Key points

Australia is located in Oceania between the Indian and South Pacific Oceans. Although it is a large country, its topography is not too varied and most of it consists of low desert plateau. There are however fertile plains in the southeast. Australia's climate is mostly arid to semiarid, but the south and east are temperate and the north is tropical.
• Australians are very down to earth and always mindful of not giving the impression that they think they are better than anyone else.
• They value authenticity, sincerity, and loathe pretentiousness.
• Australians prefer people who are modest, humble, self- deprecating and with a sense of humor.
• They do not draw attention to their academic or other achievements and tend to distrust people who do.
• They often downplay their own success, which may make them appear not to be achievement-oriented.
• Australians place a high value on relationships.
• With a relatively small population, it is important to get along with everyone, since you never know when your paths may cross again.
• This leads to a win-win negotiating style, since having everyone come away with positive feelings helps facilitate future business dealings.
• The initial population of Australia was made up of Aborigines and people of British and Irish descent.
• After World War II there was heavy migration from Europe, especially from Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, and Turkey.
• This was in response to the Australian policy of proactively trying to attract immigrants to boost the population and work force. • In the last thirty years, Australia has liberalized its immigration policy and opened its borders to South East Asia.
• This has caused a real shift in self-perception as Aussies begin to re-define themselves as a multi-cultural and multi-faith society rather than the old homogenous, white, Anglo- Saxon, Protestant nation.
Australia has a strong economy due to its extensive natural resources, well developed industry and tourism. The main industries in Australia are mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals and steel manufacturing. Agriculture also plays a role in the country's economy and its main products include wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep and poultry.
Today Australia, officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm. It has an executive branch with Queen Elizabeth II as the Chief of State as well as a separate prime minister as head of government. The legislative branch is a bicameral Federal Parliament consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Australia's judicial system is based on English common law and it comprised of the High Court as well as lower level federal, state and territorial courts.
Knowing the average living costs in Australia is an important part of your financial preparation. For your reference, here are some of the costs associated with living and studying in Australia. (All costs are in Australian dollars.) Accommodation
• Hostels and Guesthouses - $80 to $135 per week
• Shared Rental - $70 to $250 per week
• On campus - $80 to $250 per week
• Homestay - $110 to $270 per week
• Rental - $100 to $400 per week
• Boarding schools - $10,000 to $20,000 a year
• Groceries and eating out - $80 to $200 per week
• Gas, electricity - $60 to $100 per week
• Phone and Internet - $20 to $50 per week
• Public transport - $10 to $50 per week
• Car (after purchase) - $150 to $250 per week
• Entertainment - $50 to $100 per week
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has financial requirements you must meet in order to receive a student visa. Below is a guide on the requirements you must meet to study in Australia:
• You - $18,610
• Your partner - $6,515
• Your first child - $3,720
• Every other child - $2,790
Living in Australia will be a new experience, but there are support services in your institution as well as from other organizations to help make adjusting to life in Australia easier.
As Australia is the fourth happiest country in the world and we have five of the 30 best cities in the world for students, you are sure to enjoy your time here.
Australia offers a diverse range of study options for international students, with more than 1,200 institutions and over 22,000 courses to choose from. You can study at all levels of education from primary and secondary school, to vocational education and training (VET), from English language courses to higher education (including universities).
So no matter the type of course you want to study, how long you want to study for or where you want to study, you can be assured that in Australia you will have a high quality and rewarding study experience.
Australia’s Working Holiday Maker Program, which includes the Working Holiday visa and the Work Holiday visa, allows you to travel and work in Australia for a total of 12 months and study in Australia for up to 4 months.
There are many advantages to an Australian working holiday. Here are just some of them:
• You can work, travel and study – get the most out of your trip to Australia!
• There are many language programs specifically targeted towards working holiday makers.
• You can take on technical training and attain job skills. There are many short-term vocational and technical training courses offered at TAFE or Private VET Colleges.