Why Australia

Australia is one of the most unique countries in the world. With over 100 ethnic groups, a low crime rate, and fourteen World Heritage Areas, it is no wonder that Australia's 21,000,000 residents are proud to call the Land Down Under home. Couple this with the growing number of high quality schools and well-recognised degree programs, and it is obvious why Australia is becoming the premiere destination for international education among students, teachers, and other university staff.

Australia is ideal for an international education because of the multitude of top schools available. The history of Australia's universities is actually relatively young, starting in the 1850s when Sydney University and Melbourne University opened their doors. However, the higher education system in Australia underwent a massive transformation in the 1960s, and dozens of institutions opened, providing highly competitive educations. Since then, Australian universities have consistently ranked well in international education, often landing on the top 100 lists from Times Higher Education Supplement and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Many of the universities in Australia have updated facilities, skilled teachers, innovative degree programs, and quality curriculum that is catered to the needs of the modern student.

Australian universities are noted for providing multiple learning options for students. Students can pursue degrees at all levels, including vocational certificates, associate degrees, bachelor degrees, master degrees, and doctorate degrees. This variety makes it easy for students to study in Australia at any point of their educational careers. Of the 460,000 international students in Australia, almost 40 percent are enrolled in higher education programs and just over 18 percent are pursuing English Language schooling.

Schools around the country offer innovative programs in business, engineering, humanities, medicine, tourism, and more. The school year has two terms between November and February, usually with a short summer term in between. For added convenience, there are now opportunities for year-round study with Open Universities Australia, which allows students to study on customised time tables.

Australia also looks out for students as individuals. The tuition fees for Australian universities are relatively affordable, with a bachelor degree costing as little as $10,000 in Australian currency per year. Other degrees have varying costs, with vocational programs starting around $5,000 and doctorate degrees reaching $18,500. These prices are competitive with other universities around the world and other international education programs. To entice more students to pursue an international education in Australia, there are numerous scholarship opportunities available, both from the government and individual schools. Another perk to an international education in Australia is the unique student health care system available throughout the country, which ensures that all students have access to health care.

None of these facts even touch on the appeal of Australia as a country. The outback is highly provocative for many adventuresome students, while others enjoy the underwater beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, which is popular not only for recreational purposes but for those students who wish to pursue various environmental studies as well. Beyond nature, there are thriving cities, which have world class sports teams, chic shopping, cultural attractions, and lively night scenes. All in all, students who study in Australia find just as much off campus as they do in the classroom.

From academic excellence to cutting edge programs, students who pursue an international education in Australia have everything to gain and nothing to lose.