Australia is an increasingly popular study destination with international students from across the globe. For many students, Australia may represent a better study destination than other popular alternatives like the UK and the US. Read on to find out why…

A safe and welcoming place to live

Apart from being a great place to get a first rate education, Australia is also a fantastic place to live. It provides a welcoming and multicultural society with a population that originates from around 200 countries. Australian people have a reputation for being amongst the friendliest in the world, and Australian cities are safe and clean, with low crime rates.

A great lifestyle

The lifestyle and quality of living in Australia is among the best in the world. Several of Australia’s capital cities regularly rank among the world’s ‘most liveable’ cities. The Mercer Human Resource Consulting 2008 worldwide quality of living survey recently found that five Australian cities ranked in the top 40 for overall quality of living. Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane ranked 10th, 17th, 21st, 29th and 34th respectively, whereas the US’ top city, Honolulu, was ranked 28th, and the UK’s top city, London, was ranked 38th.
Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane all ranked in the top 50 for personal safety.

Better value for money

Australian education programs represent great value for money. Australian courses are often considerably cheaper than similar programs in the UK and the US, meaning that international students can save many thousands of dollars on tuition fees by choosing to study in Australia.

Not only this, Australian courses are often shorter than alternatives in other countries, particularly in the US. Most Australian degree courses can be completed in three years, and even less if the education provider works on a trimester system. This means that you can save a whole year's tuition fees if you choose to study in Australian rather than in the US or the UK.

Low cost of living

The Mercer Human Resource Consulting 2008 cost of living survey found that only two Australian cities, Sydney at number 15 and Melbourne at number 36, appeared on the list of the 50 most expensive cities to live. The UK has the third most expensive city - London, while New York comes in at number 22.

Australia's strong economy and low unemployment rate means international students who wish to work have no problems finding a job. Read Working in Australia for more information.

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