When we think of Australia, we see wide open spaces of the outback bush, kangaroos, koalas, and clean air and water. However, Australia has so much more to offer than just that! Many international students are choosing to study in Australia because of its friendly, laid-back nature, excellent education system, and a high standard of living. In 2018, more than 100,000 Indian students and more than 800,000 international students enrolled in Australian institutes for higher studies and training. Even I spent some time in Australia (during my research at UNSW in Sydney). So, I am not surprised why so many foreign students choose to study in Australia. Now, we will look into more details about the higher education trends in Australia.

Popularity of Australia among Indian and International Students

Australia has been one of the most popular study-abroad destinations for a long time. But, in the recent few years, the number of international students opting to study in Australia has been on a roll.

Read: Masters in Australia – Costs, Eligibility, Top Universities, Scholarships, and Job Prospects

Trends in 2017 – 2018

ABC.net.au reported that as of March 2018, 50,000 international graduates remained in Australia on the 485 visa category, an increase of more than 16,000 in just one year.

According to the statistics provided by Rod Hilton, the deputy high commissioner of Australia in India, approximately 68,000 Indian students went to Australia in 2017 for study purposes, a 14% increase than the previous year (2016).

Trends in 2018 – 2019

Last week, the Australian Government released data for 2018. As per the data, the number of international students grew by 11.4% in 2018, another year of double-digit growth following a 12.6% increase in 2017. There are now 693,750 international students in the country – 70,820 more than in 2017.

Cities like Melbourne and Sydney have remained the favorite destinations among the Indian students. However, in 2018, there was a noticeable shift towards new regions such as Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, and Northern Territory.

Read: Top Subjects to Study in Australia as an International Students for Jobs and Immigration

In this post, guest author Andrej Kovacevic writes about why travel to Australia for study and work and provides more insights on studying and working in Sydney and Melbourne.

Travel to Australia to Study and Work

By Andrej Kovacevic

For a first-time student, now’s the time for travel, while you’re young and unencumbered. You can get your education anywhere, and it might as well be someplace that you’ve always wanted to visit. Studying abroad is also a wonderful experience for non-traditional students who are returning to school for a degree.

The great continent of Australia has fired the imagination for generations, and for compelling reasons. From the sophisticated architecture and big city attractions of Sydney to the cobblestone lanes and cafés of Melbourne, traveling and studying in Australia is an adventure you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Working and Studying in Sydney

Sydney is the landing place for most of the international travelers that visit each year. It’s the largest metropolis on the continent, and there’s always music, fun, and entertainment to be found in the city.

Some of the most famous tourists draw in Australia are found here, such as the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden, Australian Museum and Sydney Aquarium. There are also six public universities, and four of those maintain satellite campuses in the city.

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Student Jobs in Sydney

In Sydney, job prospects are favorable in the hospitality and restaurant industries. The city is a major hub of Australian tourism with a vibrant music and entertainment district, Sidney Harbor, unlimited dining options and much more. Working part-time in Sydney should net you enough to live on while attending classes.

Restaurant workers in Australia are paid a living wage, so you don’t have to rely on tips to get by. Tourists will often leave a small gratuity anyway, though. That’s why a restaurant or bar position could be the perfect part-time job.

Study Options in Sydney

In Sydney, you can find classes in cooking, dance, pottery, Zumba or just about anything that piques your interest. If you’re more interested in standard educational pursuits, Sydney Community College and the University of Sydney both offer day and evening classes. Besides, there are other top universities like UNSW, Macquarie, Wollongong, UTS etc.

At Uni, there are degree courses with flexible schedules for those who work while attending school. Some majors are even designed around a part-time schedule. However, if you’re visiting Oz on a student visa, full-time enrollment is usually required.

Working and Studying in Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, one of the eight capital cities in Australia. Perched on the southeast coast, it’s the second largest metropolitan area after Sydney. Home to the country’s busiest seaport, the Port of Melbourne, the city has an extensive network of trams. Lack of transportation will never be an issue if you’re living and learning in Melbourne.

You’ll also find some of the most beautiful and extensive stretches of beach on the continent here. Melbourne is the cultural center of Australia, with a strong emphasis on the arts. The city hosts year-round art, film and comedy festivals and has the largest public art museum in the country. It’s also a sporting city with a strong emphasis on cricket and rugby.

Student Jobs in Melbourne

If you have a student or working holiday visa, it’s perfectly okay to seek part-time employment while you’re in the country. Melbourne has plenty of household help jobs available, so if you’re interested in being an au pair, dog sitter or gardener, your chances of snagging a part-time job are excellent. As in Sydney, there are also jobs available in the hospitality industry.

Remember that not all jobs are advertised, so it pays to pound the pavement and talk to employers personally. Ask for advice from locals, and that could help with landing your first job.

Also, check out the local newspapers for job announcements. There are publications for each community that cover just a couple of towns or suburbs, making it easier to find employment in a specific area where you live or go to school.

Study Options in Melbourne

There are nine universities in and around Melbourne, and you can also take online courses like bookkeeping. The University of Melbourne offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of concentrations. For studying, the Uni library is a bright, airy edifice with lounges, designated study areas, and a coffee kiosk.

Swinburne University, Monash, La Trobe, and The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology are a few of the other school options in Melbourne. There’s a healthy population of international students in the city as six of the top twenty schools in Australia are located here.

Why choose Australia to study abroad?

Educational Opportunities

The Australian government provides over $2 million a year for international student scholarships. Combined with the affordability of housing and tuition, this makes studying in Australia more economically feasible for many students.

English language classes are available for students studying abroad, along with tech, vocational and university level courses. Australia has some of the best higher education opportunities in the world – of the top 100 universities worldwide, seven are in Australia.

Economy

Permission to work up to 20 hours a week is a real boon for international students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford the study abroad experience. For some, it’s also a chance to start gaining work experience in their field of study.

Living costs and tuition rates are lower in Oz than in the United States and the United Kingdom, the other two top international study destinations. There are so many educational opportunities on the continent that Aussie graduates are making a difference across the globe, including the over 2.5 million who stayed to live and work in the land down under.

Cultural Diversity

Nearly half the population of Australia has a parent born outside the country, and there are over 200 languages spoken in this multicultural society. As a snapshot of Australian diversity, consider that 60 percent of the 2013 population growth on the continent was due to immigration.

As an international student, exposure to different cultures and customs is a crucial part of your education. It’s not enough to just learn facts and figures. Studying abroad in Australia will give you valuable lessons in the school of life.

Lifestyle

Living in Sydney or Melbourne, you’ll be able to take advantage of the best of city life with easy access to the outdoors. The continent has an abundance of national parks and nature preserves, along with vast stretches of sandy beaches.

Travel & Exploration

To get an idea of how vast the continent of Australia is, consider that journeying from Melbourne to Cairns on the east coast would take 50 hours of driving time. Luckily, you’ll have the opportunity to explore because of the network of flight paths that crisscross the country.

Community

The people of Australia are a major draw if you’re interested in studying abroad. The stereotype of friendly and laid-back Aussies is true to form. And they like to tease, so don’t take offense if you’re the object of a laugh or two – it’s a sign of affection. Tolerance and loyalty are also typical traits you’ll find in the blokes and sheilas down under.

Another benefit of studying here is the rich and diverse community of other international students. With all their options for schooling, Melbourne and Sydney have a high concentration of study-abroad students like you. Living, studying and working in Australia is a rewarding adventure. If you decide to go for it, get ready for an experience you’ll treasure for the rest of your life.

Author Bio:

Andrej Kovačević is an accomplished digital marketing specialist and an avid internet technologist. He believes that the key to modern marketing excellence is a constant willingness to learn and adapt to the ever-changing digital world. Currently, Andrej is the Head of Production at Amebae Online Pty Ltd.

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