Guests

Vinca Metta Julicia is an Indonesian international student who recently completed her Master of Urban Design in Melbourne after studying architecture in Taiwan. Her journey as an international student across multiple countries has shaped her understanding of resilience, belonging, and people-centered design. Vinca is passionate about creating environments where individuals feel safe, connected, and supported, which links closely to mental wellbeing. She participated in the Student Changemakers peer leadership program in Semester 1, 2026.

Sania Jatin Prabhu is an Indian international student pursuing her Master of Artificial Intelligence at Monash University in Melbourne. She has moved countries three times: from India to South Africa at age two, back to India for high school and university, and now to Melbourne, where she's navigating student life completely alone without family nearby. Each move has felt progressively harder, and she joined Student Changemakers hoping to provide the kind of support she wished she'd had. Sania has been in Melbourne for nine months and is passionate about helping other international students find their footing.

🛠️ Resources Mentioned:

Free Services:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support by phone or text in Australia, translation services available)
• University counseling services: Free but with long wait times, check your university website and book early
• Support groups: Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria, Mental Health Foundation Australia, Black Dog Institute
• The Couch International Student Centre: 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne (Monday to Thursday, 5:30pm to 8:30pm) – free meals, housing support, employment help, legal support, social events
• Study Melbourne: Support for international students

Low-Cost Services:

• Provisional/trainee psychologists: Search "provisional psychologist low cost clinic" (~$50)

Private Services:

• Private counseling: Long-term, personalised support (~$200), partially covered by OSHC with General Practitioner referral

Community and Wellbeing:

• ClassPass: App for accessing gyms, dance classes, yoga, Pilates, and more across Melbourne
• BumbleBFF: Friend-making platform for international students
• University platforms: Flatmate finding, student events, clubs

Additional Resources:

• Journey and Thrive blog by Natcha Limpianunchai: Comprehensive guide to mental health support for international students in Australia.
  • Find Natcha's full profile on the Asian Mental Health Practitioner list HERE.

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🎁 Free Resource: Download ⁠"International Students and Mental Health" ⁠

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Do you work with international students? If so, you may be interested in learning more about the Student Changemakers program as well as downloading our project summary report HERE.

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✨ If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and review the Asian Mental Health Podcast on your favourite podcast app. It really helps other international students find these conversations. Share this episode with your friends, especially if you know or are an international student, because word of mouth helps destigmatise mental health in Asian communities. 💛

The Asian Mental Health Podcast is a production from Shapes and Sounds, made on the stolen lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. This show is hosted by Asami Koike and Marcus Lai and produced by Yeo Choong. This season is brought to you by Embrace Multicultural Mental Health. All thoughts and ideas you hear are independently ours and our guests.