Snapshot

Informações

• 1) Why study Sydney

  New South Wales has the largest research sector in Australia, ranked first in the Asia-Pacific region for the quality of its research institutions.

  Much of this knowledge is in Sydney, which is home to internationally renowned universities such as the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, both ranked among the top 50 in the world according to QS World University Rankings 2018, and also the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Macquarie University, Australian Catholic University and Western Sydney University.

  With a large number of high quality private higher education, vocational and English institutions, Sydney combines a high level of education with the advantage of living on beautiful beaches such as Bondi, Coogee, Maroubra, Manly and many others.

• 2) 9 reasons to study in Sydney

  1. International students can work 48 hours per fortnight (and full time during vacations);
  2. Two of the 50 best universities in the world;
  3. Constantly elected among the 10 best cities in the world to live;
  4. Great cultural diversity;
  5. Intensive cultural schedule throughout the year;
  6. Unites beaches and cosmopolitanism;
  7. Full of parks and green areas;
  8. Mediteranean climate;
  9. It has dozens of beaches at sea and bays.

• 3) About Sydney

  The metropolitan area has about 650 suburbs, which extend for about 70km to the west, 40km to the north and 60km to the south. Sydney begins in the waters of Sydney Harbor, the bay where the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge are, which are the main postcard of the city.

  From there to Central Station is the commercial and financial center which, despite the tall buildings and the intense day-to-day rush, reserves large green areas such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Domain Park and Hyde Park, as well as the beautiful Darling Harbor, by the bay.

  The main route connecting downtown to the Eastern Suburbs, where the most famous beaches are located, is Oxford Street, which goes through districts such as Darlinghurst and Paddington, parks such as Centennial and Queens, and ends at Bondi Junction, the intersection point of Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra beaches, among others.

  To the north of the bay is North Sydney and the also famous Manly Beach, a beautiful beach with great infrastructure and starting point for other beaches like Freshwater, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Narrabeen, Newport, Avalon and Palm Beach.

• 4) Accommodations in Sydney

  When researching a place to live, it’s very important that it be close to your school or that you can easily get there by public transport. We divided the accommodations into two types, according to the duration of the trip:

   

  Short term

  Hostels Backpackers

  The hostels are good options for those who want to save money with accommodation. The rooms in general are shared, but there are also rooms for couples and private options. Preferred by young travelers, they have quite relaxed environments, with lots of socialization and therefore are very sought after during high seasons.

  Lodges

  They are kinda like hostels but offer private, couples and group rooms. The environment is less busy and more private than hostels, the prices are a bit more expensive, but still cheaper than hotels.

   

  Long term

  Homestay

  WEST 1 recommends that, at least for the first few weeks, students stay in a homestay, which are homes of Australian families or immigrants who have been in the country for many years. It’s there that the student begins to have contact with the Australian culture, put into practice what they learn at school, get to know the city and ask questions. To participate in this type of program, families are accredited by the Australian government, which guarantees total safety for the student.

  Share accommodation

  After the homestay period, the student will already be more familiar with the school and the city. Feeling more independent, the next step is to share an apartment or a room with other students, many of them of different nationalities, which is a great experience and great for improving the language. The rent is usually paid weekly, and before moving you must deposit the famous “bond”, which is nothing more than an advance that ranges from two to four weeks of rent.

• 5) Work In Sydney

  In Australia, as soon as classes begin, the student can work 48 hours per fortnight (and full time during vacations). In order to do that, it’s important to open a student account at a bank and make the Tax File Number, a record on the Australian Taxation Office that will allow you to get paid by the employer and have your income tax in order.

  In Sydney, the industries that employ the most are food and hospitality, which include bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs and hotels, taking up 21.6% of the workforce. Next comes professional, scientific and technical services, with 15.9%, which cover diverse specifications within the construction sector.

• 6) Attractions in Sydney

  It’s no overstatement to say that summer in Sydney is a big party. Not only for its sunny atmosphere on their dozens of beaches, but also for the intense cultural and sports schedule. The event that best defines the city’s personality is perhaps the Sydney Festival, which for more than three decades have been presenting in its opening nights names like Björk, Brian Wilson, Grace Jones, Manu Chao, Elvis Costello, Nick Cave and David Byrne, among many others, for free. Another highlight is the fireworks at New Year's Eve in Harbor Bridge, a must for anyone in town. Still during the summer, the Flickerfest International Short Film Festival and Mardi Gras are iconic events, while in the winter the Sydney Film Festival, Darling Harbor Jazz Festival and Vivid Sydney help warm things up.

  On the outskirts of Sydney, up the state coast, the Central Coast region has beautiful beaches, coves and lakes, and on the south coast you’ll find the famous Jervis Bay and excellent beaches for surfing, especially between Wollongong and on the border with Victoria, as well as many national parks. Going inland in the southeast are the Snowy Mountains, with its ski resorts, only 90 minutes from downtown are the fascinating Blue Mountains and, to the northwest, less than two hours from Sydney, is the Hunter Valley, the oldest wine region in the country.

Did you know?

• 'Looooooooong'

  The Harbor Bridge measures 1,149 meters and is the largest steel arch bridge in the world.

• 'What a view!'

  Sydney Tower is the tallest building in Sydney and the third tallest in Australia, providing a magnificent 360 degree view of the city.

• 'Pharaonic'

  The Sydney Opera House was completed in 1973, taking 14 years to be built and emplying 10,000 workers, with a total final cost of $102 million - more than 14 times the initial price.