For Indian students looking to gain a quality education coupled with a unique Australian experience, Canberra fits the bill.
Canberra embodies a lifestyle that appeals to students and has helped earn its reputation as a top-ranked student city. Known as Australia’s Bush Capital, Canberra is renowned for its flora and fauna, arts and culture, and its welcoming cosmopolitan community.
Canberra is unlike many other capital cities; it offers an urban lifestyle while maintaining space to breathe, to think, to study, to make new friends and try new experiences. Students in Canberra can choose the pace of their lives and strike a wonderful balance between study and lifestyle.
Learn amongst leaders
Canberra as a city values life-long learning, and is home to some of the best and brightest minds in Australia. Six Nobel Laueates are among Canberra’s notable academic staff and alumni.
Canberra’s universities have a global reputation for excellence in education and research. Australia’s top-ranked university is based here, and all of Canberra’s major institutions feature in the world’s top 100 across the leading global university rankings.
International students from over 100 countries choose to study bachelor’s, masters, or doctorate degrees across varied disciplines and fields of study.
For students facing financial barriers, a range of international scholarships are offered by institutions and the Australian government.
Canberrans value new ideas and new ways of thinking. There is a strong and connected innovation community, giving students an opportunity to learn from award-winning artists, researchers, and business entrepreneurs.
Brazil’s Paulo Vasconcelos is making the most of his PhD in Aerospace Engineering at the University of New South Wales (Canberra Campus).
“I chose Canberra as a place to study because it is a unique multicultural city,” Paulo says.
“I had the chance to meet amazing people from all over the world, including the Chief Technical Officer of Rolls Royce and the chief scientist of Hypersonics of Boeing. These companies have either offices or facilities here in Canberra. Studying in Canberra perfectly aligns with getting a career full-time here.”
Academic programs are complemented by real world experience, with an array of opportunities for internships and practical work experience in both the public and private sector organisations across the city.
A city to call home
Canberra boasts a resilient economy and has the highest level of employment and highest average wages in Australia. Home to a diverse range of employers from multinational organisations to micro-businesses, Canberra offers rewarding employment opportunities, where two in every three jobs are in the private sector.
Additional post-study work permit privileges are available to Canberra’s tertiary graduates. For students who wish to stay after graduation this provides the opportunity to pursue a profession and build a life in the city.
International students can choose to live on-campus or experiencing city life in private rental or share-houses. All new undergraduate students are guaranteed the option of on-campus accommodation which relieves the stress of finding your own.
With over one quarter of the population born overseas, the local community is welcoming and accepting to newcomers. Students find it easy to make friends on and off-campus, with various support networks in place.
Originally from China, Sabrina is studying a Bachelor of Communications and Media at the University of Canberra.
“What first impressed me is the close relationships you can quickly develop. All the people I came across when I arrived in Canberra were extraordinarily kind and helpful”, said Sabrina.
“The community spirit is the highest I have ever experienced in any place. People in the community particularly welcomed international students. I felt great privilege and popularity whenever I introduced myself as such.
“Despite living in a foreign country on my own for the first time, my parents always had peace of mind and never raised concerns about my wellbeing.”
Everything’s easier here
Speak to any Canberran and they will rattle off a long list of why they love living in Canberra. At the top of the list is a quality of life to rival the best in the world.
One of the hallmarks of a great city is accessibility. Long commutes and traffic jams are not part of life. Canberra has an extensive public transport system that continues to expand and develop as the city grows. The city’s light rail and bus network offers travel concessions to all students, making any commute across the city affordable and simple.
From wide open city parks, to natural bush spaces and popular swimming spots, Canberra offers a safe environment where a student can unwind and relax after a hard day’s study.
Or if you prefer to pull on your dancing shoes, there is always something happening in Canberra. Its vibrant entertainment calendar includes a bustling nightlife, major sporting events, live concerts, and an array of festivals. The National Multicultural Festival is held each February – one of Australia’s biggest celebrations of diversity.
Canberra is also home to Australia’s national icons – an extensive list of museums, galleries and heritage sites, where art and culture are woven into the fabric of the city. Artists, actors, musicians, and writers work shoulder-to-shoulder with academics, community leaders to deliver some of the best expressions of art and culture in Australia.
Priyanka Shivadas travelled from India to study her PhD in English and Media Studies. She has been in Canberra for four years.
“I’ve loved living in Canberra from day one. The pace of life suites my personalisty – it’s not too fast, and it’s definitely not too slow. There’s so much to do here, and all of the cultural institutions have free admission.”
An active outdoor lifestyle is easy in Canberra. Sport and recreational activities are a part of daily life, and an extensive network of cycleways, footpaths, and trails are accessible and safe.
For the foodies amongst us, there is plenty to binge on with food from every corner of the world. Take your pick from dining experiences in stylish surrounds, gourmet cheap eats, a casual breakfast or burgers by the lake.
Canberra is Australia’s largest inland city and is the gateway to the surrounding regions of New South Wales. In just two or three hours, you can drive to pristine beaches, experience our nearby ski fields, and visit Sydney.
Eve De Gregorio from France is studying at Canberra’s TAFE college – The Canberra Institute of Technology. Eve has used her time to explore the country.
“I have travelled around the east coast, the centre and the north of Australia and even though every place was beautiful, I have never felt as comfortable as I feel in Canberra.”
“Canberra is small enough to make me feel safe and feel like home – even safer than home! It’s big enough to have all the facilities, hobbies and spaces you need. And it’s wild enough to make you feel like you are in a different country and are experiencing the full Australia.”
Canberra truly has something for everyone. Its endearing qualities as an inclusive, welcoming, and multicultural city make Canberra the perfect city to live while you learn.