Australia has been hailed as a top study destination for many years now. In fact, from 2014’s 340,585 international students, the number has already increased to 617,589 in 2020. In 2021, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the country recorded around 512,855 international students in the country, which is still a lot.
However, although it is a favorite study destination for many students worldwide, there are still a lot of misconceptions about study in Australia.
Read below to know what those misconceptions are.
It is Too Expensive to Study in Australia
As a country known for its high quality of life, high GDP, and famous holiday destination, the first thing that would usually come to mind when it comes to studying there is that it is too expensive.
It is true that Australia has a high cost of living. In fact, according to Numbeo, the average cost of living for a single person in Australia, without rent, is around AUD1,325 per month.
However, depending on your needs, goals, and capacity, there are study programs in Australia that can be accessed at a more affordable price. For example, Australia offers a lot of short-term study programs, that usually last for one to two weeks, to a month, to even a year.
Moreover, in case you are planning to study in Australia for a degree, there are many scholarships, grants, and bursaries available for international students. Those financial aids may pay for the student’s daily living expenses, tuition fees, and other school-related expenses.
You Are Not Allowed to Work While Studying
In many countries, international students are not permitted to work, even for a part-time job, while studying in their host country. Many people also think that working in Australia while studying is impossible, or that those allowed to do it are limited.
However, this is not the case, and although working while studying was more difficult in the past, it is not the case now. In fact, most international students now are allowed to work up to 40 hours every two weeks (except during holiday breaks), unless they are under a scholarship program that will not allow them to work.
Moreover, international students are protected by Australia’s law, thus, they have the same rights as Australian workers, such as getting the same minimum rate per hour and government assistance in case of a problem at work.
It Is Difficult to Make Friends in Australia
Another common misconception about studying in Australia as an international student is that it would be difficult to make friends there. However, most of the time, this is not the case and many Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) usually make a lot of efforts to make international students in Australia feel welcome.
For example, in most Australian HEIs, there’s this thing called Orientation Week (or O-Week) where institutions help new students, including international students warm up to their institution. This includes familiarizing them with the institution, its clubs and societies, services, and so on.
Moreover, there are also many international student clubs and societies that help international students befriend other students by pairing them through a “buddy” system.
Just like in other countries, misconceptions about studying in Australia are quite normal. However, do not let it interfere with how you interact with other people or when you do things.
Learn more about living abroad tips in Australia. To start, check out MSM Unify’s article
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