Seems kind of odd that you couldn't get student discounts - a student ID card is a student ID card - did they put a yellow star on your stripey overalls?
internation students in australia are (now) elligible for student discounts with a valid student ID card... this could have changed from when others have studied here.
Internation students basically have to pay the full fees for their course. there are cases of some scholarships but these are few a far between, and generally only for people from certain countries (normally the ones who owe all the western countries billions of $$$$ in debts!).
International students are required to have a full valid Australian Student Visa (www.immi.gov.au) and in order to statisfy the requirements for the visa you will have to pay an amount of your fees upfront (norammly the first semester) and, depending on your country of citizenship, you will either have to make a statutory delcaration stating you have the fees for the rest of your course AND all your living expenses (minimum $12000 AUD); or show that you have access to the funds for either the first year of the course, or for the full course, again including all living expenses.
this means that (depending on country) you many need to actually have upwards of $32000 AUD, £12000, $26000 US
ALSO Int. students are required to hold medical insurance (called Overseas Student Health Cover) with a recognised OSHC proved for the TOTAL time of their course. and note that Int students are only allowed to work a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week during term times, and only if permission is granted by the Dept of Immigration
