Studying in Australia: The Study Abroad Student's Guide to Success

There is a saying in Australia: “to give someonethe good oil” This means giving advice oraccurate information. Here we give you the goodoil on how the university system works, so you willknow what to expect. You’ll find out who is who,what types of classes you may be placed into,how your subjects will be assessed and how youare expected to manage your own learning.So, why do you need this book?Apart from the issues above, Study Abroadstudents consistently identify the following as themost challenging aspects of their academic workin Australia:1. More unscheduled class time thanat home2. The need to be more self-directed learners3. Less individualised attention from academicstaff4. More active discussion in tutorials5. A more argumentative, and less descriptivestyle, of writing for essays and exams6. A different approach to grading assignments.For example, there may be fewer, more heavilyweightedpieces of assessment at the endof semester rather than on a regular basisthroughout the semesterThe tips and techniques offered in this book arebased on the experience of many Study Abroadstudents who were enrolled in a variety of courseshere at UoM. We hope their insights will betterprepare you for your stay here.Even though we have very littlecontact hours with the lecturer,I must say that the workload isjust as heavy as what I have backhome, It’s just that you are left todo your own readings and youhave to be really independent.If you procrastinate, that’s yourproblem.Susana, CanadaThis bookFor students visiting Australia, a commonobservation is that everyone appears more ‘laidback’ than at home. The pace of life seems slower,and academic demands may initially appear tobe less. However, this means that you may notreceive as much instruction about what to do andwhen to do it as you would like. This book will helpyou to stay on track by providing information on:What to expect before you arriveUnderstanding and managing the Australianuniversity system is important. Knowing how it isstructured, who does what, who to seek help fromand how to negotiate the system will save youtime and stress.How to interact within the Australian educationsystemKnowing what your teachers expect from youis important for achieving good grades and,apart from befriending Australian students, youmay also have to complete group assignmentswith them. Therefore, by learning a little aboutAustralian social values, you’ll be able to manageyour educational interactions more smoothly.How to organise an effective study programThe Australian education system providesmore ‘free’ hours than you may be used to athome. While you may be tempted to spendthis time exploring your new home, yourteachers’ expectations are that you’re workingindependently at your own pace to preparefor your classes and working on assignments.You need to manage your time and studycommitments, and be effective in your reading,note taking, and class performance. We’ll help youto study efficiently – so you will work hard and thenhave plenty of time to play hard too!How to cope with different assessmentproceduresWith assignments and exams that could carrya greater percentage towards your final grade,you want to make sure you get it right the firsttime. We’ll guide you to an understanding of theexpectations of assessment at the University ofMelbourne.The way Australian universities operate stemsfrom Australia’s colonial background. Many of theorganisational structures are based on the Englisheducation system and reflect the political andsocial development of Australia over the last 220years. Some key points include:2 http://services.unimelb.edu.au/academicskills