Life in a Foreign University | ‘Australia teaches you independence,’ says Southern Cross University student

After gaining five years of rich work experience in digital media and technology field, I developed a deep interest in user journey and product design. I followed my interest and applied to some Australian universities. I got admission to the Master of Information Technology in UX/UI design from Southern Cross University, Gold Coast.

From corporate to being a student

I had travelled for work abroad, but I never lived out of India. However, I always wanted to experience a student life — juggling between work and studies, and learning to be independent in a foreign country.

It was a tough call, and I struggled initially as I had lost the habit of doing my chores. Managing everything on your own was overwhelming but soon I developed a routine.

Fortunately, my older sister was already living in Australia. The uneasiness in this strange place — that I now call home — is not even comparable to what people who come alone face. To study abroad, you have to be very brave, strong and courageous to step out of a comfort environment and make a life in a foreign place.

Why I chose Australia

UX/UI wasn’t a full-fledged stream in itself while I was completing my bachelors back in 2014. Now in 2024, this course is in high demand globally, hence I decided to go for Master’s in Information Technology specialising in UX/UI. I chose SCU because the course fee was less compared to the rest of the universities in Australia, and it was fitting my savings.

In India when you are in college you spend most of your days in classes and these classes are intense. There are lecturers who spoon-fed everything. However, in Australia, you are required to first go through the lessons at home and then discuss the topic in the university for exchange of ideas and clearing of doubts. The classes are pretty interactive and the subject content is well-designed. The curriculum is available in the webpage where you go and learn and complete your learning tasks. There are presentations, quizzes, group discussions, etc ensuring full class participation. This is also something that attracted me towards Australia.

Also, studying in Australia changes you in many ways. In India, a majority of the students are supported by their parents in Bachelor’s degrees or even higher. Back home, there is no concept of part time jobs for students etc. Due to this, we do not know the life skills needed to be part of the work culture.

However, in Australia, one gets that chance to learn how to deal with customers from various background that improves our soft skills and people management skills etc. You learn managing your own finances, handling groceries, cooking, cleaning etc. You learn every single life skill.

First day at the university to earning money

My first day at the university was the orientation day. Many senior students volunteered to make the newbies belonged. In this, they showed us around the campus, clarified our doubts. There were many sessions going on where we got to know what’s happing in the campus and when the classes will begin etc. For all future students, I would strongly recommend not missing out the orientation day as that is the day you make friends, network with seniors and get to know the faculty of your stream.

The Aussie English was quite shocking for me. Initially, I had to concentrate so much to understand what they were saying. They love chopping words, they keep everything short for example G’day – Good Day, Howdy? – how are you doing? Make sure you watch a lot of YouTube videos on Aussie English.

As I have work experience of over five years, I initially started applying for part time jobs in my area of expertise however, it wasn’t fruitful. It took me three months to get my first part time job. It is difficult to get a professional job while you are on your student visa. I did manage to get a marketing profile however the work pressure was too much and I had to catch up quite a lot academically. Later, I took a simpler job in a stationary store which pays me the same and is quite fun with almost no pressure. I am able to do well academically and also save up my fee. However, one can also apply for university ambassador jobs in university etc. There are lots of opportunities for students in university itself.

I have classmates from different countries. We all go on hikes, picnics, concerts, restaurant hopping, etc. We enjoy learning about each other’s culture, festivals, politics, history, food etc and embrace our diversity. Those are my best moments here.

Australians are friendly and will always smile at you and greet you when you are out on a walk or on a hike. There are also various meetup and adventure groups that organise various activities which you can take part in, everyone is welcome in those groups.

When it comes to part-time jobs, I have family here and hence I didn’t undergo the burden of rent which is the most expensive thing in Australia for international students. Through my part time job I was able to save my university fees. There is a cap of 48 hours/fortnightly work limit at the moment in Australia. If you are able to get a part time job in a casual position, your salary is over $30/hour on weekdays and over $40/hour on weekends, and even higher during public holidays depending on your age. You can find details on the government website as there is a wage limit according to age. Hence, you will always be paid fairly. There is no limit on working hours during semester break, making it the golden moment for all international students to take as much shifts as possible to save up.

(This letter is part of a series by The Indian Express where we bring to you the experiences of students at different foreign universities. From scholarships and loans to food and cultural experiences — students tell us how life is different in those countries and things they are learning other than academics)