I definitely made the right decision to go to Melbourne. During a stay abroad in Melbourne you will get to know a lot of new people, improve your English skills, experience the flora and fauna of Australia and much more. Above all, the friendly nature of the Australians with their “no worries, mate” mentality will simplify your stay in Melbourne far away from home and make it an unforgettable experience.
Application process:
About nine months before I started studying abroad, I started to find out about possible universities in Australia via MicroEDU. At the beginning I was a bit unsure because I wanted to go to Australia as a free mover and I hadn’t yet known anyone in my environment who had gone abroad this way.
But all of my questions were answered by email from the MicroEDU Team within a few days and I was able to get a good overview through testimonials from other students. After comparing all of MicroEDU’s partner universities in Australia myself, I chose the Royal Melbourne Institute Technology because of the financial aspect, among other things. The application process was also quick and smooth. After a few weeks I was accepted by the University of Melbourne. See more student reviews of universities in Oceania on anycountyprivateschools.
Studies & Courses:
The university itself is located in the middle of the CBD (Central Business District) of Melbourne. So the location is a plus point for the RMIT. As a “Study Abroad Student” you can take three to four courses at the RMIT and can choose from all the courses offered at the RMIT. During the application process you give six to eight preferences. A few weeks before the start of the semester, you will then be allocated three to four courses. A week later you will have the chance to choose your preferred course times. Here it is important to be punctual and fast, as the best times are usually given quickly.
At RMIT one was for the International Students Orientation Week organisier t. In this introductory week you will be divided into small groups in order to get to know your fellow students better. Here you also have the chance to join some of the many clubs, such as the Surf Club, which hosts 2 to 3 surf trips during the semester. I also enjoyed taking advantage of the RMIT Trips offer. During the semester, approx. Organized 15 different day trips, which are offered at a discount, for example to the Great Ocean Road. I can only recommend you to take advantage of the cheap offer. The student organization RUSU, which you can join for 10 AUD, offers free breakfast, occasionally lunch and free beer every Tuesday during the semester.
My four finance courses were more challenging than I expected. I was pretty busy with mid terms, project work, random quizzes and final exams in every subject. I also learned a lot in terms of content. However, I have also heard from students in other disciplines that the courses are far too easy. This apparently varies greatly with the choice of courses. The professors were very motivated and helpful, presumably also because of their good pay.
Accommodation:
The choice of my property did not fall as easily as first thought. Up until about a quarter of a year before the start of the semester, I was sure to look for an apartment on site. For many, this is certainly a good decision. However, this uncertainty made me a little nervous, so I decided to move to a student residence close to the university. This was definitely the best decision I could make. Certainly the dormitory with 370 AUD per week is not a cheap decision, but almost all of the students I met during the orientation week lived here. In addition, there were weekly events such as joint sports units, BBQ and other free food offers. I came across the “IGLU” on the RMIT website. Definitely prefers the igloo to the RMIT Village, as it was only built a year ago and is therefore very modern.
Leisure:
There are so many ways to keep yourself busy in and around Melbourne. In Melbourne you have many different neighborhoods that couldn’t be more different. I especially liked the atmosphere in Fritzroy with its many bars and cafes. There are also many parks and botanical gardens in Melbourne that invite you to take a trip into the countryside. I only really came to appreciate this after living in the middle of CBD for a few weeks. Not to be forgotten is St. Kilda. Here you can go for a walk by the sea and enjoy the peace and quiet. I can also recommend a trip to the Great Ocean Road, Phillips Island, the Grampians and Wilsons Promontory.
Sydney is definitely worth a trip during the semester. The flights are only around 70 € and Sydney is really a beautiful city too.
