What would be the best place to study abroad? This depends on a range of factors, starting with your budget. If money is no issue, a top university like Harvard or Stanford in the US or Oxford/Cambridge in London is a logical choice. I would have loved to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. But only few can afford hundreds of thousands of dollars for a degree. Secondly language skills are important. As a non native speaker it would take me quite a while to learn French well enough to be able to study in French. Similar problems apply to Chinese or other Asian students who need to learn English before they can enrol in an Australian University. Many spend years to master the language, cursing grammar and IELTS tests. Most Australians never understand the effort it takes for most students to learn, speak and study in English. I sometimes ask them to imagine hundreds of thousands of Australians having to learn Chinese to be able to study in Beijing. Could this be reality in about one hundred years? Who knows?

 

Many international students in Australia choose this country because study and living is more affordable than in The USA, UK or Europe. The level of education is well regarded, people are friendly and many have some relatives or friends living down under, which makes the move just that little bit easier. Until recently it often was possible to collect enough points for a permanent resident visa, making the dream of living in a peaceful country with high living standards a reality. However the economic down turn may make it harder to get a PR. Within Australia there is a wide variety of places available for international students. Obvious choices are Melbourne and Sydney, but other states have drawcards like the climate in Queensland or the beauty of Perth. Also: some courses are only provided at certain universities which would limit your choice.

 

I would like to hear from students down under what they perceive as the best place to study and what made them decide to choose their location/university. Let me know, leave a comment!