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For aspiring students and graduates from around the world, Australia’s Gold Coast offers quality education and training options, unique career opportunities, a warm and welcoming community and an unbeatable way of life.
With almost one third of the city’s population born overseas, the Gold Coast has a rich, cultural community. Combine that with 29,000 international students representing over 130 nationalities, it’s clear that the Gold Coast has come of age as a global city.
This maturing city on the east coast of Australia is emerging as one of the Southern Hempishere’s most popular student cities, with a sector that provides prospective students the opportunity to study a wide range of courses.
The Gold Coast boasts over 200 education and training institutions, including three universities (Bond, Griffith and Southern Cross), plus vocational education and training providers like TAFE Queensland, which has four Gold Coast campuses.
Source: Study Gold Coast
Hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games was a defining event for the Gold Coast with the city undergoing a remarkable transformation. Billions of dollars have been invested in the city’s infrastructure, including the G:link light rail network and the $5 billion Health and Knowledge precinct within the Griffith University campus. Recent research breakthroughs include a pioneering malaria vaccine and the world’s first photo of the shadow of an atom.
The Gold Coast has also made a significant investment in its students with initiatives like the Mayor’s Student Ambassador Program and the Gold Coast Student Hub. Its city-wide employability program is also creating more job opportunities for graduates, providing direct pathways between international students and local businesses.
One of the city’s employability initiatives is the Gold Coast Careers Explorer – a digital application with an interface designed to showcase the depth and diversity of career pathways on the Gold Coast. It not only highlights where you can study the right course for your chosen vocation, but also your career prospects and salary expectations.
At the Gold Coast Student Hub, more personal advice is available through one-on-one sessions with resident career development professional, John Gilders. It’s just one of the many student support services provided at the Student Hub.
Source: Study Gold Coast
The Gold Coast’s diverse cultural population and a vibrant student community reflect the city’s innovative spirit, where entrepreneurs and start-ups are frequently emerging, seeking to combine their business ventures with an unparalleled lifestyle.
According to The Telegraph, “The Gold Coast, where one in five citizens works for themselves, has become a magnet for those attracted by its entrepreneurial network, funding opportunities and a work-life balance that can’t be beaten.”
When international students are questioned as to why the Gold Coast holds such appeal as an education and training destination, responses tend to vary, but all are imbued with genuine affection for their new home.
Babin Joy, is from a small town just outside Kochi in India’s south. The former Mayor’s Student Ambassador says that program opened up a world of opportunities. “It gave me the chance to meet a lot of interesting people, a number of which have influenced me and my career. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough to any student to apply.”
Source: Study Gold Coast
While studying his Master’s in Business at Griffith, Joy was offered a management role which gave him his first real experience of managing events and dealing with stakeholders. As he explains, “The experience has been invaluable and I’m really loving the job I have now.”
China’s Clark Zhong is in her final year at Southport State High School. She says: “My granddad thinks the future of the Gold Coast is very good and he wants me to stay here to get a good job. I want to go to university and study engineering. My dad is an engineer in China.”
Another student who fell in love with the city of Gold Coast is Francisco Barcellos from Brazil. “Once I got a handle on the lifestyle it just drew me in. Australia is the complete package for me. It’s such a beautiful country and everything works the way it should.”
Barcellos, who is studying a Masters in Communication at Bond University, also expressed gratitude that his student visa permits international students to work in the country.
“When you compare what Australia offers to other western countries like the USA, yes you can study there, but you cannot work legally. It seems these days that everyone in Brazil knows someone who has been to Australia or is currently living or studying here. A lot of it is word of mouth, but you also see the beautiful photos on Instagram and Facebook and the comments about how good life in Australia is, so word spreads around pretty quickly.”
Source: Study Gold Coast
Lifestyle is another big draw for international students thanks to the Gold Coast’s low-cost living expenses.
Ranked first for affordability in the QS Top Universities: Cheapest Cities in Australia 2018 report, rent on the Gold Coast is around 40 percent lower than Sydney and tuition fees for international undergraduates average US$23,600 a year.
With world class education and training facilities and a host of student support initiatives, it’s not hard to see why the Gold Coast is such an attractive study destination. But it’s the warmth of the people in a welcoming city that really resonates with students.
Ashmita Nath from Nepal, a Bachelor of Accounting student at Southern Cross University sums it up succinctly when she says: “I’ve been to many different cities and the Gold Coast is the best one I feel that really embraces culture and accepts everyone.”
You can discover more about Australia’s favourite classroom by visiting the Study Gold Coast site, where you’ll find everything you need to know about studying on the Gold Coast. It’s the go-to site for any international student wanting to explore their study options.
Keep up to date with Study Gold Coast via their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WeChat and Weibo.
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