#equatoreducation

You’re likely to notice quite a few differences between Australia and your home land, some of which you may have prepared yourself for and some may take you by surprise. Following are a few cultural differences you may experience :

Friendly attitude It’s unlikely that you’d be used to the level of informality seen in behaviours of Aussies, specially with respect to your studies, it’s common to call lecturers by their first name and while Australians approach most situations in a relaxed and friendly manner, it is still observed as good manners to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and to be punctual. In Australia, all people are treated equally and respectfully, regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, background or occupation.

Slang Even if one has been brought up in an English-speaking country is likely to get confused when talking to Australians, since they use a lot of slang terms, even at a workplace and lecture rooms. The Australian accent can a lot of times be difficult to understand, so if you’re struggling to understand someone, just tell them. Many a times Australians don’t even realise that they’re using slang and won’t be offended if you ask them to explain something in a different way.

Multicultural society Australia as we all know is a very multicultural society, with approximately 25% of the population born overseas. As a result of the same there is availability of food and traditions from a great variety of cultures, like Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese and a lot more. Australians are allowed to follow any religion they want to, and churches, mosques, synagogues and temples are located in most major cities and centres.

Learning ways There is one thing that surprises foreign students a lot during their time in Australia and that is the learning experience in Australian classrooms. Here, students are encouraged to critically evaluate ideas put forward in class and to express their views in class discussions, even if their view differs from the lecturer’s. If you are unable to understand a topic, you are allowed to ask questions and request further explanation. You may also find yourself surprised by the number of contact hours you will have as a full-time student, only around 12 hours a week for some courses. Independent learning is encouraged a lot and you will be expected to spend time outside of class reading through course materials and researching topics and ideas.

Your student visa poses restrictions on the maximum number of hours you can work but, your workplace rights are no different to any other worker in Australia. Employees covered by the national workplace relations system are entitled to National Employment Standards (NES) which are:- - Maximum hours of work - Requests for flexible working arrangements - Parental leave and related entitlements - Annual leave - Personal carer’s leave and compassionate leave - Community service leave - Long service leave - Public holidays - Notice of termination and redundancy pay - The Fair Work Information Statement

Whether you’re anxiously preparing for your time in Australia, or studying hard to make the most of your final weeks home, there comes a time you think about your ‘must-do’ activities. Following are top 5 things to do before you finish your studies in Australia -

Explore wildlife in Australia The reptile family won’t appeal to you but a close look at one of Australia’s caressable native creatures should be high on your list. Australia has quite a few wildlife sanctuaries that allow you to meet the local wildlife. You might enjoy petting kangaroos, cuddling a koala or feeding a flock of brightly coloured lorikeets. If the larger species intrigues you, whale-watching tours, shark dives and crocodile feeding shows provide plenty of entertainment.

The must try local cuisine In Australia’s multicultural heritage, you will be able to find food from all parts of the world. However, there are a some favourite items that the natives have fondly adopted as their own. Tim Tams, meat pies, damper, pavlova, lamingtons, a sausage in bread and ANZAC biscuits are the recommended things to try. While you’re in Australia, you should also sample some of Australia’s renowned fresh produce, including seafood, fruit and vegetables, cheese and wine. A visit to the local farmers’ markets will provide a great opportunity to sample some of the best produce on offer.

Beautiful beaches Australia has no shortage of coastline and beaches since it’s an island, in fact, it is said to take you twenty seven years to visit every beach in Australia if you went to one per day. Besides the sheer number of beaches, Australia has some of the best ones in the world — so they’re definitely worth a visit. You must visit Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, head west to Perth’s Cottesloe Beach or enjoy the sparkling waters and soft sand of Queensland’s Whitehaven Beach. Just make sure you swim between the flags and carry enough sunblock lotion.

Go to a footy game We all know Australians are big sports fans, with the football getting the maximum attention during the winter months. Those in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia will likely be surrounded by passionate AFL fans, while students in New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland, rugby league may be the sport of choice. There are games in most states each week from March to October, with a select number of regional AFL games scheduled in the Northern Territory, Tasmania, North Queensland and Canberra throughout the year.

Gold Coaster On the Gold Coast, the theme park scene is an institution and one of the main reasons the city is such a popular holiday destination for families. It is located about 25 minutes from the city, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild are all great choices for weekend escape from studying.

Out on the town Cavill Avenue is the Gold Coast’s most well-known strip of nightlife, littered with a vast array of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cafés for international students to enjoy with their friends.

Take a hike There is abundance of gorgeous scenery around the Gold Coast, with none more iconic than Springbrook National Park. Boasting glorious waterfalls and expansive rainforests, it is the perfect spot for a hike or bushwalk.

 If you are unable to physically study on-shore, there may be a solution. Even if you are unable to make the move to Australia, you can still obtain a quality Australian qualification by studying via distance education, irrespective of where you live. Following are a few good reasons why studying by distance might preferable to you:

Gives you flexibility In simple words, distance and online education give you the freedom to study what, when, where and how you want to. You can choose from a large range of VET and higher education courses— from nursing to law, business to engineering — from a range of education institutions. If you decide to work full time or require to be close to your family in your home country, distance and online study allows you to study part-time at a pace that suits you. Alternatively, if you want to complete your course quickly, many institutions also give you the option to speed up your studies through trimester systems.

Allows freedom Through distance education and online courses, it becomes possible to begin your tertiary study in your home country before making the move to Australia to study on campus. Distance and online courses may also give foreign students studying in Australia the freedom to return to their home country and still finish the course that they had begun. If you decide to make a swap from distance/online study to study on campus, many institutions enable you to apply for advanced standing, which may give you credit for units you have already studied.

Provides interaction Even though distance online courses can never quite compare to the experience of studying on campus, the hard-copy textbooks and study guides, the range of online support that is available really does bring the classroom to you. Distance courses are often supported by online forums, student blogs, discussion boards and library resources, which help you to take part in study experiences similar to students studying on campus. You can also interact with other students, share your work and opinions, access readings, listen to lectures, consult tutors and complete assessments and, in addition, many institutions include online student support and technical assistance as part of the service. While essays are submitted online or by post, it may not be possible for you to take your exam online even though some institutions allow exams to be submitted online or by mail, others require you to complete exams at venues in your home country. In many cases, other options are available for those who cannot get to the venues due to distance or special circumstances.

Accessibility A lot of people like to continue studying after they leave school but are unsure about which type of institution (university, TAFE institute or private college) is right for them or if they could handle the study commitment. As well as offering you the opportunity to complete entire courses, online courses and distance education allow you to enrol in single study units, which are perfect if you would like to see whether you like an institution or a particular area of study. While students need to have achieved a designated level of English proficiency prior to study (this varies between institutions), online and distance education also gives you the chance to develop your English skills through interaction with tutors and other students.

It is a standardised test for non-native English speakers that is divided into four components – listening, reading, writing and speaking, to measure English language proficiency. Its result is commonly used to support applications to work, study and permanently live in Australia. The IELTS is based around nine levels of English proficiency, with band one representing a non-English language user and band nine being equivalent to an expert English speaker. You can choose from two versions of the IELTS test, depending on your reason for coming to Australia – those who are looking to study at university or register for professional work need to take the Academic test, while a General Training version is available to people who are interested in undertaking vocational work and training during their time Down Under. The application process to live in Australia can be complex, since there are many requirements that one needs to fulfil. To make is easy, following are the three IELTS requirements you need to meet to study, work or migrate to Australia:

IELTS for study in Australia As said earlier, your IELTS score, among many other language tests, can support your application to study in Australia. Depending on what your level of study – undergraduate, postgraduate or vocational – you need to undertake the relevant test to generate your IELTS score. If you are looking at university programs, make sure you complete the Academic test and if you’re looking at training or studying below the degree level (a diploma, for example), you will need to sit the General Training version of the IELTS. You must keep in mind that Australia requires international students to hold a Student Visa (subclass 500), and you need to achieve a minimum 5.5 IELTS score to meet the eligibility requirement. If you have any questions about the IELTS score required for your course, make sure you contact your Australian institution directly.

IELTS for work in Australia If you are looking at working in Australia, you will need to provide evidence of acceptable English proficiency. Australia offers a range of working visas, each with different language requirements, so it is important to study and find out the minimum required score before you apply. It is advisable to check required IELTS results with your Australian organisation or employer to ensure that you are able to meet them. If you are looking to work in professional industries such as healthcare, accounting, engineering and law, you will need to complete the Academic IELTS test and workers going into vocational areas like tourism, construction and hospitality should instead sit the General Training version.

Hence, it is a great way to earn financial help while you live and study in Australia. Scholarships are of various kinds and depending on the conditions of your scholarship, you could probably have your tuition fees, living allowance or study materials covered. While applying for scholarships, you should try and be creative so that you stand out. Thinking outside the box may help. A number of Scholarships are offered by Universities however, there are a few other organisations that you may want to consider. The Australian Government also offers a few grants to students across all study levels, from vocational to doctoral. You could also study about residential colleges, international organisations and government institutions in your home country and find out if they offer financial help for students interested in going abroad for further education. You must know that some scholarships are only offered to students from certain countries, or to those who choose to study a specific course. When you apply for scholarships, it is better to apply for more than one – this way you get a better chance of receiving a grant, and always know that every little bit of funding will count! The scholarship application process can be a bit complex and the competition may be tough, but grants are often given on the basis of excellent academic merit. It can be difficult to know where to begin, so following are detailed the steps you should take to apply for a scholarship in Australia:

Find the courses of your interest: It is best to search of courses first and doing so will give you clarity on where you will be studying, and that is you will need to know if you want to apply for a university scholarship. Find out about courses in your field of study to see all the courses available and if you have found a course that interest you, make sure that you check and meet the admission requirements. Once you’ve done that and have decided on your course, you can take the next step towards looking for available scholarships.

Do your scholarship homework: If you want to obtain funding from an institution, research about the types of scholarships being offered by the university that has your desired course. If you are seeking scholarships from other organisations, you should check that you fulfil all terms and conditions, including field of study restrictions and visa arrangements and keep in mind that it is important to ensure your complete eligibility for any scholarship you apply for, regardless of the type or level of funding.

Assess your eligibility: Assessing your eligibility for a scholarship is about meeting academic requirements. It could mean that you will have to achieve a minimum average study grade to be considered, or you may be only allowed to complete courses in specific study areas. It is very important that you meet every condition of the scholarship to improve your chances of being accepted. Scholarships require a lot of documentation, so make sure that you have all necessary paperwork sorted. This could even involve getting certain documents translated or certified before you submit your application. If you are required to submit an essay alongside your application, ensure that you meet all requirements such as word limits and deadlines. You may want to get it reviewed by someone who is a fluent speaker before submitting it, as spelling and grammatical mistakes can prove costly on your application.