The Answer is Online

Search, Apply, Study…

So you want to study overseas. But where? How? When? Finding the right course, at the right institution, and in the right country for you, may seem like a daunting task. Like most students, you will start your search online. But before you get caught in the web, make sure you have a method to your research.

The most important thing is to first work out why you want to study abroad. Perhaps you want to progress your career or specialise, change career direction, learn a foreign language, benefit from specialist research staff and facilities, or simply make yourself more attractive to future employers. Identify which goal is most important to you and keep it in mind when comparing your options online.

You may want to start by identifying which career or ultimate career positions interest you, especially if this is your first study experience. A careers counsellor at your school or university can discuss options with you or your can consult professionals and friends. It is worth filling in a career profiling questionnaire to identify which jobs make the most of your skills and interests.

Then, go online. Have a look at employment and recruitments agency websites to get more information on the duties, salaries and qualifications required for the job. Try industry bodies and professional associations for people to speak to who are working in the field. Use your personal networks, family and friends to contact someone in the field.

Now you can research the international courses of study for that career goal. You will need to apply for a student visa, so you should start planning 6-18 months before you intend to study abroad. If you are already studying at a tertiary institution, your study abroad advisors should be able to assist you in finding a program which meets your objectives and allows you to earn credit towards your qualification. Otherwise, you can start with your own research online.

There are two approaches to this: you can enter keywords into a search engine like Google or Yahoo!, or use an education portal. Enter keywords such as ‘study in Australia’ into your search engine and you will get approximately 73 million hits – and remember the most relevant or useful links may not be in the first few pages. You can reduce this number to around 7 million hits by entering ‘study accounting Australia’. By searching for locations where you may wish to study (‘study accounting Sydney’) or specific institutions and courses that may have been recommended to you, you will further refine the search.

Consider forming a research club with friends where you can share the information you all find. You could also find people interested in researching similar courses or locations by joining an online group through a networking site like MySpace, Facebook or Orkut.

Using an education portal (such as StudyLink) can save you time as they offer impartial educational information on over 80,000 courses worldwide and free counselling support. Good portals allow you to compare and apply for courses online, apply for visas, access free counselling, or link to student blogs or online discussion forums.

When deciding about the location of your study, you need to consider the fees, cost of living, language and course availability. Online research will help you find useful information about the country’s culture, history, government, safety and weather. You can look at local online shopping sites to work out the cost of living. Once you are accepted into your course, you can even research (and sometimes apply for) a bank account, insurance and mobile phone before you leave home. Check out the local newspaper websites to get a feel for your new home before you arrive.

It is important to speak with people who have studied or lived in your country of interest before you apply. Family and friends, or your school counsellor, should be able to put you in touch with someone who has studied in that country. Online, you can access blogs and discussion groups through the university website or education portals. It is a quick way to get questions answered, and you may even make new friends before you arrive!

Online counsellors can give you advice about student visas, or you can look up the immigration department websites of your chosen country. If you need advice on scholarships and financial aid, the international student section of your institution website should provide some starting points.

Now you are ready to set off on your overseas adventure. By doing the research yourself, you will be confident with your knowledge of your destination and know that you can rely on your own resources. Good luck with your studies!

Some useful websites:

Education Portals
StudyLink www.studylink.com
Student Groups
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2643461277

Visa Information
Australia www.immi.gov,au/study/
USA www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/studying.html
UK www.ukvisas.gov.uk
English Language testing
International English Language Testing System www.ielts.org
Testing of Engish as  Foreign Language www.toefl.org

Destination information
Lonely Planet www.lonelyplanet.com

Don’t miss out on your course of choice: Important deadlines for your application

Australia and New Zealand – Apply now for 2008, application deadline is the 31st of October for courses starting in early 2008. Applications are reviewed on a rolling admissions basis and the earlier you apply, the earlier you will have an answer from the institutions. Submit your application and supporting documents to us now and keep in mind that some courses fill up before the application deadline. 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.

USA and Canada – The main term starts in September but several start dates are available throughout the year. Application deadlines vary and we encourage you to apply well in advance for best consideration and to allow time to apply for a visa.

Contact a counsellor for assistance with selecting a course or completing your applications.

UK – Submit your application to StudyLink now to start in 2008. Our counsellors will help you find a course and institution to meet your background and interests. If you have already applied to start in September 2007, you should be preparing to depart for the UK if you are not already there.

Contact a counsellor to discuss your study plans.

UK: Swansea University - a students perspective

Swansea law student Tim Sculthorpe recently shared his view of life at Swansea University with Times Online.

Saying “it’s a wonderful place to spend three years”, Tim cited the location as the universities biggest draw. But in addition to its seafront location next to Britain’s first designated “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”, the Gower Peninsula, Swansea has also been voted “Best Student Experience” in the UK (THES 2005).

Swansea is a vibrant city just 35 miles from Cardiff, capital of Wales. It has regular direct rail links to London and other major cities in the UK. The cost of living is markedly lower than in other areas of the UK. Accommodation is guaranteed for all first year students, with on campus accommodation a mix of catered and self-catering in hall blocks. A nearby student village, 20 minutes walk from campus, also offers affordable living. In second and third year, expect to pay rents of £45-55 per week in private accommodation.

A campus wireless network is active in every building across campus, and allows access to high-speed broadband for registered laptop owners. Laptops are also available for loan and there are computers available in the library and the Student Union building computer lab.

The student union operates a bar and nightclub on campus. The bar operates as a coffee bar by day, and is a great place to study by day and have fun at night. There are many other great venues in Swansea, including the Money Bar nightclub (or café during the day). Many students also enjoy the vibrant fishing village of Mumbles, with its famous pubs and also delis, boutiques and surf shops.

International students at Swansea benefit from a specialist international careers advisor, with regular workshops and counselling sessions, and a variety of community based social activities such as a monthly International Night in Llanelli, 10 miles from campus.

For more information about courses at the University of Swansea, ask a StudyLink counsellor today.

QUT students spark virtual learning revolution

Three PhD students from the Queensland University of Technology have impressed judges in a national inventors' competition by designing an IT system that allows students to receive lectures via their mobile phones or PDAs.

Andrew (Siak Chuan) Tan, David (Lei) Wang and Chien-Jon Soon placed third in the national Imagine Cup, which is run by Microsoft and attracts university teams from across Australia.

The QUT trio have developed a system dubbed QAT (pronounced “cat”) – Question Answer Technology for a virtual learning environment.

QAT allows lecture notes to be downloaded onto a phone or PDA (personal digital assistant) for offline usage, with the student able to pause the information and ask questions by speaking into their device.

The lecturer – or fellow students – can then contribute answers, with the contributions synchronised when the viewer is next online.

This revolutionary approach to learning means students can interact with their lecturers from virtually anywhere, at any time.

"The primary goal of QAT is to facilitate classroom-like interaction between students and lecturer, remotely," Andrew Tan said.

"Educators complain that there is too much lecture material online while too few students in seats. This creates a lack of interaction between students and lecturers, which is not good for learning.

"But QAT helps solve that problem because it enables easy communication between students and lecturers no matter where they are. It's state-of-the-art e-learning."

Andrew, David and Chien-Jon are all postgraduate students completing their PhDs with QUT's Faculty of Information Technology. Andrew and Chien-Jon are also tutors with the faculty.

The team's Imagine Cup entry was overseen by QUT lecturer Dr On Wong.

Australia: Top American MBAs offered in Adelaide

If you are interested in an MBA from one of the top US schools, but would like to study in Australia, you should consider one of the programs available at the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School in Adelaide, South Australia.

Part of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University in America, the new campus offers two master’s degree programs: Master of Science in Public Policy Management (MSPPM) and Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT). The information technology program consistently ranks number one in the US News and World Rankings Report, and the Public Policy program rates in the top five.

Graduates are awarded a US degree, with dual recognition in Australia and the US. Students can also take advantage of the formal exchange program between the US and Australian campus. Further financial aid is also now available, with the announcement of four Telstra scholarships for the MSIT program, worth $90,000 each.

It is also now easier to apply, with a new two-year program opening up admission to current university students. Previously, the one-year program required at least three years work experience before admission.

Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon Heinz School Australia, Mr Tim Zak, said; “The two-year program has a strong practical component and an internship which gives students experience in the workplace as well as the skills and knowledge required for a wide range of public policy and management roles.”

The unique MSPPM program prepares students for leadership positions in government, non-government organisations, industry or consulting. The MSIT program offers a mix of technology, management and strategy courses, immersing students in the very latest advances in the field through a blend of technical training and real-world experience.

To find our more about studying at Carnegie Mellon Heinz School Australia, contact a StudyLink counsellor today.

US: University of Cincinnati – best in Midwest

The Princeton Review has selected the University of Cincinnati for its popular “best colleges” guidebook. After previously naming it “best in the Midwest”, the new “the Best 366 Colleges: 2008 edition” guide recognises UC as one of the best colleges in America for its academic programs and other offerings.

“Only about 10% of the colleges in America are in this book,” says Robert Franek, VP and publisher for The Princeton Review. “It is our flagship guide to ‘the crème of the crop’ institutions for undergraduates.” Only eight new schools received the Best 366 Colleges designation.

In addition to its top-ranked Colleges of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning and the College-Conservatory of Music, UC has been recognised for its opportunities for undergraduate research, and experiential learning through its Honors Scholars Program.
UC is the birthplace of co-operative learning, with students able to combine learning in the classroom with paid experience in the workplace.

Unlike many other reviews and rankings, the Princeton Review also bases its selections on reports from more than 115,000 student surveys and contains candid comments from students about their own schools. One student said “UC will satisfy those looking for a great education, and the opportunities to build a great resume filled with experience through the school’s co-op program.”

To find our more about studying at the University of Cincinnati, contact a StudyLink counsellor today.

Australia: Deakin tops teaching awards

Nine staff members at Deakin University in Victoria have been given one of Australia’s most prestigious teaching awards. The Carrick Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Students Learning recognise the best teaching talent in Australia, and institutions can only be awarded a maximum of ten of these awards in any one year.

Professor Sally Walker, the Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, said “to receive nine out of a maximum of ten is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the commitment of Deakin’s staff to teaching excellence.”

Deakin University has also won the Australian University of the Year award twice – once for it’s use of technology in education, and also for it’s partnerships with industry, specifically their excellent industry placement schemes.

There are three main campuses at Deakin – in metropolitan Melbourne, on the coast at Geelong, and a beautiful rural campus in Warrnambool, Victoria. In addition to a wide range of faculties and courses, it also offers MBA programs, English language courses and distance learning options for students around the world.

As well as having excellent teaching results, Deakin is also one of the best research universities in Australia.

To find out more about studying at Deakin University, contact one of our student counsellors today.