The Australian Capital Territory is actually located within New South Wales, but is (almost) a separate state, as it is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia, subject to legislation by the Commonwealth Parliament.Canberra offers a great lifestyle for university students. Its relatively large student population (over 6% of the city) has led to an influx in student oriented services and offerings. However, for an international student, there is a plethora of other aspects which are important to consider while moving into a foreign country. Find out about these aspects which are discussed in detail to guide you.
The first thing comes to mind when thinking about studies is the quality of education that you are going to get. This is obviously important as international students have to spend a lot on housing, food, clothing and other domestic needs. Without a quality education and lifestyle in a reputable university, all of this seems futile. According to QS Higher Education System, Australia stands impressively at 4th position after USA, UK, and Germany. Australia is also known for welcoming international students with open arms. Australia has the highest number of institutions appeared in the 'QS Top 50 under 50'. As the home of Australia’s highest-ranked university, Australian National University (ANU) – 22nd in the latest QS World University Rankings – it is unsurprising to find the city has proven attractive to students from around the world. Although it is the capital of Australia, Canberra is only home to two universities; Australian National University and the University of Canberra.
The city of Canberra is highly planned, with the design featuring an artificial lake and roads fanning out from Parliament House. It is spread across a wide area, with large tracts of land set aside as parks and bush reserves. Canberra is an easy place to live in and study and attracts its fair share of international students. It has excellent infrastructure, including the best roads in the country and long networks of paths for cycling and walking. Although it is not within walking distance of any beaches it does offer other beautiful and interesting attractions, including the above-mentioned Lake Burley Griffin and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex – part of NASA’s Deep Space Network.
‘’Canberra is an easy place to live in and study and attracts its fair share of international students’’
Part-time jobs are a lifeline to international students living in a foreign country. It is important not merely to cover living costs but also in the development of your skills. However, it is essential to check the terms and conditions on your visa. According to the rules of student visa, he or she is allowed to work maximum up to 40 hours per 15 days during a semester that is, 4-5 hours per day and work full time during holidays. Opening an account in any of the banks in Australia is also beneficial as the employer can pay a student easily. Before applying for a job, a tax file number (TFN) is required which can be easily obtained from the Australian Taxation Office. Some of the popular job search websites are Seek, Adzuna, and CareerOne. In order to be informed about your rights as an employee, visit Fair Work Ombudsman. Retail, hospitality and service are some of the sectors suitable for a part-time job.
Canberra is a much quieter place to live in than you might expect for a city with 400,000 people. The efficient road network means people can quickly get out of downtown and into suburbs spreading for tens of miles in all directions.The suburban areas are quite self sufficient. Every suburb has a mini shopping complex and there are several major shopping centres strategically positioned across the city. Suburbs also have their own parks and playgrounds, but its nightlife is not as famous as its metropolitan counterparts.There is a relatively large and diverse student community to be found in Canberra and it is a great city to choose when considering the employability of graduates upon completion of their education. The diversity ensures that there is no lack of familiar people in a foreign land. This is consoling for students who find it difficult to immerse themselves in local culture. The culture can be intimidating to many people despite its diversity. In such circumstances, it is important to learn about the place beforehand. Culture shock can lead to social isolation which could impact your student learning environment. Overall, the culture of Australia is said to be friendly and welcoming.
Food often becomes an issue for an international student especially if the culture is completely different to his or her own culture. Canberra has a fairly standard mixture of Asian and European restaurants, Irish and boutique bars, and nightclubs. It also has licensed clubs that are virtually free to join and offer cheap meals and drinks. Canberra is also known for authentic Asian restaurants located in the suburbs area that are great for your wallet. For the budding cooks, get your fresh ingredients from Capital Region Farmers Market or Hartley Hall Market.
The most dreaded word for international students is visa. Most of the students spend sleepless nights over it. In order to get over such fears, it is necessary to have proper knowledge about the whole procedure and guidelines of getting a student visa. Australian student visa is quite accommodating as it let students study and work for the duration of the course plus an additional month. You can apply for multiple courses with the same visa. The visa costs about AUS$ 535 and can be paid directly on Australian immigration website. In order to get your visa approved, student visa needs to be combined with an accredited course provided by some Australia’s schools.Confirmation of enrollment (COE) identifies the beginning and ending of the date of the course. A student must be above 16 years of age to apply for student visa.
University of Queensland
Griffith university
Queensland University of Technology
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Inst.
skillstech
