© MyFutureChoice Study options in Australia and New Zealand Introduction Over the past few years the number of British students looking to study at universities ‘overseas - whether in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Ireland, mainland Europe or elsewhere - has been rising steadily. Now, the issues swirling around the UK higher education system - ranging from ‘complaints about contact teaching hours and a lack of focus on students to the fact that most English universities now charge £9,250 a year as their standard tuition fee - have caused the number of people investigating university options overseas to jump sharply. So what is drawing so many UK students to Australian and New Zealand universities? Here are just a few of the reasons. High standard of education - the quality of HE education available at Australian and New Zealand universities is excellent. In the QS World University Rankings 2017/18, seven members of Australia’s ‘Group of Eight’ (the Australian equivalent of the US Ivy League) make it into the global top 100, and a total of 20 Australian universities are featured in the top 300. New Zealand has one university in the top 100, and five New Zealand universities feature in the top 300. To put those numbers into context, Australia has 42 universities, New Zealand has just eight and the UK around 160. Based on UK system - education in Australia and New Zealand is based on the UK system, with universities awarding Bachelor of Arts or Science degrees that are recognised by both employers and academics as being the equal of qualifications gained froma UK university. This recognition between systems is important if you want to study a professional degree such as nursing, veterinary science, social work or engineering. Less competition for places - many subjects in the UK are so popular that places to study them at degree level are always oversubscribed. There are places available on many of these degrees in Australia and New Zealand, including subjects such as physiotherapy, dentistry, veterinary science, psychology, history and marine science. The academic entry requirements are often just as tough as they are in the UK, but there are more places available overall, so students should have more chance of securing a place Straightforward application process - applying to Australian and New Zealand universities is very uncomplicated. With the help of Study Options, you simply apply direct to each university and can usually expect a response within four to six weeks. Best place for certain subjects - Australia and New Zealand are recognised as world leaders in subject areas such as sports science, physiotherapy, marine science, geology, social work, tourism and environmental science. Marine scientists in Australia are always happy to report that they can use the Great Barrier Reef as a laboratory!© MyFutureChoice Candidates can hold up to five offers - you are allowed to hold up to five conditional offers from Australian and New Zealand universities, alongside the two permitted by the UCAS system in the UK. This means that, when your A level or equivalent results arrive, you could have seven potential courses and universities from which to choose. Attractive lifestyle - both countries offer an enviable lifestyle for students, one that is relaxed and outdoorsy, with enough cultural similarities to the UK to be reassuring, but ‘enough differences to make living there an opportunity for extensive travel and endless new discoveries. Five easy steps to making an application 1. Do plenty of research. Study Options can send youa free Guide to Studying in Australia and New Zealand to help you get started. Alternatively, visit the website at: www.studyoptions.com 2, Make a list of the courses available in your chosen subject. Make sure you specify what you want to study, what qualifications you have at the moment, and whether you have any particular requests - for example, if you want to be in a specific city. 3. Check the content and structure of each course on your list, together with details of tuition fees, entry requirements, application deadlines and other key information. If you want to do a professional degree overseas, check with the relevant professional body in the UK that they will recognise your overseas qualification, and allow you to register and work when you return home. 4, Once you have decided which universities to apply to, let Study Options know and they will send you the application forms and a guide to applying. Take particular care with your personal statement. Unless you're applying for a performance-based course such as music performance or fine art, which require an audition or portfolio, or a very ‘competitive course such as medicine, i's unlikely that you will be required to attend an interview. Your personal statement is therefore your only real opportunity to set your application apart from all the others. 5, Send the completed applications to Study Options, who check to make sure everything is correct and certify documents on behalf of the universities. Applications are then forwarded electronically to your chosen universities. Bear in mind that studying in Australia and New Zealand is an HE option that requires you to fund your own tuition fees and living costs. There are no grants or loans available and very few scholarships. Student visas in both Australia and New Zealand allow you to work for up to 20 hours a week during term time and as much as you like during the long university holidays.© MyFutureChoice For full details, visit the Study Options website at: www studyoptions. com Further information You might also explore: The Uni Guide - comprehensive and independent information on higher education pathways in Australia: theuniguicie,comau Study Australia - the official Australian government website for study options in Australia: studyaustralia gov. au Think New - the official government site for advice on studying in New Zealand: studyinnewzealand.govt.nz