Planning to move to Australia for the study will probably make you think about only ironic capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne.  Usually, students just plan to live and study in big cities in Australia and do not realize that big cities are not only the land of opportunities anymore. Because regional areas of Australia offering one of the largest resource booms Australia has ever witnessed and have so many unique opportunities for international students to offer.

Regional areas of Australia have many reputed universities providing education as good as other big cities of Australia. Studying in these, regional areas give you the opportunity to explore the real Australian lifestyle and the real Australia outside the big cities. In this globalized world, international students strive to live in big cities because the assumption is that the big city is where you can become educated, where your career can flourish and where you can build strong networking.

In the current Australian economic climate, these assumptions are being tested. As results say that big cities are not only the attraction but its regional areas of Australia too. Many regional areas of Australia offering options and opportunities that far exceed those available in big cities.

Now, we are sure that you would be confused to decide whether it should be the big attractive cities or those regional cities with genuine Aussie touch. Here Edvise hub decided to write down about the benefits of studying in regional areas for international students apart from all the glory of beautiful beaches, mesmerizing landscape or rugged wilderness.

Read on to know about the great reasons to think about studying in the regional cities of Australia!

Specialty course offerings:

Just like any other big city, these regional cities have the same standards for education and for its quality. They provide education options for secondary schools, TAFE, universities and English language study. Many reputed universities have their campuses in regional areas, providing the same facilities and wide range of disciplines as other campuses. Some of these regional cities have campuses that provide tailored specialized courses as per the region like you might find that campus in Adelaide’s Barossa Valley offers a specialty winemaking degree and campus on the New South Wales coast specializes in marine biology.

So international students who are looking for some specialization can always find the most suitable option through the region. Also, there are numbers of dental and medical schools in these regional areas, training students so they can serve the region after completing their studies.

Lifestyle:

The second most important thing in international student’s life after the perfect course and the university is living standards and lifestyle. Life in a regional city is calm and relaxing and near to nature. Although these regional cities are very cosmopolitan and you can enjoy the same luxuries of life what you would find in any capital city. It’s just like living a more peaceful life, away from the hustle and bustle of a big city yet enjoying the best time of studying abroad

Following are some extra perks of Living in any regional cities:

• The living cost would be like half of what you would pay in any big city of Australia, while you can enjoy the chance to live in same sort of accommodation (or even better) than any capital city.
• All other expenses like traveling, groceries, food or even the entertainment would be way cheaper than any capital city.
• Less competition for a part-time job- as there are many opportunities and fewer people to avail them, you will be able to find a part-time job easily.
• More chances of being paid higher minimum wages while working part-time.
• Also, Better chances of getting work after completion of studies due to less competition
• Lastly, Gaining 5 extra points towards Permanent Residency (Amazing, no?)

Explore the “real Australia”

Australia is one of those countries, which is famous for its beauty of the natural environment in the whole world. Now what could be the better chance to explore those beautiful white sandy beaches, tropical rainforest, snow-covered mountains, and red deserts then exploring it all during your stay in Australia. It also provides the chance to enjoy pure Aussie life, living close to locals and learn about their culture and history. Regional campuses are the best place to explore Australia’s natural environment out of the city.

Bond with Community:   

Regional university’s campuses are usually smaller than the big cities campuses and due to which they do not have a large student body. It gives the real community feels that make it easier to meet and know people around you. Most of the students would be living in the same area or almost somewhere near, so you can hang out easily after your class and strengthen your bond. International students do not just travel to study abroad but also to explore, discover and build their network with different people from different cultures and beliefs. Living in a regional area definitely provides you that opportunity to bond yourself with people different from you.

Opportunity for Immigration:

Now if you are someone, who is planning for PR after completing a degree in Australia than it would be one of the best news for you that studying or living in any regional area of Australia for over 2 years will give you a distinct advantage. This will grant you five extra points in the department of immigration and Citizenship’s point test for skilled migration visa application.

Some popular Regional cities of Australia among International Students.

• Adelaide
• Tasmania, Hobart
• Ballarat
• Darwin
• Townsville
• Rockhampton
• Gold coast

Top Regional Universities in Australia:

The following mention universities are a few of the top universities in Australia and in the world as well. These universities provide excellent education and follow the same standard of quality education as other universities in big cities of Australia.

• University of Adelaide
• University of Ballarat
• Charles Darwin University
• Central Queensland University
• James Cook University
• University of South Australia
• Tasmania University
• Southern Cross University
• University of Southern Queensland

This is all about living and studying in any regional city of Australia, we hope that this information will help all those international students who are planning to study in Australia. If you have any question or confusion, you can contact Edvise hub at [email protected] Edvise hub always tries to help students with their quires and issues for more information about Australia. Do not forget to check out our Blog section.