Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales is also known as the ‘Harbour City’ as well as the ‘Emerald City’ across the world. Lying on the eastern coast of Australia, Sydney is the most populous city in all of Australia. The beautiful metropolis skirts around Sydney Harbour and stretches about 70 km towards Hawkesbury to the north, the Blue Mountains to the west, Macarthur to the southwest, and the Royal National Park to the south. Sydney consists of 658 suburbs and the residents are referred to as "Sydneysiders". A hub for education and known for its multicultural diversity, Sydney is a go-to education destination for students across the globe.
It’s always a good time and decision to study in a place like Sydney. Over the past decade has come up as the third most popular study destination for international students. The factors that many international students find the most inviting about Sydney as a study destination are high quality of education, cultural diversity, welcoming environment, etc.
Lifestyle
Sydney has a booming culture, art, and music scene, some of the best restaurants, bars, and cafes, amazing weather, and world-renowned landmarks like the famous Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Be a part of this thrilling culture and become a true Sydneysider!
Weather
Sydney has a nice warm, sunny climate with tolerable winters and summers, ideal for those who love the outdoors. Sydney enjoys sub-tropical to tropical summer weather.
Innovation
The amazing city of Sydney is among the world's top 25 global startup ecosystems. NSW is internationally recognized for tech innovations. Sydney is swiftly becoming the world’s innovation engine.
Multicultural
Sydney is a very multicultural city and is known as such, worldwide. Around 39% of the total population of greater Sydney was born overseas. Besides English, the most commonly spoken languages in Sydney are Arabic, Mandarin, Greek, Cantonese, and Vietnamese. Many areas are prime examples of ‘casual multiculturalism’, localities where you get to experience the true cultural diversity in Sydney.
World Class Education
The education sector in Australia across all levels is under the close administration of the Australian government. Also, as an international student, you can expect it to be of international standard as they are strictly supervised. Most Australian degrees and qualifications are globally accepted. Educational institutions in Australia offer an extensive variety of courses and degrees making it quite easy for international students to look up the school and subject areas that are suitable for them. Students can select between colleges, universities, English Language Training, and vocational education.
Cheaper Transport
International students don’t have to worry about spending a chunk of their money commuting in Sydney. Students can access the public transport system with the help of an Opal card. The Opal card is a smart card serving as the ticket that you load up value into and use for traveling on public transport in the Sydney area. You can buy this card from an Opal card retailer or get it online.
Multilingual
The most exciting thing about Sydney is that it is among the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. This aspect makes it an ideal location for students looking for a multifaceted study of modern multilingualism. Besides English, 300 other languages are spoken, including Indigenous languages, Cantonese, Arabic, Auslan, Mandarin, as well as Vietnamese.
Healthcare
Australia has one of the world’s top-notch healthcare systems. It is easily accessible to everyone living in the country. Sydney offers world-class healthcare to its international students under a special health cover called OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover). OSHC is insurance specifically designed to assist international students cover the medical and hospital care costs that they may have to bear while studying in Sydney.
Tourism
This buzzing city is popular for its yacht-starred harbor, amazing beaches, and the infamous Opera House with its lofty sail structure. First established as a British colony of convicts, Sydney has transformed into Australia's most diversity-embracing cosmopolitan city with a vibrant food, arts, and entertainment culture.
Safety In Sydney
Sydney, Australia as a whole is relatively safe for international students compared to other popular study destinations like US and UK. Sydney is a socially inclusive nation because of its admirable ability to embrace people from different nationalities and backgrounds and be considerate towards their values, traditions, faith, and lifestyles. The government of Australia is committed to making sure that people coming to Australia, temporarily or permanently to study or work, or live, receive the utmost assistance and complete support to fit in easily and become fully functioning members of the country.
Apart from being within the top 10 in the list of the most liveable cities in the world, Sydney is home to some of the best universities in Australia. Its thriving economy, great climate, and scope for bagging some of the highest-paying jobs in Australia pull thousands of students from all over the world to Sydney each year.
Charles Darwin Univerity places extensive emphasis on quality learning and teaching and its ideal student-teacher ratio is a prime example of that. Another prominent name in the list of research-intensive universities in Sydney, Charles Darwin is a great place for international students planning to study in Sydney.
In addition to this, the exceptional graduate employment rate and amazing part-time job opportunities make it one of the best universities in Australia.
Unlike most other metropolitans, Sydney has simple, straightforward, and affordable transportation options. You can get around the beautiful city by using any of the following commute modes:
Public Transport- Train, Bus
Sydney’s public transport system features light rail, buses, trains, and ferries. Locals, international students, and visitors can use Opal smartcards to access these. Opal is a ticketing system in the form of a smartcard to which users can add value to pay the fare to pay for using public transport in Sydney.
Students can use their Opal card on the train, metro, bus, light rails, and ferry services. Opal cards can be purchased online or after arriving in Sydney from an Opal card retailer. It is a pocket-friendly commute option for international students.
Cycling
International students can have a pleasant time cycling around the city like thousands of other Sydney Siders by hiring a bike from easily accessible rental shops.
You can download the Sydney Cycling Map here. Cycling is a very budget-friendly and highly recommended option for commuting in Sydney.
Airport
Sydney airport has three terminals, two domestic terminals, and one international terminal. These terminals are adjoining to each other, but in order to travel to and from the domestic and international terminals will require a train or bus transfer.
Other transport options
For a direct, uninterrupted route, students can go for Uber or Taxis.
Here is what the monthly expenses* of living can look like for an international student studying in Sydney.
Type of Living Costs | Estimated Average Costs |
---|---|
Rent | $550 AUD |
Food | $200 AUD |
Transport | $60 AUD |
Utilities | $60 AUD |
Internet and Phone | $60 AUD |
Entertainment | $60 AUD |
Total Average Cost | $990 AUD |
There’s no limit to the fun you can have while in Sydney, without spending no money at all. Here’s what international students can feel free to explore in their free time:
Beaches
No better place to de-stress than laying out by a beach, Sydney’s enthralling beaches never fail to capture everyone’s attention.
Garden
Take a walk around the green and gorgeous Royal Botanic Garden or visit the Royal National Park which is easily accessible via public transport.
Museums
Experience the culture with free entry to the Art Gallery of NSW and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Also, entry to The Powerhouse Museum and parts of the Australian National Maritime Museum is free.
One of the best career investments you can make is to study in Sydney, which is sure to pay off in the future. In addition to being a great career move, the experience of studying and living in a cosmopolitan like Sydney is unforgettable!