Preparation and application process
As a student at a small university of applied sciences with no good network for interested students for a semester abroad, I became aware of MicroEDU (CC) through a friend and in January 2014 I started looking for suitable universities and courses online. I am studying technical management and logistics and I was able to find my favorites using the keyword search at CC. I then discussed this again with my contact person at CC, Sabine, until it was finally clear that I should apply for the RMIT University in Melbourne.
Sabine promptly emailed me all the documents for the application process and I started filling out everything. Particularly helpful here: The guide in which every single step was described. The course selection was fortunately relatively easy for me as a graduate student, I met already many requests through my undergraduate and thus could choose all courses at RMIT Master of Supply Chain and Logistics Management. See more student reviews of universities in Oceania on jibin123.
In March 2014, I submitted my application for semester 1 2015 (March to June) and waited until I finally received the approval from RMIT at the end of September.
Visa, flights and final preparations
After the acceptance was there, I had to wait a while before applying for the visa, as this was only possible 124 days before the first day of the semester. I then applied for it online and after half an hour I had issued the visa and was able to book my flights. I did this with STA Travel. The boys and girls there gave me excellent support and took into account all my wishes (departure day, window seat, etc.) They also took care of my request immediately when I wanted to change the date of my return flight in Australia in order to maximize my stay until the last day of the visa.
After everything was booked, I read numerous testimonials online about RMIT and Melbourne and, based on many recommendations, decided to only book a hostel for the first few weeks and ultimately look for accommodation on site. So nothing stood in the way of the adventure and I flew to Melbourne at the beginning of February 2015.
Accommodation and Social Life
When I arrived in Melbourne and checked into the hostel, I quickly made friends thanks to an unofficial Facebook group that had around 150 students for the first semester in 2015. Over time, more and more exchange students came, as “Orientation Week” was held in mid-February, which – if possible – shouldn’t be missed, as you actually get to know most of the people here, with whom you spend a lot of time during the semester.
Finding an apartment in Melbourne is relatively easy, you just need a little luck. I met my mate Danny right from the start and we started looking for an apartment online at Gumtree.com.au, a kind of ebay where you can find everything. Due to the high rents, you have to decide whether you want to share a room, which can reduce costs enormously, or whether you want to live a little further outside and then spend the costs for public transport, but have your own room. I chose option A and lived in a newly renovated house in Carlton, a two-minute walk from the RMIT City Campus. We were eight people, all between 20 and 30 years old, and students from all over the world. It was the best decision!
In general, I have to say that you get to know a lot of people during your time at RMIT. Everyone feels the same – you come to a new city and don’t know anyone. You automatically become very open and speak to people much more easily.
The RMIT and study
First of all, I have to say that RMIT is a super modern university and is really very well organized. As a student, you are always offered help at certain spots and given contact persons who will really help you in the shortest possible time. In addition, the RMIT offers countless trips on which you either do sports or travel around Melbourne, and all for very little money. I’ve been on about 15 of these trips, from dolphin diving to surfing to the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. In addition, there is an incredible range of sports that really everyone will find something. I was in the Surf Club and the Ultimate Frisbee Team during my time.
As a FH student, I was initially unfamiliar with studying at RMIT. You choose your courses for the semester yourself and you have to make sure that these do not overlap in the timetable. If this happens, you may have to deselect courses and take other courses. However, you are given a lot of freedom. I also chose courses on site that I hadn’t listed when I applied a year earlier.
The semester is then relatively relaxed. Sometimes you have a group work here and an assignment there, but that’s all feasible. At no point did I get the feeling that I couldn’t do something. In a pinch, you can always speak to the lecturer if you get stuck or need an extension of the processing time.
Personally, I really liked the structure of the lecture units at RMIT. As a rule, each subject has two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorials per week. And I was surprised that the tutors and also some lecturers knew the names of many students.
Conclusion
After exactly six months in Australia, I have to say: It was the most adventurous and eventful time of my life!I got to know an incredible number of people from all over the world, with whom I still have contact today and whom I will 100% see again in the future. Melbourne and Australia blew me away with their diversity and the Australian culture enables you to have such a comfortable life that you really notice what an open people the Australians are. Surely it is an expensive adventure what you go through Down Under – especially if you travel a lot (but if you are already there…). I can only recommend everyone to take this step and leave everything in Germany behind for a while. I will take this step more often in the future and dive into other worlds. It’s worth it.
