Why Australia?

Win Your Future Unlimited USA finalist Abigail Engleman talks about her studies in Environmental and Marine Science and why Australia is the best place to further her studies

Nothing Beats a Free Year of Study in Australia!

The first week of the Win Your Future Unlimited competition is coming to a close. Today, we bring you a featured alumni postcard from Jillian. Jillian studied abroad at University of Sydney in 2011 and had the best time of her life. Enter the competition now and have the best time of your life! Nothing beats a free year of study in Australia!

WIN A YEAR OF STUDY IN AUSTRALIA!

Dreaming of studying in Australia? Now may be your chance!  Enter our Win your Future Unlimited competition and you could win a year of study in Australia, including flights, tuition, accommodation, a stipend, and much more.

As if the grand prize isn’t enticing enough, the seven finalists will be flown to Australia for a two week study tour in December 2013, traveling to universities from coast to coast!

The competition, run by the Australian Government, is open from 1 October to 18 November 2013. The major prize winner will be announced on 17 December 2013 and will take up their prize in 2014.

Intrigued? It’s easy to enter!

Simply visit the competition website and create a digital postcard by:

1. Uploading a photo
2. Adding illustrations
3. Writing 50 words or less describing your future aspirations and how an Australian education would help you achieve them
4. Answering some basic questions and then reviewing and submitting the postcard

Prizes:

• Major prize winner: one year of tertiary tuition in Australia, one year of student accommodation, a stipend of $15,000, Overseas Student Health Cover, return economy flights to Australia, an internship, a package of telecommunications products and credit and more.
• Weekly finalists: Seven weekly finalists win a two week study tour to Australia in December 2013.

Who can enter? The competition is open to prospective international students aged between 18 and 30 who meet the terms and conditions of the campaign.

So what are you waiting for? Create your postcard today and make your dreams of studying Down Under a reality!

100 Metres Under the Sea

Ever wonder what lives 100 metres below sea level? Off of the coast of Western Victoria, Deakin University is trying to find out. Scientists from Deakin, along with help from Parks Victoria, placed cameras on the sea floor in order to better understand which fish live where, how they interact with one another, how many there are, and what the nature of their habitat is. Check out the short video they put together here:

Australia is home to some of the most unique marine life in the entire world – up to 90 per cent of species found in Australian waters cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Furthermore, the Australian Government is working on a proposal that will protect these species by creating marine life reserves. However, amid rumours that the Great Barrier Reef will all but disappear in our lifetime, there has been no better time to study in Australia and check out this amazing marine life for yourself.

If you choose to study at the University of Queensland, you will be able to take advantage of the Heron Island Research Station, located right on the Great Barrier Reef. Classes take fieldtrips to this location so students can better learn about the many creatures living on the reef from the marine biologists who know them best. Ever dreamed of learning to scuba dive? There’s plenty of that too!

Caroline’s Future Unlimited

This week’s blog post comes to you from student ambassador Caroline, who has kindly agreed to share how studying in Australia has unleashed her Future Unlimited.

Two memories of my time in Australia take me back: 1. A bull shark and her young swim less than a foot away from me. 2. Riding the first wave all the way to shore at surf camp. Scuba diving with sharks and learning to surf are two of my favorite memories from my time studying abroad in Australia. They also happen to be two of the things I talked about in my graduate school interviews. I found that studying in Australia helped me discover more about myself and in turn, I was able to share my new discoveries with admissions committees.

Caroline braves her fears and swims with SHARKS!

Scuba diving with sharks was something I had always wanted to do, but it was also something that scared me quite a bit. Sharks are big and they’ve been known to bite. However, jumping in the shark infested water (under the supervision of trained professionals!) helped me conquer my fear and satisfy my curiosity. Graduate school in a health profession will be similar since I am a little nervous but I do crave the knowledge and understanding that it will present.

For me, graduate school is uncharted territory – something completely new. Learning to surf was a completely new experience as well. I had never managed to excel at any water sports and yet the thrill of standing up on a surf board on the first wave was exhilarating. I needed to prove that I could conquer

Aaaaalmost hanging ten. Almost.

new territory. In Australia, the new territory was a surf board but the experience translates into confidence. Confidence – in my ability to try and succeed at new things. New, uncharted territory – like graduate school.

While small talk in interviews may certainly have its place – understanding how to turn my Australian adventures into learning life lessons helped me obtain my goal of going to graduate school. It helped my future become unlimited.

Read more about what students who have studied in Australia have to say on our website here.

Countdown to the Olympics – Aussie style! (One week)

In honour of the upcoming Olympic Games, your favourite folks from the Embassy of Australia Education Team want to share some interesting tid-bits about some of minds and bodies driving one of our favourite Olympic teams – New Zealand! .. Just kidding, we wouldn’t do that to our friends down under.

So who are the contenders for the gold? First up is Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where researchers collaborated with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Cycling Australia to study the aerodynamics of interactions among four Olympic cyclists. Since the university is home to the largest wind tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere, usually used to test aircrafts and automobiles, Monash proved to be the ideal partner for such an endeavour.

Using 65 kilometre per hour wind forces and blowing smoke over cyclists, researchers were able to identify equipment and body positions that would most likely help the team reach Olympic glory. Cycling star Jack Bobridge attested to how important research such as this is as races often come down to as little as a tenth of a second difference.

Want to claim your share of Olympic gold? Consider studying in Australia under the University of Monash’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and take the opportunity to learn from leading engineers such as the ones who conducted this ground-breaking study!

Australian Adventures in Space

The SKA is a telescope like this one… except WAY bigger.

On 25 May 2012, the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) Organisation announced that Australia, along with New Zealand and South Africa, will host components of what will be the largest and most powerful radio telescope ever made. According to the organisation, it would take 2 million years to listen to the data collected by the telescope in a single day on an iPod, and with the combination of 3,000 dishes and a collecting area of a million square metres, scientists claim the telescope will actually be able to “see” back in time! The project will provide insight into mysteries such as the evolution of galaxies, the results of Big Bang, the nature of “dark energy,” and perhaps even the existence of other intelligent life. The best part is that the telescope will probably be completed in 2024 and have a working life of 50 years – meaning a large portion of the project will depend on the help of young and aspiring scientists. Study in Australia and you too could be a part of this amazing project!

Australian National University (ANU) is a fantastic choice for students looking to learn more about space. The Canberra-based University has been ranked 10th in the world for Space Science, and the Astronomy & Astrophysics department’s quality of research was given the highest rating possible by Australia’s Excellence in Research (ERA) National Report. Not to mention that if you choose to attend, you may have the opportunity to learn from Brian Schmidt — the 2011 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize — or one of the staff members listed on Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Research. On top of their impressive credentials, ANU operates Australia’s largest optical observatory — a perfect place to take advantage of Australia’s especially clear view of outer space.

The University of Melbourne also has a highly regarded Astrophysics program that is currently ranked 14th in the world by US News — just ahead of Columbia, Cornell, and Yale. In addition, not only does the university receive the highest number of research grants of any Australian university, but its graduates are ranked sixth in the world for employability. If you choose to enrol in their new Masters of Science – Physics degree program, you will have the unique opportunity to complete an astro research project supervised by a member of the University of Melbourne staff.

Artistic representation of aliens in search of Tim Tams, created by the overwhelmingly talented Embassy of Australia Education Team

Success in Australian programs such as these could be just what you need to jump-start your career as an SKA scientist. Just make sure to have Tim Tams ready when you make contact with the aliens!

Internship at the Embassy of Australia

Best place to intern? Yeah, probably.

The end of the academic year is almost upon us and summer break is just around the corner. Do you have any exciting summer plans? How about this: apply for the summer marketing internship at the Embassy of Australia in Washington, DC and gain valuable work experience all while promoting studying in Australia. Sound like a dream? Well you could make this dream a reality!

The marketing intern will assist with market research, student enquiries, website development, online social media, marketing, and administrative tasks. The intern will work primarily with the education team while supporting the investment and trade teams as needed.

To make all of your wildest marketing internship dreams come true, make sure you:

• have completed at least three years of college (with a minimum GPA of 3.2)
• have strong research skills and the ability to synthesize and analyze data
• possess strong written and verbal communication skills
• are proficient with Microsoft Office
• have the ability to work independently and in a team
• have the ability to show initiative
• have experience using online social media in an academic or professional capacity (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress)
• have a personal interest in the fields of international marketing, education marketing, international education, and /or marketing
• have previous work or study experience in Australia

Then click here to learn more and apply today. Applications close 7 May 2012.

A Future Unlimited

This has been an exciting month for us. The Future Unlimited video we’ve been working on has finally been released. A Future Unlimited tells a story about how studying in Australia benefits your future career, goals and aspirations. Australia is not just about kangaroos and koalas, it’s an optimistic, forward-looking country. The institutions are highly ranked and are pioneering the world in many fields of research. This is what the Future Unlimited brand is all about.  

Maybe I shouldn’t take credit. M&C Saatchi (yes, THAT M&C Saatchi you ad majors) and Animal Logic produced this video. Animal Logic is not just a lowly producer surviving off of making educational videos on Youtube. Their claim to fame is producing Happy Feet. They’ve also worked on the visual effects for The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, 300, Harry Potter among many more! Maybe it’s the film buff in me, but I like those stats.

So the next time you think a Future Unlimited, think The Matrix. Both the Matrix and Australia are very similar. A sort of escape from your normal, boring life. Woah. 

Kangaroo Burgers for Lunch? Five More Stuff You Only Get Studying Down Under

When it comes to places abroad many don’t even consider Australia. The land is isolated and the people talk funny. But advantages come with studying in an isolated landscape with such a distinct culture. Check out some things you can only do by studying in Australia:

Keep your eyes on the road!

1.   Observe the animals you’ve only seen in Zoo Books.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Not quite, but Australia has some incredibly exotic wildlife. Your most exciting encounter with nature is probably that black bear you once saw cross the road. Environmental Science is particular popular with students Down Under. Here are some of the top ranked schools in Australia according to the 2010 ERA Report for Schools of Environmental Science: Macquarie University, James Cook University, University of Adelaide, and University of Queensland.

2.  Actually pick up a “foreign language”.
Few countries enable you to integrate so quickly for English speakers. This isn’t to say North Americans can’t get lost in translation. Did she just ask if I wanted chips or did she really mean fries? A semester here and you’ll understand fluent Australian! You might pick up an accent of your own!

3.  Benefit (quickly) from medical innovations

In college I went to the hospital for a rather large 2^nd degree burn. Were I studying in Australia I might have received their awesome new spray-on skin. Instead I’m looking at a nice scar. Innovations like this aren’t totally uncommon. From the HPV Vaccine to the world’s most powerful radio telescope, Australia is full of pioneering advancements. The 2010 ERA top ranked schools for Medical and Health Science are the Australian National University, Monash University, Murdoch University, the University of Adelaide, the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland, the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia.

4.   Double up on the season’s wardrobe.
Here’s your chance to pick up the summer sale at the mall. How cool would it be to double your summer by studying in the fall? Or do you want to escape the incoming heat? Try a mild winter here. You’ll probably never have a chance to surf on Christmas again! View the Pre-Departure Guide for advice on what to pack.

This looks delicious

5.   Have a Kangaroo burger in dining hall
It may sound cliché but kangaroo meat is popular Down Under. Kangatarianism is a term for a diet exclusively of kangaroo meat. Don’t expect to find Koala Burgers on the menu though…

6.  Story topping your friends at home
Face it. It doesn’t have quite the same ring to say you studied exactly where a dozen of your friends have been. The inevitable “Straylia” stories will surely top your friends. Be sure and use the accent too. Study here is all about the stories. Maybe you can blog about yours through our blogging program.

Have your own? Be sure and add some in the comments below!