A great place to live and study

Sydney is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city, internationally recognised for being an exciting and vibrant place to visit and live in. If you’re thinking about studying commerce, Sydney is a great place to base yourself. It's the hub of business in Australia and you have access to all the major corporations operating in the region. As a design student you'll be inspired by a thousand and one things. Our art galleries, famous designers and an active alternative design scene will give you all the inspiration you could wish for. Creativity is all around.

As you’d expect from one of the world’s great cities, Sydney’s got everything - modern city lifestyle, beaches, spectacular harbour and a wide variety of entertainment options to suit everyone. It also offers a unique multicultural experience, boasting a community of people from all corners of the globe. The result is a rich and diverse city that is also safe, clean and ready to welcome you.

Have a look also at the Useful Links page for more info about living in Sydney

Activities

If you’re an outdoors kind of person, Sydney is your kind of place. Sydney is famous for its beaches, and with 37 of them within easy reach from most parts of the city, you have plenty of choice. Apart from the beaches, there are national parks and the world-famous Blue Mountains on the outskirts of the city. And we can’t forget sport. Whether you’re into watching or participating, you’re sure to find something of interest in Sydney.

If the indoors is more your thing, Sydney offers an enormous range of choice… from museums to nightclubs and everything in between. There’s plenty to keep you busy… shopping, galleries, bars, theatres, markets and more. Plus, our multicultural communities offer an amazing choice of cuisines from all over the world.

Arrival and Accommodation

If you’re not from Sydney, there are plenty of accommodation choices for you, ranging from living with a family in a homestay arrangement through to renting a house or an apartment. Choosing whether you'd prefer to live in the city, close to the campus or by the beach will determine how much rent you will pay.

On average you can expect to pay between AUD$150 - 220 for hostel accommodation, AUD$210 - 250 for homestay accommodation and AUD$200 - 400 per week for an apartment or house, usually shared.

Cost of Living

You will also need to budget for extra expenses such as electricity, telephone, public transport, food and entertainment. You should budget approximately AUD$1000 per month in living expenses.

You can find more information about accommodation, banking and arrival assistance in our Student Handbook.

Perceptions of living and studying in Australia

According to an international student survey conducted by the Australian government (AEI - Australian Education International) published in 2008, there is a high level of satisfaction among international students who are studying in Australia. The 2007 Follow-up Student Survey was designed to check that Australia had met the expectation of the students in the higher education and vocational education and traing sectors after graduation.

The survey found that 68 per cent of international students who had completed a higher education course held a full-time or part-time job and 18 per cent were doing further study. Of those who had completed a vocational education and training course, 67 per cent held a full-time or part-time job and 26 per cent were doing further study.

Some more outcomes:

• 83% expressed satisfaction with studying in Australia
• 88% (VET) and 83% (Higher Education) said they would recommend studying in Australia to their family and friends
• 80% (VET) and 71% (Higher Education) indicated that they would recommend their institution to family and friends

These are very positive outcomes for the many thousands of international students who come to study in Australia every year, and a clear international endorsement of the quality of Australian Education.