Student Lifestyle In Australia

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Student lifestyle the world over is quite different from the rest of society. You have your own group of friends, places you like to go and your own routines. This is especially true if you are living away from home.

 

Australia is fast becoming a very popular destination for education. The main reasons for this are

• the highly competitive courses that can be undertaken
• the fees as compared to American or European courses
• living costs that are very affordable
• and last but not least, the myriad attractions that make Australia so perfect for students.

The country boasts a superb climate. The people are friendly, live in a safe and healthy environment and students from all over the world are welcomed. In Sydney there are many languages spoken thanks to its cultural diversity, and with over a hundred ethnic groups living in Australia no student will really feel out of place.

Accommodation

There are lots of accommodation choices open to you. Besides living on campus there are other options like renting rooms, home-stay with/without meals, or shared rental accommodation. More often than not students live their own lives in shared apartments where you do your own cooking. This often is the most economical option too.

Recreation

There is a lot of scope for students to strike the right balance between study, relaxation and other activities. There is so much to do and see in Australia that you just might run out of time. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants to eat in, there is surfing open to all and there are lots of beaches, lakes and rivers for those who love the water. There are international festivals celebrated that are a must-see for students and others alike.

There are lots of sports facilities and art and culture are catered for too, with galleries, museums, live arts and music etc. There are markets aplenty and shopping is always a fun experience. Probably the best attractions in Australia are its bush land and the wildlife, the outback and the rainforests. Students who have an adventurous streak will enjoy all that Australia has to offer.

Work while you study

If you have a student visa you are allowed to work on a casual basis although it’s wise to remember that the job cannot be a means to fund your education as you need to devote enough time to your studies and exams. This easy earn-while-you-learn option makes Australia very attractive to students as a part time job can fund hobbies and interests leaving the money you and your family saved for course fees to pay the fees.

Student lifestyle in Australia offers the best of both worlds: you get to study in some of the best institutions in the world, you can work to gain experience, and you can learn about the Australian way of life first-hand. There are so many activities to choose from and the overall experience of living in Australia is one, you are not likely to forget in a hurry.

Brought to you by the Australian Immigration Experts at Synch1

Government Loans for Permanent Resident Students in Australia

It becomes a challenging affair when you are keen to continue your studies in Australia but your academic dreams may come to a grinding halt due to paucity of funds.

Believe me, it is truly a traumatic experience to go through this stressful period of looking for funds and sponsors that can help you through your further studies. Having gone through this harrowing journey, I thought I might just pen down my findings here so that you guys who are on the look-out for funds for further studies might find some help and guidance.

There is a vigorous competition for the scholarships offered to overseas students by the Australian government. Majority of these scholarships are extended to students undertaking university education especially those pursuing post-graduate study.

One important scheme that comes to my mind is the Endeavour Awards Program which is the brainchild of the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The aim of this program is to bring in academically excellent students to Australia to pursue short or long-term courses (study or research) in a varied range of subjects.

Many Australian Universities offer loans and scholarships to overseas students who are mainly involved in research or who are pursuing Masters Degree. If you have enrolled yourself in a University that comes under fund granting section of the Higher Education Funding Act, the loan facility is available. The loan covers only the tuition fee charged by the University every semester and does not include the accommodation or other costs of living. You start your repayment process the moment your income level reaches the minimum threshold for mandatory repayment.

Apart from this, there are some loans offered by the University during the course of your term. These loans may be short-term or long-term. The short-term loans are usually availed by students to meet their running financial difficulties or unexpected expenses. With its exclusive student loan funds, the University (only selected ones) tries to help students to tide over sudden financial difficulties.

However, prior to applying for such loans, it is always advised that the students meet the Financial Aid advisor and discuss their financial situation with him and then take the decision of applying for a loan. Strict repayment schedules are laid while offering these loans and failure to meet them will result in serious academic disasters for the students. Your results may be withheld or graduation not allowed. Hence dedicate yourself to the task of repaying these loans prior to availing them.

The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) is another excellent system by which the Commonwealth Government extends a helping hand to students who wish to pursue their studies further. There are 3 kinds of HELP loan facilities available to students.

HECS-HELP - This loan is offered to eligible students who are supported by the
Commonwealth to defer their Student Contribution Charge. An Australian citizen or holder of a permanent humanitarian visa is eligible for this loan.

FEE-HELP - This loan is given to under-graduate or post-graduate students who have difficulty in paying their fee to the universities. Australian citizen or permanent residents can avail this facility.

OS-HELP - This facility is available to eligible under-graduate Commonwealth student wishing to pursue part of their study overseas.

All the above loans are to be repaid through the taxation system once your income reaches the particular repayment level.

Even though I have guided you through some loan options, I would always advise students to follow money management to avoid sudden monetary pitfalls. Make sincere efforts to track your expenses. Shop in a sensible manner and try to minimize costs wherever possible. This would enable you to be financially strong and even if you avail any loan, the amount of debt can be reduced to a minimum which makes the repayment schedule non-taxing for you.

The article is brought to you by www.synch1.com feel free to contact us about your Australian immigration and Australian visa applications.

Brought to you by the Australian Immigration Experts at Synch1