The 9 best Australian cities for your higher studies

What makes a city best? Is it the diverse population that create a cross-cultural atmosphere? Or is it the work opportunities available in the city? Or is it the comfortable lifestyle of the city?

We all know about the popular Australian cities. Every year, scores of Indian students move on to the country, looking forward to start their academic journey with some of the popular institutions. Also, most students eagerly wait to be part of the local culture and experience the urban life in Australia. 

Although most cities in Australia are good and they offer a high-quality living, there are a few cities that can be considered ‘the’ best for you. 

Here you’ll get to know about the best cities in Australia for students, in terms of ‘study opportunities’, ‘job opportunities’ and ‘liveability index’.

Melbourne

Melbourne is third in the list of 2018 QS Best Student Cities Index. The city is the industrial and cultural capital of Australia because of abundant, diverse cultures and its strong ties with leading industries worldwide. 

Most international students prefer living in Melbourne due to its extraordinary lifestyle and vast opportunities. Melbourne has an international student population of approximately 90,000, which is so far the highest in Australia. 

Universities

Melbourne has got some of the best universities all over the world for international students. We can help you choose the following universities, if you’re interested:

• RMIT University
• La Trobe University
• Deakin University
• Monash University
• Victoria University
• University of Melbourne

Lifestyle

Since the quality of living is high in Melbourne, it’s expensive to live in the city. However, it offers varied choices for students, which means if you’re looking for a simple and affordable lifestyle with basic accommodation facilities, it isn’t hard to find one in the city. 

A vast majority of international students make Melbourne their home; therefore, it’s easier to befriend people from your own community. At least one in six faces in Melbourne will be of either an Indian or someone from another country. 

With over 200 different nationalities, speaking different languages, chances are high for you to pick one foreign language during your stay in Melbourne. 

Work options

Due to a large international population, Melbourne has become a core industrial unit where several leading companies have established strong networks with leading universities. This immensely helps students who want to move on to study or work after graduation. 

Connections between industries and universities help students find the right kind of internships too and know about workplace conditions. 

Sydney

Sydney is yet another popular international study destination. It’s considered to be the financial capital of Australia. Almost 22% of student population in the city comprise international students. 

Universities

Some of the popular universities in Sydney where you can study:

• The University of Sydney
• University of Technology Sydney
• University of New South Wales
• Macquarie University

Lifestyle

Sydney is one of the expensive cities to study in Australia, but still it doesn’t put students off from migrating to this exciting city year after year, primarily because of its location and plenty of opportunities that it holds for students.

The city is not just famous for its historical icons, such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, but it has several other fascinating locations and recreational stops for international students to enjoy and be part of. 

Beaches, national parks, etc. are scattered all over Sydney. This means life outdoors for students is filled with excitement as much as inside classrooms at universities. 

Work options

Universities in Sydney offer the best of amenities to students. Leading employers from all over the world establish connections with universities, creating huge number of opportunities for students to network and find employment. 

Some of the sectors that are popular in Sydney include information technology, investment banking, journalism, telecommunications and arts and media. 

Adelaide

Adelaide is another beautiful city that has become a popular study destination for students. It has several cost-effective accommodation options, and the cost of living is comparatively lower than in Sydney or Melbourne.  

Universities

Universities in Adelaide where you can study include the following:

• Torrens University
• University of Adelaide
• Flinders University
• University of South Australia

Lifestyle 

The city gives a lot of recreational opportunities for students, such as hiking, climbing and biking. Students can explore its scenic outdoors and make good use of its thriving life both, on and off campus.

Work options

Adelaide has some of the major companies in varied sectors, such as banking, real estate and also in business. The manufacturing sector in Adelaide is the most sought after one by graduates. In addition, agriculture is rapidly practised almost all over Australia. 

Brisbane

Brisbane is another famous study destination in Australia. It’s known as one of the most liveable cities in Australia for international students. 

Universities

• Queensland University of Technology
• The University of Queensland
• CQ University
• Griffith University

Lifestyle

After Adelaide, Brisbane is the second-most affordable city for students to study and live in. The city is essentially one of the ‘best student cities’. 

Work options

Top companies in Brisbane that hire fresh graduates include Deloitte, KPMG, EY, National Australia Bank, KPMG Australia and Commonwealth Bank. Brisbane is famous for its biotechnology sector; therefore, the city offers numerous work and research opportunities in life sciences and biotechnology. 

Perth 

Perth is equivalent to Melbourne in terms of the large size of international students migrating to the city for extraordinary education and lives. 

Universities

• Curtin University
• Edith Cowan University
• Murdoch University
• University of Western Australia

Lifestyle

The city offers some of the best stay options and comes with affordable choices for students. With a population of over 1.4 million people, Perth is a unique city with plenty of things to do and experience. 

Work options

Students studying in Perth can look for employment options in various sectors, such as aerospace, agriculture, beverages, energy & resources, computer hardware & software, furnishings and more. 

Both large- and mid-scale industries have their headquarters in Perth that make it easy for students to build connections. 

Hobart

If you’re looking to stay in a place far away from the maddening crowd, then Hobart could be your ideal choice. The city is comparatively less expensive and also worth living in. 

Universities

One of the most popular choices for you to study here is the University of Tasmania. 

Lifestyle

Ranked by Lonely Planet as one of the most happening places worth visiting, Hobart is a city that balances its rich cultural heritage and modern lifestyle. It’s replete with picturesque places, from rugged mountains, waterways, to exquisite gourmet experiences. 

Work options

Tasmania is home to some of the largest global companies so it isn’t that hard to find jobs in the city once you graduate. It's also famous for its oil and gas sector. Hence, there's a good demand for graduates in petroleum engineering in Tasmania. 

Wollongong

To the South of Sydney is Wollongong. It’s a coastal city with picturesque locations and pristine beaches. Wollongong is one of the largest Australian cities. 

Universities

The University of Wollongong is a popular Australian university pursued by many international students. 

Lifestyle

With its ideal coastal life and beach culture, one can find plenty of water sports and means of leisure activities in the city of Wollongong. Hiking, surfing and swimming are common amongst the people in the city. 

Over 30 different languages are spoken in Wollongong, making it a highly inclusive city. Accommodations in Wollongong range from mid-scale to large-scale ones, and students can find some affordable options to stay during their study. 

Work options

Wollongong has a strong economic health in Australia; it’s known for its steel output. Therefore, the city is one of the important industrial and manufacturing centres in the country. This opens immense opportunities for students to find suitable sources of employment. 

Also, the city is affordable and more laid back when compared with the bigger cities in Australia. It has undergone major refurbishment over years, flourishing into a modern city with major facilities. 

Gold Coast 

Gold Coast is yet another popular study destination for international students. It’s famous for its beaches, national parks, wildlife parks and theme parks. 

Universities

• Griffith University
• Bond University

Lifestyle

Living in the Gold Coast is comparatively cheaper than in most parts of Australia. Most international students enjoy the affordable and relaxed lifestyle in the city. Pleasant climate and incredible places are some of the reasons why students flock to the city, year on year. 

Work options

Since Gold Coast has a more multicultural atmosphere with lower crime rates, it makes it an appealing destination for students to find employment options and settle in easily. 

Students can look forward to working with some of the major companies in the country, including IBM, ADCO Constructions, NEUMANN Group and more. 

Canberra

The capital city is one of the ideal places for students. Canberra is a small student city with less than 1 million population. It’s a city that stands out from the regular crowd in Australia.

Canberra is known for its great outdoors and a fun-filled life. The city has everything that one needs to live a decent life. 

Universities

Some of the popular choices for you to study here include the following:

• University of Canberra
• The Australian National University

Lifestyle

Canberra, being the capital city and located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is a vast multi-cultural centre filled with a great number of festivals and different backgrounds of people. People living in Canberra are known as Canberrans. Most people are sport lovers, with 6 ½ million people into various forms of sports and activities.

Canberra is a well-planned city, with required facilities and amenities. It’s also known as the lifestyle capital of Australia. The city has plenty of greenery, grasslands, lakes and mountains. Its sustainable practices have made lives less complicated through initiatives like recycling of wastes and reducing greenhouse gases.

Work options

Indian graduates can choose to work in different companies in Canberra, including KPMG, Accenture, Deloitte and with the Australian Government. According to official reports, employees in Australia have a well-balanced professional and personal life. 

Hope the above information helps you pick one right destination for you. If you’re still confused about choosing an Australian city and one of the finest universities in that city, please speak to us. We can help you clear your doubts and make informed decisions for your studies abroad.