(This letter is part of a series by The Indian Express where we bring to you the experiences of students at different foreign universities. From scholarships and loans to food and cultural experiences — students tell us how life is different in those countries and things they are learning other than academics)
I had a keen interest in studying psychology since I was 10 years old. I visited Australia in 2017 and fell in love with this country. I was staying in one of the regional areas around Sydney with my relatives and visited the city every weekend.
After checking the course structure of the universities in Australia, I instantly knew I wanted to study here. I also toured a few universities while I was here as a tourist and enjoyed the campus atmosphere. Moreover, I have relatives here in Sydney who also played an influential role in my study abroad decision.
Currently, I am pursuing a Bachelor of Psychology (final year) from Macquarie University. I chose this university because of its research opportunities and the ranking, especially for the psychology department.
Australia — tough start but worth the hustle
My experience has certainly lived up to my expectations. My initial few years were difficult in terms of finances, social isolation and getting used to a whole new style of studying. However, now looking back at my experiences — all good and bad — I would say it was totally worth it.
On travelling to Sydney in 2019, I remember I was too numb to feel anything. It was just a persistent strange feeling of leaving my family and country behind and starting my life in a foreign country. Thankfully, my cousins kept me company and they did everything they could to cheer me up.
My first week in Sydney was a lot of exploration. I would advise the students to travel a few weeks before their studies begin and use this time to settle into their accommodation, make friends and explore the city. It will not take the homesickness away, but it is a good way to ease into your new one.
My first week at Macquarie University was quite informative. I explored the campus, registered myself in course-related orientation seminars and joined the Indian society to participate in cultural events. There are several clubs and societies, possibly in every university, related to culture, religion, courses and recreational hobbies which you can join. It will allow you to take part in their social events, make friends and network. At Macquarie University, all the clubs and societies set up their stalls during the orientation week to allow us an opportunity to connect with people with shared interests.
When I came here, I found malls a one-stop place for all my needs. From groceries to restaurants, banks to retail stores, you will usually find most of your everyday needs fulfilled. Since I study at Macquarie University and live nearby, the Macquarie Centre (located across the road) is my go-to place.
One problem I faced was finding the right part-time job opportunities. It was not easy in the beginning and the situation got worse when the Covid-19 pandemic hit causing further decline in job openings. Those were the tough times. I did not feel comfortable asking for money from my family, so I continued to live under a very strict budget. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to live with my relatives during the Covid lockdown of 2020 which helped me with my financial situation by reducing my expenses. Nevertheless, I did not give up and persistently kept applying for jobs and eventually got one.
To battle this, I also connected with the Macquarie University Employment Services that helped me formulate my resume and cover letter and gave me tips about how to present yourself in an interview. A few months later, the university appointed me as a student ambassador and I have been working with them for almost three years now.
My role entails a variety of duties including contacting prospective students who wish to study at Macquarie University via calls and emails. The information covers everything from the start of their student application process to their arrival in Sydney. Part of my job also requires me to interview prospective students to assess their suitability for the study programmes.
I also host campus tours for students and families, our business associates and delegations from across the world. My current job also provides me with the privilege to work alongside a diverse, vibrant and friendly team that makes each day at work even better.
Before my current job, I have had several years of experience working with children. The most recent is my job with the Council of Canada Bay (April 2021) where I helped run the vacation care program for children. Yet again, I worked with a very friendly team, and it was always a delight to be around fun-loving and energetic children. I had to part ways with this job in May 2023 due to budget cuts for the vacation programme. Prior to these two jobs, I have worked several odd jobs casually and they have helped me reach where I am today.
A challenge, which we usually laugh at but is important, was the struggle to not convert Australian dollar to INR for every purchase.
When I was new in Sydney, I would mentally convert everything into INR before buying. And sometimes, would not buy a bag of chips because it costs Rs 300. With time though, this practice goes away. I have also observed that students tend to do that until they get a job. Once they are self-sufficient in providing for themselves, the habit of conversion eventually stops. The initial financial stage of living with a very strict budget and currency conversion before every shop might seem scary at this stage, but once you get a job and start to manage your own expenses, the sense of financial autonomy and independence makes it all worth it.
Strength in diversity
When I came to Sydney for the first time, I was not prepared to see so much diversity. With time, I started to interact with people from various cultures and shared stories from my culture too. I found people to be respectful and, surprisingly, very curious to get to know me. Now, I have friends and work colleagues from diverse cultures and every year, I host a Diwali dinner and invite my friends to it. Most of them are not Indians but we still have a great time.
That being said, I am aware that people may encounter some racist experience and for that, there are several authorities in place to address that to make sure it does not happen again.
How Covid delayed my academics
Covid made it difficult for me to get a job and forced me to relocate outside of Sydney with my relatives from early 2020 to 2021. My placement was delayed by a semester and when I got sick during Covid, I had to withdraw from a semester. This led to a 1-year delay in completion of my studies. But overall, given how things have been around the world during the pandemic, I am grateful for how things turned out for me.
The big difference of being back at the university after Covid is the return of in-person interactive classes. During the pandemic, it was difficult to keep account of online learning and activities. I too struggled with motivation and social isolation (during the second lockdown in Sydney in mid-2021 when I was living on my own). Covid also impacted social opportunities. Clubs and societies are more active now and there are several events hosted by the university on a regular basis.
Admission process
The admission process can be long and might feel overwhelming, but it is pretty straightforward. I applied via a trusted agency and things went quite smoothly. However, I do recommend to regularly follow up with your counsellor as they can get really busy and might not be able to give you regular updates.
I also recommend providing your own email in your application to receive regular updates from the University. Even though it is helpful to have a counsellor, it is not advised to leave everything on them.
The documents asked by the university are usually academic transcripts, proof of finances, English proficiency through a valid IELTS or PTE test and explaining gap activities through valid evidence. For example, showing work experience through a company joining letter, letter of recommendation from the employer and payslips. For undergraduate students, if you have done any internships or online courses or diploma, a completion letter usually suffices.
You would require more documents at the stage of visa application. During this stage, the finances that you have shown are verified by the Department of Home Affairs of Australia along with the verification of your academic transcripts and work gap documents. You will also be required to fill out personal and family identity and character forms. All these forms will be provided by the counsellor (if applying through an agency) or on the website of the Department of Home Affairs (if applying by yourself).
A statement of purpose is also asked for at the visa application stage. It is strongly advised to provide only correct and true information to avoid any visa objections.
I was considered for a scholarship at the application stage itself, so I did not have to apply for it separately. At Macquarie University, there is region or country-based scholarship that you are assessed based on your country of citizenship. I was eligible for an annual scholarship of A$10,000 for the duration of my studies which accounts for 25 per cent of the deduction in the total tuition fee.
Indian and Australia — similarities and difference
One of my sweet memories from my university experience was before the Covid pandemic. I studied an Introduction to Aboriginal Studies unit in which I got to learn about the first nations’ peoples of Australia and the history of colonisation in Australia.
To my surprise, there were a lot of similarities between colonisation in India and Australia. This unit not only provided me with the opportunity to learn about Australian history but also to share my own.
The interesting thing is that I met one of my best friends in this class as well. Despite doing different courses, we now hang out at the university at every opportunity we get.
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My other good memories come from working at the university. I have met several people from different countries at my workplace. Besides work, we tend to occasionally socialise as well, and I have made several good friends through my workplace.
I have found two key differences in study experience between Australia and India. First, the course material is updated and revised every year. This has allowed students to learn the most recent curriculum. I have struggled with learning outdated theories and undertaking assessments with older practices in India.
Second, alongside written exams, the inclusion of practice-based assessments has been quite helpful. The assessment allows the students to critically think and reflect on their unit learnings and find relevance for the same in real life settings. In India, I have struggled with only one form of assessment i.e., written exams which I think is not efficient enough to capture all-round understanding of one’s intellect.