5 Reasons Why Overseas Students Opt to Study in Australia’s Regional Areas

For a lot of international students, the phrase ‘study in Australia’ automatically brings to mind images of the major cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. However, Regional areas in Australia also offer an equally diverse range of education opportunities. There are several reasons why these are fast becoming a favourite destination for students.

But, before we dwell on the reasons why, let’s first look at the definition of Regional Areas.

From November 2019, the government of Australia has simplified the definition of Regional Areas under two categories.

Under Category 2, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has included the cities & important regional centres.

Places like Perth, Canberra, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Geelong, Wollongong/Illawarra, and Hobart feature under this category.

Further, under Category 3, there are Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas classified under different postcodes released by the DHA.

Why Study in Regional Australia

Several higher education providers are located in regional Australia and offer specialty courses.

Further, these areas offer students a taste of the real Australia away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan cities. The allure of natural beauty, sceneries and opportunities for migration attract overseas students.

Let’s look at some of the reasons that make Regional Australia a viable option for many international students.

1. Variety of Course Offerings and Quality Education Providers
   

The regional areas provide diverse opportunities at various levels like secondary school, University, TAFE and English.

Regional campuses offer courses in a wide range of disciplines like Business, IT, Education, Science, Health, Commerce, Arts, Accounting and more.

If you’re eyeing academics in New South Wales, then you could consider studying at Charles Strut University’s regional campuses in Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, or Albury-Wodonga.

Other NSW institutions include TAFE NSW (vocational education and training), the University of New England, University of Wollongong and more.

Similarly, for regional areas in Victoria, La Trobe University campuses at Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura and Shepparton offer a variety of courses. These courses are in the fields of Business, Education, IT, Health or Science.

Another university with a great network of regional campuses in Victoria is Federation University. With their campuses in Ballarat, Gippsland and Wimmera and undergraduate/postgraduate course offerings, Federation offers diverse course options in Arts, Health, IT, Education, Accounting, Commerce and more.

In Queensland too, there are several universities with regional campuses like Central Queensland University, James Cook University, Sunshine Coast, and Southern Queensland. If you’re exploring Universities in Western Australia, there the respected names like Curtin, Edith Cowan, University of Notre Dame and more.

Similarly, University and course options are aplenty in Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

2. Additional Points For Studying In Regional Australia

One of the compelling benefits of studying in a Regional Area in Australia is that the students stand to gain 5 additional points for the point test for skilled migration.

One point of advice for aspiring students is that they shouldn’t just be lured by the 5 points and decide to study in a regional area. Overseas students must make sure that they are enrolling for a course that will help them fulfil career aspirations in Australia.

3. More individualised attention

International students benefit from smaller class sizes in these regional campuses. There are distinct benefits in the form of opportunities for better networking, quality learning with greater individualised attention.

4. Lower Living Costs & Relaxed Lifestyle

The costs of living, rent, and eating out is considerably lower in regional areas, as compared to the main cities.

A lot of international students enjoy the charms of a quiet life in regional Australia with its draw of adventures. Living in proximity to the outdoors close to nature while pursuing studies has its benefits.

5. The real Australia experience
   

Last but not least, they say that the real Australia can be best experienced while staying in the regional areas. The beaches with white sand, hills, red deserts and more. At regional campuses, students get an opportunity to explore the country’s natural environments. This is something that may not be possible while studying in metropolitans.

Conclusion

While this article gives you an overall idea about the advantages of choosing, qualified education agent counsellors can guide you about the specifics in greater detail. In addition to academic requirements, there are English language score requirements as well. (PTE/IELTS).

Further, the international students need to have adequate OSHC Australia cover, and more.sss

Aussizz Group provides end-to-end solutions for all aspects covering an international student’s journey: from help with lodging a student visa to coaching for achieving the required English score level and getting an OSHC cover from a reputed health insurance provider.

Get in touch with us to know more!