IO staff make every effort to ensure that all international students have access to the services and information they require to make their stay in Newcastle a rich and academically rewarding experience. The University campus boasts excellent facilities including cafeterias, coffee shops, pubs, two banks, a credit union, a book shop, a post office, and a hairdresser. The Student Union organizes many of the University's important social and cultural events such as the Orientation Ball, the Beach Party, the University Review and the Cultural Awakenings Week. Students can take part in lunch time concerts, street theatre, cultural arts festivals and markets. The Sports Union offers a variety of recreational activities, from hang gliding, mountaineering, surfing, and snow skiing to archery, fencing and the martial arts.
Courses are available in sports such as scuba diving, golf and weight training.
Study Abroad and Exchange students attend a Orientation Program and are encouraged to join in the Orientation of the general student body. Wollatuka, the Aboriginal Studies Center, has several field trips which are open to international students. These excursions include camping trips to ancient sights, featuring Aboriginal art and artifacts, and a trip to Canberra where national archives are used in anthropological studies.