Your guide to studying in Australia
One of the first choices you will need to make when deciding to study abroad is to narrow down your choice of country.
When choosing the country you want to study in, there’s a lot of factors to consider – from culture and safety to quality of education and employment opportunities.
Australia also has a range of qualifications, from vocational education (VET) for a short, hands-on qualification to higher education, which covers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees – with generous pathway options that will help you get into the course you desire.
If you’re considering studying abroad, here’s five reasons why Australia should be at the top of your list.
- Australia has two of the Top 10 best student cities
Australia doesn’t have just one but two cities in the latest QS Best Student Cities 2023: Melbourne ranked at #5 and Sydney at #9. The ranking measures the world’s most student-friendly locations based on the opinions of current student, taking in account factors including affordability and desirability.
On top of having two of the top 10 best student cities, Melbourne has consistently been in the Top 10 of the most liveable cities in the world, with a perfect score of 100 for education and infrastructure, a 98.6 for culture and environment and 95 for stability, according to the latest Global Liveability Index 2022.
Sydney follows close behind Melbourne at ranked #13 in the world. The ranking measures factors such as stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.
- A laid-back multicultural society
Australia is known for its laid-back, welcoming and multicultural society with a rich cultural diversity. In Australia, 1 out of 4 of Australia’s 22 million population were born overseas and 1 out of 2 Australians have an overseas-born parent. In 2021, over 20% of Australians reported speaking a language other than English at home.
This diversity is reflected in Australia’s rich cuisines and cultural events across Australia’s major cities. However, Australia’s cultural capital Melbourne takes the top spot as the friendliest city in the world according to major UK insurance company William Russell – making it an ideal destination.
Australia is also a relatively safe country compared to most other nations with one of the lowest homicide rates in the world, making it a great choice for international students.
- Employment opportunities while you study
One of the main benefits of studying in Australia is the ability to work and earn an income when you study. From 1 July 2023, international students will be able to work for 48 hour per fortnight while studying.
Employment opportunities is a big consideration for anyone considering part-time work as a way to support the cost of studying and living abroad, or if you want to get on-the-job experience and gain exposure to workplace culture in Australia.
Many universities also offer student support when it comes to finding employment and gaining work experience, such as La Trobe’s suite of career support services and work integrated learning and placements embedded across a range of courses.
- Post-study work rights extension
Australia has recently extended post-study work rights for international students. From 1 July 2023, international higher education graduates with eligible qualifications related to current areas of verified skills shortages will get an extra two years of post-study work rights.
This means, eligible bachelor’s degree graduates will get a total four years, eligible Masters degree graduates will get a total five years, and all doctoral degree graduates will be granted six years.
The list of occupations ranges from engineering, IT, cybersecurity, nursing, agriculture, allied health, psychology and more, and will be updated each year.
Visit the Australian Government website for an up-to-date list of occupations.
- Scholarship options
The Australian Government offers a generous number of scholarships, grants and bursaries for international students looking to study in Australia. This includes scholarships such as Destination Australia, the Australia Awards, Australian Government Research Training Program, and more.
In addition to Government-sponsored scholarships, Australian universities also offer scholarships for international students to study at a particular university. Examples of scholarships from university include the La Trobe University Excellence Scholarships, Vice-Chancellor Scholarships and Regional Campus Scholarships.
Learn more about La Trobe scholarships for International Students.
If you’re thinking of studying abroad, then Australia is one of your top choices boasting some of the best higher education systems in the world, generous employment rights for international students, a laid-back and welcoming culture, ample scholarships and support, and extended post-study work rights.