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Study in Sydney

The city of Sydney has around five million inhabitants spread across its over 600 suburbs. As that figure suggests, this is the most populated city in Australia. The capital of New South Wales, Sydney also has over 100 beaches, the world’s largest natural harbor, and a plethora of parks. Put together, all of these things make it one of the most beautiful and iconic cities around the world, and the perfect study destination.

Sydney has several leading universities, including the University of Sydney, the University of Technology, Sydney, and the University of New South Wales. As such, it’s home to thousands of students, both domestic and international. This creates an excellent student-friendly atmosphere in the city, albeit an expensive one. Living here means you can take full advantage of everything Sydney has to offer, from arts and culture to thriving nightlife and those absolutely amazing beaches.

Sydney Airport is the busiest airport in Australia. It handles over 42 million passengers annually, and as such is the gateway to both domestic and international travel. Will you be one of the 42 million next year?

Sydney is home to dozens of universities and campuses throughout the city, with five main universities based in the city and an additional 35 universities having a Sydney campus. Combined, this means Sydney plays host to over 250,000 students. Top universities include the University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, and the University of New South Wales.

The University of Sydney’s main campus is situated in Camperdown and Darlington. The 72-hectare campus is probably most famous for its beautiful quadrangle, however it’s also home to six libraries, art galleries, and historical museums. Other facilities on campus include the Center for English Teaching, the Seymour Center, Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness, and the Confucius Center.

The University of Sydney is a world-renowned university, ranked third in Australia and 42nd in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2019. It also performs impressively in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2018, ranking first in the country and fourth in the world.

The Sydney University of Technology was founded in its current form in 1988. A public university, it enrolls around 45,000 students per year and has five main campuses; Botany, Moore Park, Broadway, Haymarket, and Blackfriars. Students can choose to study from a range of courses, including design, architecture, and building; engineering; health; and law.

The University of New South Wales is another one of Australia’s leading research and teaching universities. It was ranked 45th in the QS World University Rankings 2019, making it the second highest-ranked university in the city. Founded in 1949, the university offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs. As such, it attracts over 50,000 students from 128 countries every year. The main campus is located in Kensington, which is around seven kilometers outside of Sydney city center. However, the art & design campus is based elsewhere, in Paddington.

Sydney is probably most recognizable for its Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Indeed, the skyline around the harbor is simply beautiful, and is one of the world’s most recognizable images. The World Heritage-listed opera house is iconic for its white sail design and plays host to more than 1,600 performances each year, from ballet to contemporary dance, plays, comedy and more. Every evening at sunset, the side of the building is illuminated and it’s well worth a watch as it’s a simply beautiful spectacle.

There are other ways to get your dose of culture in Sydney of course, such as the State Theater, Capitol Theater, Theater Royal, and Sydney Lyric. They all perform a range of different performances, from classic musicals to original productions. Walsh Bay is a lively cultural precinct that’s home to a vast variety of venues. From the Sydney Theatre Company to the Sydney Dance Company; many different performance groups have made their home in this precinct.

Sydney is also home to a countless number of museums. The Australian Museum, which was established in 1827, is the oldest museum in Australia and has 10 different complete dinosaur skeletons, as well as interactive displays and exhibitions. The Hyde Park Barracks Museum is one of Australia’s World Heritage-listed convict sites, while the Rocks has its own museums, which details the history of the iconic area, from pre-European times to now. Fans of cricket and rugby will also enjoy the city’s sport museums, with the Sydney Cricket Ground Museum and Rugby League Museum both offering plenty of intriguing delights. The cricket museum even includes a walk on the legendary oval.

With such a mild climate, many of Sydney’s residents have become accustomed to an outdoors lifestyle, spending their days on the many beaches dotted along the coastline. From Watson’s Bay, to Coogee and not forgetting the iconic Bondi Beach, Sydney has a plethora of beautiful landscapes on its coast. Nearby to Sydney there are also beautiful national parks, such as the famous Blue Mountains, home of the heavily photographed rock formation the Three Sisters.

Sydney is very much a rise-early city. Cafes open early here, and also shut early. It’s also an extremely fitness-orientated city, with the Eastern Suburbs beaches full of bootcamp classes, joggers, swimmers and surfers from the moment the sun rises. Because of its landscape, hiking and camping are both extremely popular activities too.

Sydney has a humid, subtropical climate, with the seasons shifting between mild and cool in the winter, to humid and hot in the summer. In the summer months, the average temperature is around 27°C/81°F, dropping to 19°C/66°F in winter. As with anywhere in Australia, the sun is extremely strong, and sun protection is always advised. Even on cloudy days, remaining protected and hydrated is crucial. There are water stations located throughout the city, so you can fill up your water bottles for free.

When travelling around the city, it’s crucial to have an Opal card. These cards are the integrated payment method used on the public transport system in Sydney, and they’re valid on ferries, trains, trams and buses. The payment methods work by pre-loading money onto the card and tapping both on and off the transport.

Be warned: buses in the city are notoriously late. Always make sure you give yourself extra time when travelling anywhere in Sydney, as the public transport system is neither fast, nor reliable. However, an amazing way to travel around the city is by ferry. While it may seem odd, it’s a legitimate form of transport in Sydney and many often take the ferry as part of their daily commute.

Sydney has strict drinking laws. In the center of Sydney, they have ‘lockout laws’, which means that every bar in the ‘lockout’ zone has to close doors at 1:30am, and shut by 3am, no matter how busy the venue is. Pubs in this area will close at around midnight. If you want to party for longer, it’s best to travel to the Eastern Suburbs or Inner West, as they’re less likely to have lockout zones. There’s also a law that bans the sale of neat liquor in venues after midnight, which is intended to prevent rowdy behavior.

According to recent statistics, rates of major theft offences in NSW are at their lowest level in over 25 years, and murder rates are at the lowest recorded levels since 1990. Since the lockout laws were introduced in 2014, there has been a 45 percent reduction in non-domestic assault in the Kings Cross Precinct.

Sydney has a number of hospitals, including St Vincent’s Hospital, and St Vincent’s Private Hospital, both of which are located in the city. Further out in Randwick, there is the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Both doctors’ surgeries and pharmacies are located throughout the city.

Study in Sydney

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