Applying online has never been easier

There are several steps involved in preparing to study in another country, but with planning and a little help from StudyLink you’ll be overseas before you know it.

In order to kick-start the university application process, there are several things you can do at the same time. You can start collecting your supporting documents and planning for any required exams while you use StudyLink to research your study options, fill out your online application and work with a counsellor to put together a complete application.

As part of your online application, you will need to submit your supporting documents to a counsellor. You do not need to scan and attach your documents; a counsellor can do this for you. StudyLink’s counsellors can also help you figure out exactly what supporting documents you need to submit as well as additional documents that will help make your application stronger.

In general, students will need to submit the following official documents: academic record/transcript, English language exam results (if required), two or three recommendation letters and official results for any additional required entrance exams. Required exams depend on your course, level of study, the country in which you wish to study and immigration regulations based on your citizenship. You should ask your counsellor which exams are required for the course you want to study.

Unofficial documents that may be required for your application include a personal statement and resume. Depending on your course, you may need to submit additional documents such as a portfolio, research proposal, or more detailed information on your previous studies. Our counsellors are happy to review any documents before they are attached to your online application.

StudyLink’s website provides a variety of ways to research your study options. You can look for courses with our keyword search, browse courses through our directories, or ask one of our counsellors to recommend a course. StudyLink provides you with a variety of options, allowing you to use the method that you like best. Use the Find a Course tab or use the search options available on other pages. Keep in mind that StudyLink specialises in Australian, North American, and European study options.

Use StudyLink’s keyword search by entering one or more key words in the first box, selecting a location from the second box, and a level of study from the last box. For your convenience, MBA has been treated as a separate level of study. You will need to be sure your spelling is correct to receive a successful result to your search. Keywords usually include a specific area of study (i.e. accounting, history, mechanical engineering). Once you have completed the three boxes, click on the ‘Search Now’ button.

Browse courses through one of our directories listed on the home page and on the Find a Course tab. These directories include news articles on the specific area, links to detailed information on institutions and a list of featured courses within that subject. For all of the featured courses, you can click on the course title for more details including fees. For some courses you can start an application directly from the featured course list (click ‘Apply’ button) and for others you can start your online application from the course description (click ‘Apply Now’ button).

Another option for finding a course is to contact one of our counsellors. You can do this through the ‘Ask Now’ button on the home page or Free Study Advice page. You can also use the ‘Need Help” button on the top right corner of any page. Fill in the enquiry form with as much detail as possible; this will help our counsellors in making their reply specific to your background and interests.

This should provide you with a good start to applying online through StudyLink. Remember our counselling service is free and we are happy to help with any questions you have about your study plans.

Meet Deepti of StudyLink India

Meet Deepti Dhamija, the Assistant Manager, Counselling Services, India. She has five years’ experience in counselling students. Deepti is currently pursuing an MBA with a focus in Marketing and has earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from a reputed university in India. She has also earned a certificate for the Professional Development Programme in Promoting UK Education and Training and has taken the IELTS exam. Deepti has been to the UK and Australia for professional training and gained first-hand knowledge of these countries and universities. She is fluent in Hindi, Punjabi, and English. Deepti heads StudyLink counselling services for prospective students living in India.

Contact Deepti for help and information on your overseas study options.

Important deadlines for your application

Australia – The next term you can apply for starts in February/March 2007. The application deadline for most courses is in October, however, we encourage you to apply early for best consideration. Keep in mind that you do not need to scan and attach your documents, a counsellor can do this for you. Contact a counsellor for assistance with selecting a course or completing your applications.

If you have applied to start studying in Australia in July/August 2006 (second semester), you should check with your counsellor to discuss financial requirements for student visa applications. As a reminder, Studylink will send a free Lonely Planet Australia guidebook worth AU$47.95 to any student who submits an application through one of our sites, enrols for the July 2006 intake and sends us a copy of their Confirmation of Enrolment form.

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

UK – Applications are being accepted for students interested to start studies in the fall of 2006 (August/September) for most disciplines. The deadline for all undergraduate applications is June 30. Applications are now being reviewed on a rolling admissions basis. Contact a counsellor to discuss your study plans.

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

Hult is offering MBA scholarships

In an effort to make the Hult MBA accessible to qualified students from all over the world, the school is awarding USD $14 000 scholarships for every independent student who is accepted to the September 2006 MBA class.

The scholarships, funded by the school’s benefactor Bertil Hult, will reduce tuition for the one-year course from USD$38,000 to USD$24,000.

Successful applicants generally have management experience and several years’ work experience. Although some students succeed with less than two years of work experience, the intense pace of the program requires maturity and the school’s case-study learning method is based on sharing professional experiences in the classroom.

The goal of the business school’s admissions committee is to put together a diverse class that will learn together and from each other. The school is certainly culturally diverse with a student body that is 95 per cent international. The faculty and the curriculum leverage the unique cultural background of each student, developing professionals who can communicate across communities, cultures, and countries.

Hult's Action Leaning curriculum teaches students to make decisions, produce deliverables, and defend their ideas through case studies, business simulations, and a management consulting project for a real client company.

Hult International Business School is based in Boston and has been ranked the top one-year MBA program in the US by the Economist for two years in a row.

Contact a counsellor if you’d like to find out more about studying at Hult.

Newcastle — affordable and home to one of Britain’s most successful universities

In addition to being named ‘one of Britain’s most successful universities’* and holding an excellent record for both teaching and research, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne has much to offer the international student.

Whether you are at Newcastle University for a single semester or several years, there is plenty to do to make the most from your time there. The city is compact so you are never too far away from shopping facilities, fine restaurants, lively music venues, cinemas, sports facilities, theatres, galleries and museums.

The city’s surrounding region is historically rich and houses Hadrian’s Wall — a near 2,000- year-old relic of Roman times. Wars between the Scots and the English centuries ago have left the area with many beautiful castles. Some areas have been used as locations in films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The local people, the ‘Geordies’, are renowned for their friendliness and pride in welcoming newcomers to their region.

Living in the city of Newcastle is affordable and good value for money. It is one of the least expensive places to live in the UK — accommodation is reasonably priced, many amenities are within walking distance of each other and your accommodation, and there are many venues offering student discounts. While it is impossible to say exactly how much you will need to cover your living expenses once your tuition fees are paid, as a guide, it is recommended that undergraduates who spend nine months in Newcastle would need £5,500 and postgraduates who spend 12 months in Newcastle would need £6,500 for living expenses. This should cover accommodation charges, food, travel and other day-to-day living expenses.

Full-time students are normally permitted to work; however, you should not rely on this as a means of financing your studies. The university’s on-campus job shop provides advice and advertises job opportunities.

University of Newcastle upon Tyne is home to a diverse and cosmopolitan community with over 2,500 international students from over 100 countries worldwide. This creates a dynamic environment, culturally, socially and academically, and means the institution is experienced in helping international students to get the most from their studies. The Newcastle area is also home to a vibrant Indian community.

The university offers welcome and orientation events for all international students and its Student Advice Centre offers a professional service to all students and their dependants, which is free, friendly and confidential. This includes immigration advice and assistance with applying to extend visas. A confidential student counselling service provides one-to-one, group and e-mail counselling for all students at any point during their time at Newcastle.

Many international students choose Newcastle University for its quality research and first-rate teaching staff. The 2001 Research Assessment Exercise confirmed the university’s standing as a strong and vibrant research-led institution by awarding Newcastle 29 of its highest ratings for outstanding international research performance. The university also scores top marks for its teaching: Newcastle’s average score is ‘excellent’ in teaching quality assessments carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

The university has a long history of providing quality tertiary education and can trace its origins to a School of Medicine and Surgery, established in Newcastle in 1834, and to Armstrong College, which was founded in the city in 1871 for the teaching of physical sciences. Since then it has expanded to incorporate three main faculty areas: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering. There are 27 schools within these faculties, all of which are research active and offer a wide range of full and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Read why the following international students made Newcastle their first choice:

“Before choosing the UK, I compared many aspects of studying in the USA or the UK, the two most popular countries that Taiwanese students would consider. After comparing the tuition fees, the living expenses, the academic research and the duration of study, I decided to come to Newcastle.”
Hsuan Hsieh from Taiwan
MA TESOL

“What I enjoy most about living in the UK is the exposure to western culture and my independence. I had never travelled to this part of the world before and feel delighted to have been exposed to this different lifestyle. I like studying in the UK because my course is extremely good and the lecturers, staff and other students have been extremely helpful.”
Rajeeva Jayawardena of Sri Lanka
International Trade

“I chose the University of Newcastle upon Tyne because of its international reputation for teaching and research.”
Zhiguo Ding of China
MA International Financial Analysis

Newcastle is an hour and a half from Edinburgh, Scotland and three hours from London by rail. Newcastle International Airport is approximately 12 kilometres from the University campus. The city is easily accessible by sea from The Netherlands and Scandinavia.

* The Guardian University Guide 2004 named the University of Newcastle upon Tyne ‘one of Britain’s most successful universities’

Contact a counsellor if you would like to learn more about studying at University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

What makes RMIT different?

Although many institutions may seem to have similar offerings, Australia’s RMIT has a few characteristics which make it stand out from the crowd.

RMIT has consistently strived to foster productive partnerships with industry. This focus is evident in many of the university’s programs which incorporates work experience with learning. This integration aims to equip graduates with the qualities employers are looking for.

RMIT’s programs are designed with industry input and so are up-to-date and directly related to specific jobs and careers. They are evaluated annually and renewed to maintain currency and relevance in a process involving consultation with industry, staff and students. The curricula allow students to apply knowledge and skills to research and work-based problems locally and internationally.

RMIT is a university with a commitment to vocational education, training and research. The dual-sector structure of the institution means you can undertake apprenticeship and traineeship training through to doctorate programs at the one institution. You can commence your studies at TAFE, obtain credit for the work you’ve done and then move on to a higher education program. Alternatively, if you’re a university graduate, you can undertake a TAFE qualification. In some instances, students are able to undertake TAFE and higher education programs in parallel.

As a dual-sector university, RMIT offers its students unique project opportunities. A team of RMIT students won the premier Class 1 section of the 2004 UK Formula Students competition — one of the world’s most prestigious student vehicle design and performance competitions. The RMIT team put its success down to being able to bring every kind of expertise to bear on the project, from design to manufacture, from researchers to tradespeople.

RMIT is equipped with some of the most advanced facilities in the country such as the Virtual Reality Centre, the High Performance Supercharger Testing Facility and the Business Financial Markets Trading Simulator.

If you would like to learn more about RMIT or its programs, contact a counsellor.