Studies (Overseas) Advice

Started by himawari, January 14, 2016, 12:30:11 AM

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himawari

So this was what I saw in the News today: http://www.todayonline.com/world/australia/aussie-dollar-falls-below-s1

This means I can afford to study overseas now. I had been planning to study in Australia since I was 17. But been turned down multiple times by my parents because during those period of time it was considered costly to study anywhere that isn't local. There was an argument between my parents and I once and they told me as long as the Aussie dollar drop or is similar to the local currency, I would be allowed to study there. So I have another year till my graduation and plan out everything and save up (get a student loan if I have to) and well get my ass over to Australia and study.

So right now I am currently looking for advice from any Australian friends on E and from people who had studied overseas.

Degree I plan to study is Early Childhood Studies. So far, I have seen multiple websites of the schools and I kinda narrowed it down to these few:

  • Deakins
  • Murdoch
  • James Cook
  • Griffin
  • RMIT
I am still open for suggestions and stuff but yeah.

Here are some of my concerns:

  • I've been to Australia (Gold Coast) for a school trip before and experienced racism first hand by a few people. It is kinda scary. Like is it really that bad there or it is just those small handfuls of people being stupid?
  • Accommodations. How does it work in Australia? House rental etc...
  • How safe is safe in Australia?

I guess I want to know more about the country other than what the internet says (EVERYTHING TRIES TO KILL YOU THERE) and yeah. >w<
Advise please?  :-[
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AmberStarfire

#1
I'm Australian and I studied through two universities there. First by attending one, then living on campus at another, then by distance education. Most of the time I've lived overseas (England and Ireland) and studied by online and distance education modes. The University of Southern Queensland offers a lot of distance education courses, so you could study from where you are, or return home and keep studying. Some majors have subjects you need to attend the university for, but a lot don't.

A lot of Australians don't have to pay upfront for their university. They can postpone the debt, so can go to university without paying anything and get student support type payments from the government. I didn't have to work when I was living over there. However, from overseas you will likely need to pay upfront and won't have government support, which may mean working as well.

I don't know the colleges you named but Early Childhood Studies might have some requirements to study on campus (if not completely). As for renting, I've never done it there but some of the universities have their own student accommodation, and it's different to renting a house of your own or a flat. It's optional though. If you have student accommodation, you usually don't need to worry about bills like electricity and water, and all. It's just included in the student rate. For some universities that includes a certain number of meals as well.

This is going to sound cold against my own country, but racism is common there. However, a lot of people aren't. I'd call Australia fairly safe, but take care walking around at night and anywhere isolated.


himawari

Quote from: AmberStarfire on January 14, 2016, 06:55:51 PM
I'm Australian and I studied through two universities there. First by attending one, then living on campus at another, then by distance education. Most of the time I've lived overseas (England and Ireland) and studied by online and distance education modes. The University of Southern Queensland offers a lot of distance education courses, so you could study from where you are, or return home and keep studying. Some majors have subjects you need to attend the university for, but a lot don't.
I've heard of that university. :D Acutally I've heard about most Australian University. Just that I need to find one that has the course I want inside.  :D

Quote from: AmberStarfire on January 14, 2016, 06:55:51 PM
A lot of Australians don't have to pay upfront for their university. They can postpone the debt, so can go to university without paying anything and get student support type payments from the government. I didn't have to work when I was living over there. However, from overseas you will likely need to pay upfront and won't have government support, which may mean working as well.
Sounds the same as taking a study loan over here. Like you can take $100k out for your studies and only pay it back after your studies are completed but within the 5-10 years time frame. My plan is to take the money from the bank and do that. But you know banks (be it locally or internationally) they are like legalized loansharks and if you don't pay the interest rates just keep on going up. :'D

Quote from: AmberStarfire on January 14, 2016, 06:55:51 PM
I don't know the colleges you named but Early Childhood Studies might have some requirements to study on campus (if not completely). As for renting, I've never done it there but some of the universities have their own student accommodation, and it's different to renting a house of your own or a flat. It's optional though. If you have student accommodation, you usually don't need to worry about bills like electricity and water, and all. It's just included in the student rate. For some universities that includes a certain number of meals as well.
It guess it all depends on which university I am going to then. Gotta research on that more I suppose.

Quote from: AmberStarfire on January 14, 2016, 06:55:51 PM
This is going to sound cold against my own country, but racism is common there. However, a lot of people aren't. I'd call Australia fairly safe, but take care walking around at night and anywhere isolated.
I went to Dreamworld at Gold Cost and some lady at the cashier said to me like "Can you speak English?" which I was and she replied me with "I mean PROPER English." I wanted to toss the item in her face and walk out.  :'( One lady made a snarky comment about my fellow schoolmates about us being Asians and stuff. But I guess one have to get use to it if you were to study there. I just hope it doesn't affect me as badly as it is. There are nice people there too. Super helpful too with directions and stuff...which makes me like the place but those one or two people just made the day a bit harder to get by...but even so, I do like the country.

But thanks for the help AmberStarfire. I think there are some things which I can finally narrow down upon.
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AmberStarfire

#3
I've been to Dream World too. I used to go there as a kid. I'm sorry to hear the cashier there was such a jerk to you. :(

I wish I could tell you that people like that are rare exceptions, but they're more common than that. I would say men do it less. I haven't lived in Australia since I was younger apart from a visit every few years to see friends and family. There are Australians I've noticed who behave very 'emotionally young' and by that I mean they don't control themselves or their emotional side well. I guess it's impulse control issues? If I walk through the shopping centres there, I'll occasionally see adults acting like kids - screaming, and shouting and crying, and generally making a scene. This isn't something you see that often in Ireland. The majority aren't that way, but when you combine a culture where many people are very direct, with one where some don't have a tight rein on their emotions or themselves, I think it adds up to a recipe where people who are racist air those views more often.

What I've seen a lot being there is people who will generalise about a race and then treat the person they're friends with as an exception to the rule or with surprise because they don't really know what people of that race are like. My half-brother's girlfriend is Chinese and there was a sense of 'This is what a Chinese person is like?' from people there.

However, the younger generations seem to have a more common view of people just being people regardless of where they're from (though this is being set back I think because of ISIS). A lot of Australian men adore Asian women and I've noticed this gets some womens' back up.

I'm not sure if this is bad to discuss here because it concerns topics like racism, but it's as close as I can get to 'telling you like it is', at least based on my experiences. I can tell you that where I lived was a poorer suburb growing up. In school about 1/3 of the students were from other races. Now the majority of people who live there are from other races. 

Some people are just a bit rude or extremely direct. If I'm taking too long paying for something, it wouldn't surprise me to get a 'hurry the hell up. I don't have all day', especially from an older person (especially male). It's how some people express themselves. If the woman at Dreamworld said 'I don't understand you' that's one thing but the 'speak English' comment, even when you were, was what took it over the line.

You should find the universities over there pretty good. I loved it there when I was living at my university. The cost of studying there is also likely to be way less than some other countries (which I've checked into before). Just make sure what qualifications you'd get would be enough to work in your chosen field back home in case you choose to work there.


himawari

If I could, I would've gone all the way to UK to study. Australia is nearby (few hours flight) and well, the universities are good. The price range is alright I guess depending on individual financial statuses. But overall, I find like it is a good place to go and study.

As for the racism thingy. It confuses me to no end. Like I will be there to study. Take my degree and leave (no intent for looking for a relationship nor staying in the country long enough to look for a job and settle down). Like unless the "ONE" is there then I have no say. But other than that, I don't see why people have to be so mean. :(

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AmberStarfire

Australia is a pretty good place. I hope you enjoy it there. If you want to meet someone, then do. Don't let the views of random jerks hold you back. Do what makes you happy. :)

As for people, there are mean people everywhere and there are nice people everywhere. The good will hopefully offset the bad by quite a lot.


oranje

As a visible racial minority living in Australia, there are good places and bad places.  I am actually surprised you had problems on the GC since the entire economy depends on tourism and no overseas visitors means no jobs for anyone.

A friend of mine is doing that exact degree through distance education at Swinburne.  Even doing it by distance they had to front up and do prac sessions in an actual school.