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Money Matters

The costs associated with studying in another country are a valid and common concern for many prospective international students.

Cost of living includes things like accommodation, utilities, food, transportation and books. The cost varies depending on country, city and individual spending habits and preferences. In general, the cost of living will be higher in larger cities and lower in smaller cities. In addition to the cost of living, you should budget for your tuition, round-trip international airfare, health insurance, entertainment and any personal travel during breaks.

Scholarship opportunities for international students are generally limited and very competitive. StudyLink does not offer scholarships. You may find some scholarship opportunities on university websites and you may want to research scholarships available in your home country that can be applied to overseas studies. These may be offered through the government or through other organisations.

You may also want to look at the Rotary International scholarship information
http://www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/index.html. You would need to contact your local Rotary International club to find out more details including application procedures and due dates.

International students interested in Australian study opportunities may be eligible to apply for an AusAid scholarship http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/studyin.cfm. As part of the eligibility requirements, students must be citizens of specific countries, meet eligibility requirements set by their government, plan to study at one of the designated university or TAFE institutions and plan to return to their home country after completing the course.

If you are a US or Canadian citizen, ask StudyLink about the possibility of using government loans for your studies.

Generally as part of a student visa application, students must prove that they have access to sufficient funds for their studies. Students should not plan on income from part-time jobs. International student work options vary by country and restrictions can apply, for example, international students in the US can work part-time but are restricted to on-campus jobs.

Some international students fund their studies through support from family, a few get scholarships and many get student loans to cover their expenses. We encourage students to have a general idea of how they plan to fund their studies before they start applying for courses. While StudyLink services are free, students are responsible for finding funding for their education and other expenses. We look forward to helping you with your study plans. Contact a counsellor with questions on course options or applications.

Don’t miss out on studying in 2006

Australia – If you have accepted an offer to start studying in Australia in February/March 2006 (first semester), we welcome you to Australia. Contact a counsellor with any questions you have while you are adjusting to life in Australia and be sure to attend all of your international student orientation sessions.

If you would like to start studying in Australia starting in July/August 2006 (second semester), we encourage you to apply early for best consideration. Contact us for assistance with selecting a course or completing your applications.

US – If you would like to start studying in the US in September 2006 (first semester), we encourage you to submit your application early. Contact us or the institution with any questions.

UK – Applications are being accepted for students interested to start studies in the fall of 2006 (August/September) for most disciplines. Applications are now being reviewed on a rolling admissions basis. Contact us to discuss your study plans and get help selecting a course.

If you are applying for medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, applications have closed for 2006 entry. Consider applying for 2007 or applying for a different course starting in 2006. Contact a counsellor for assistance in selecting a course.

StudyLink India has a new branch manager

Deepika Ahluwalia is the branch manager of StudyLink’s office in New Delhi, India. She recently joined StudyLink with a strong background in marketing and promotion. Deepika earned her MBA, with a focus in marketing, from one of India’s top institutes and was an active member of campus organisations. Having been brought up in New Delhi, studied in Pune, and worked in Mumbai, Deepika is able to relate well with StudyLink’s prospective students. Deepika spent three months living and working in Australia before returning to New Delhi to run StudyLink’s Indian office.

You can direct any questions for Deepika through StudyLink’s Contact a Counsellor form. Be sure to include Deepika’s name in the comments/questions box.

Eat well to age well

A new £6.4 million research centre at Newcastle University is beginning a programme of study into the impact of diet on ageing.

Past research has shown that good nutrition has an impact on the way the body ages. Foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables boost the body’s natural repair and renewal systems. Whereas, foods that are high in fats and sugars add to the damage that underpins the build-up of bodily faults. Newcastle University scientists have been asked to find out why this is the case.

Known as the Centre for Integrated Systems Biology of Ageing and Nutrition (CISBAN), the institute will try to broaden people's knowledge about food.

CISBAN director Professor Tom Kirkwood said life expectancy was continuing to grow by five hours a day. 'If we want to make the most of the extra time we're being given, we need to understand exactly what can be done to help us reach our later years with our bodies in good shape and our faculties intact,’ Professor Kirkwood said.

‘Although the damage that will determine what shape you'll be in during middle and old age starts building up even before you are born, it’s never too late to begin to make a real difference,’ he said.

The 40-strong CISBAN team includes researchers in computing science, mathematics and statistics. They will be using the latest computer modelling programmes to accelerate the pace of the discoveries that can be made using more traditional scientific techniques.

CISBAN was formed as part of an initiative to establish centres for integrated systems biology in UK universities in an attempt to maintain the country’s capacity to compete with world-class cutting-edge science.
Source: University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Contact a counsellor if you would like to find out about the scientific courses at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne or at other institutions.

Carnegie Mellon University is opening its Australian campus

In May the first students of Carnegie Mellon University’s Adelaide campus are expected to start their postgraduate studies.

The university will offer master degrees in public policy and information technology. The university was ranked 44th globally and 14th in Technology in the 2005 The Times Higher Education Rankings.

Carnegie Mellon’s first students will add to the estimated 17 000 international students already studying in Adelaide. The city’s international-student population is growing at more than double the national average.

Adelaide offers many attractions, and is home to four internationally recognised universities and an extensive Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. In addition, it offers an affordable way of life and is home to a multi-cultural community, with many festivals, galleries, wineries, award-winning restaurants and a dynamic sporting environment — all of which make Adelaide a great location in which to study, live and grow.

Ten key reasons to make Adelaide your city of study:
1. A tradition of excellence
2. Whatever you want to achieve, we have an option to suit
3. Australia’s most affordable city
4. Five bonus migration points
5. A warm welcome
6. Live in the heart of the city
7. A great place to do business
8. The living is easy
9. An authentic Australian experience
10. Central to everywhere

Visit www.studyadelaide.com to see how you too can enjoy an education in Adelaide.

What the PGSP did for my career in Clinical Psychology by Brigitte Khoury

In the fall of 1992 I left Beirut, Lebanon, for Palo Alto, California, to do a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP).

At PGSP, there were faculty members who offered me their expertise and knowledge without limit. Their diverse backgrounds and various research interests provided a wide range of opportunities in different areas of psychology. In addition, the PGSP student body’s various ethnicities and nationalities allowed for a rich exchange among students, an educational experience deeper than that which can be found in books alone. Their differences in culture, values, tradition, even language, became my support system and my family away from home.

One of PGSP’s main attractions is its close relationship to Stanford University and the Palo Alto VA, both of which facilitate training and research opportunities. Another benefit is the San Francisco Bay Area — a physical, cultural, and ethnic environment that makes it an even more rewarding educational experience.

After graduation in 1996, I obtained my licence from the California Board of Psychology and returned to Beirut, where I joined the Department of Psychiatry at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, a leading academic institution in the Middle East.

PGSP’s scientist-practitioner model program helped my career immensely. Not only did I acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge and clinical skills but also the basis of scientific research for a career as a practitioner as well as an academician in a university setting. In time, because I found it important to share that knowledge with other colleagues in Lebanon, I established the Lebanese Psychological Association to promote the field of psychology and organise its practice.

If you are interested in more information on study opportunities at PGSP or have other questions, contact a counsellor.

Easy access to educational content

Apple Computer has introduced a new podcast hosting service that allows lectures and other educational materials to be available via its iTunes software.

‘iTunes U’ is a free, hosted content-management system designed to provide students access to educational content 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While the internet has been used for lecture delivery for some time, the use of iPods is a more recent occurrence.

Apple Computer has been working with a number of universities over the past year on the pilot project and recently invited other universities to sign up.