Student life in Australia 🇦🇺
Australia is a destination for students from many countries to choose for further study, as it is ready to welcome international students, by having protection measures in place, as well as being ranked 3rd in the world for its quality of education, which are all important factors for students to experience great life and work experiences.
In addition, in reference to the cost of studying which may be close to the United States or United Kingdom, the cost of living in Australia is not as high. Students can also benefit from being able to work legally part-time, thus when they deduct their expenses from their income, on average it will result in an overall lower cost.
💲 Living Expenses per Year
The total cost of living in Australia is around 360,000 – 470,000 baht per year, if based on the breakdown below, excluding the tuition fees and study materials. For more information, please contact Hands On Education Consultants.
- Accommodation
- Travel expenses
- Day-to-Day expenses
- Food expenses
- Leisure activities
🌦 Australia’s Climate
Australia is the 5th largest country in the world and therefore experiences a wide variety of weather and time. There are 4 seasons due to Australia’s large island landscape, which is located between the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, making the timing of each season different to those in the United Kingdom and North America. For example, winter will start from June to August, whilst summer will start in December through to February. In addition, the climate in each region also varies.
Students who wish to study in Australia should study the climate of the city in which their university is located and what the seasons are like, in order to prepare before travelling.
You can consult your Hands On counselor for more information, completely free of charge.
🕰 Adjusting to the Time Zone
Australia is ahead of Thailand and can be divided into 3 zones by Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), as follows:
- Eastern Standard Time-EST: 10 hours ahead of GMT and ahead of Thailand by 3 hours. Regions in this time zone are: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland and
- Central Standard Time-CST: 5 hours ahead of GMT and 2.30 hours ahead of Thailand. Regions in this time zone are South Australia and those under the Northern Territory
- Western Standard Time-WST: 8 hours ahead of GMT and 1 hour ahead of Thailand. Western Australia is in this time zone.
🚃 Transportation
There are various transport options in Australia, making it convenient to travel around the country, regardless of the destination. As well as being safe, clean and modern, students are able to purchase a travel card (Smart Cards) to use on all public transport. Some states may also offer reduced rates for students. To find out more about student travel discounts for each state, please ask a Hands On counselor.
The type of public transport in Australia varies from tram, train, bus and ferry. In addition, for those who want to use a taxi or Uber they can also do so.
For anyone who wants some privacy, convenience or to move some stuff fairly quickly, or even save time on travel, they can opt for a domestic airline such as Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Tigerair.
👩🏼💻 Part-time Work for Students
The law in Australia allows international students to work for no more than 40 hours per fortnight as stated on the student visa issued by the embassy.
Universities in Australia also have a careers service to provide advice for students interested in working during their studies, with some even having work available on campus for students. In addition, the universities can recommend how to organize student schedules for work and study.
🤼 Cultural Diversity in Australia
Australia’s history is heavily influenced by WWII, when millions of people migrated across the continent to settle in Australia. The culture of the former residents and new immigrants therefore merged together to develop and change the culture into a multicultural society made up of more than 200 ethnicities.
The long-standing history and variety of religions, languages and ethnicities in Australia has created a unique, open and welcoming atmosphere to foreigners. With the unique lifestyle and open mindedness that doesn’t go against different people’s faith, as well as laws protecting human rights, Australians are free to express their opinions and show equal respect to everyone, through the freedom of speech, religious freedom, legal equality, gender equality and much more.
