BRISBANE
Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city and the capital of Queensland, the Sunshine State. A strong economy, warm weather, laid-back culture and world-class education are some of the reasons this city receives thousands of international students every single year.
STUDENT LIVING
Brisbane is a very student-friendly city; it hosts Australia’s largest orientation day with almost 10,000 international students participating every year. The Brisbane City Council has worked hard to be recognised as a welcoming and supportive city for international students; through programs such as Study Brisbane and Brisbane International Student Ambassador Program.
There are six universities in Brisbane, The University of Queensland is No. 48 in the QS World University Ranking, making it one of the best universities in the world. There are also a number of world-class institutions focused on providing technical training such as TAFE Queensland and many different English Colleges to learn the language.
WEATHER
Brisbane has a subtropical climate, as the capital city of the Sunshine State, you can expect to find warm and hot days during most of the year. The average temperatures during the summer range from 21 to 30°C. Although, it is quite common to have days that go up to 35°C. During winter average temperatures range from 11 to 21°C.
COST OF LIVING
Even though the cost of living in Australia is fairly similar in every major city, there are still some expenses that vary in cost depending on where you want to live.
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Accommodation
As Brisbane is not as populated as Sydney and Melbourne, it tends to have more affordable options for international students. Most students will share an apartment to divide expenses. Renting a room could usually cost from $140 to $250 depending on location.
If you need help with accommodation Welcome Homes offers a great variety of rooms for international students in convenient locations at affordable prices. Send us a message and find out what we have available for you!
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Transport
There is a wide variety of transport modes you can use in Brisbane. A Go Card (public transport card) will give you access to trains, buses and ferries and a regular price ticket will cost from $4 upwards depending on the distance of travel. The great news is all students get half-priced public transport, making it a great alternative for international students that cannot afford to buy a car.
Moreover, if you live around the city and are not planning to travel long distances; bicycles and electric scooters can be found everywhere around Brisbane and they are a great alternative to normal public transport.
For more info, check the CityCycle and Lime Scooter Website.
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Entertainment
There are enough entertainment activities in Brisbane to keep you busy every single weekend. Best of all, many of them have discounted prices for students. You can find cinema tickets for just AUD $7, mini golf for $10 and even a full day of climbing for $79.
To find out more about Brisbane’s best student deals check out this article on all the discounts students can get.
Snorkelling and diving? Hiking? Surfing? Music Festivals? Formula One? Australian Tennis Open? Asia trip?
Australia also hosts a number of World Heritage sites, such as Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory. You’ll enjoy the lifestyle as a student, which means you’ll have plenty of time to explore your new home.
LOTS OF ACTIVITIES TO DO:
The lifestyle and quality of living in Australia are amongst the best in the world. Some of the reasons are the low crime rate, work-life balance, career opportunities and low unemployment rate. Aussies are friendly and love to stop for a chat with strangers or to lend a helping hand to those in need.
QUALITY OF LIFE
EARN WHILE YOU LEARN:
One of the advantages of being an international student in Australia is that your student visa automatically gives you permission to work up to 40 hours every two weeks during the academic year or full time during the holidays. That means that you can enjoy all the city has to offer and earn some money while you study.