14 Things to Know Before Studying in Australia

Time flies, and I know it’s not specific to Australia but I wish I’d thought about it and done as much as I could with every second. You get so comfortable moving to another country and how life can change so quickly that you can forget to make the most of it.

I wish I’d known that students drink boxed wine, just so I could prepare myself. Also, buy spirts at the airport! I highly recommend that, since alcohol is expensive in Australia.

Australia is more expensive than the UK unless you’ve come from London, then it’s pretty similar. It really depends on where you live though, as it does in any country. Rent prices are flexible but IGA, which is the most common supermarket out there, is quite expensive. Especially fruit. I just didn’t eat berries or grapes while studying abroad! Consider saving up some extra funds before you go because even though you don’t pay Australian university fees, you also don’t get a lot of extra funding from your university at home.

The university experience I had in Australia was quite comparable to the UK in terms of workload. It was more coursework based though, and they also have midterms so the grading is split up more. Their system is good because by not leaving all the exams to the end of the year, the pressure is spread out and you perform better. A risk of studying abroad is that people think it’s a break or holiday. But it is actually studying and you have to be careful not to be led astray. Be productive and have a balance between work and play.

Going out in Australia is amazing. I was based in Perth but also visited Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and they all had good going out scenes. Rather than clubs there were more bars and house parties are far more common. There were a few clubs in Perth but we rarely went to them. The culture is different surrounding going out. Everything starts earlier but they still drink a lot, like in the UK.

It’s really dependent on your experience in Australia and who you are as a person, but I found that the time difference made me miss home because it makes it hard to communicate with friends and family. I would often get up early to talk to my parents. That’s what makes you feel like you’re so far away. You can’t nip back for the weekend like you could in Europe. I also missed M&S food and having access to things I was used to, friends and habits I had at home which weren’t the same in Australia.

Perth isn’t the most popular city in Australia with international students but it’s in a very beautiful area and I’m happy I got to see it. The east coast is more populated than the west which is great. If you study in Perth like I did, make sure you see Melbourne and Sydney at some point too. You’ll have to fly though, as they’re very far apart!

I loved my experience in Australia but there were a few cons, such as the time difference from the UK and not having to learn a new language. I also found Australia wasn’t very multicultural which was a con for me.

Six months or one semester is enough time to really experience Australia, get used to it and travel. And that’s the most important part, having time to explore. Try to allocate time either side of your semester to see more of the country. I’d like to have been there longer and had friends who stayed for a whole year, but my university only offered six months abroad.

Traveling in a campervan through the outback, cliff jumping into the sea, trying and failing miserable to surf… I have so many amazing, really distinct memories from Australia. I highly recommend going and had the best studying experience there. It’s such a cool place to explore. When you’re deciding on where you want to go on exchange, think about what you want to get out of it. Australia is a great opportunity to become independent and be in a completely different environment.

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