ACU Study Abroad: Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne

First of all, I have to highlight the great application procedure. At that time my contact person was Alexis who was always friendly and helped me out with so many questions. After I got accepted I was also offered a two-week July school programme inclusive free accommodation. This was a great opportunity for me to take a whole class before the official semester started. This means I was able to drop one of my classes during the semester which I really appreciated as I had more free time to enjoy so many things Sydney has to offer. Moreover, I really enjoyed the July-school as there was enough time to get to see the city and to adapt to the life in Australia.

The official semester start was great with a cool and interactive introduction week. This is a good opportunity to get to know many fellow exchange students you most probably will spend the time with. The ACU in Sydney has two campuses, one in Strathfield and one in North Sydney. I stayed at the Miguel Cordero Residence which is located in Camperdown pretty much in between the two campuses. The travel time to each campus took me approximately 45 minutes which is okay for a city of that size. As mentioned before, I could drop one of my classes because of the July school which means I only had to take three more classes which I could easily fit into one or two days per week.

Next to my studies, I also worked in a volunteer position at ACU collaborate plus. I supported Kyle consulting individuals with disabilities who want to start up their own businesses. This was a great experience and made my stay in Australia even more special.

But besides the studies and the work, Sydney has so much more to offer. There are many beautiful beaches and national parks that are absolutely worth the exploration. Participating in a surf class is a must! For me there was still enough time to go surfing a few times and I really enjoyed it. The nightlife in Sydney is great and you can basically go out every day. The city is crowded with young people which is an absolute plus.

My experience at ACU Sydney was amazing and I would definitely recommend doing a semester abroad here! I am more than happy that I had the opportunity to study here and get to know the Australian culture and the beautiful countryside.

Overall, I have loved my time in Sydney and all of the opportunities it has afforded me. First, I started off with a July School course, a two week intensive study course, in Entrepreneurial Business Field Experience where we were able to speak to local and state government officials, the NSW Business Chamber, NSW Transport, and Cisco in Sydney. It was a fantastic way to start my time in the city because it allowed for a quick immersion and understanding of the culture.

Following my July School course, I began volunteering with Layne Beachley's Aim For The Stars Foundation which empowers and encourages women to reach their goals through financial support and mentorship. For the past two and a half months I have been helping them organize a database of all of the girls they have helped over the past 13 years and plan for their gala which is their largest event of the year. The gala was a fabulous success and I even had the opportunity to meet Layne Beachley herself!

Whilst volunteering, I was also offered an opportunity to intern with PepsiCo ANZ (Australia New Zealand). I am working on a confidential nutrition project which has no current competitors in the Australian market. Since the idea came directly from the ANZ CEO, Robbert Rietbroek, a part of my internship is also a mentorship program where he sits down with the other intern and I and teaches us about leadership, personal finance, and sustainable business practices. I have been working with them now for over two months and I am loving my position! I hope that the product will eventually go to market and I can say that I had a hand in its development.

Additionally, the social scene and friendships made while studying in Australia have been incredibly enjoyable. There are many accessible clubs and bars for young people to get a little rowdy and have a good laugh! There are also many opportunities to travel with friends on various weekends and breaks to either other parts of the country or to New Zealand, Fiji, Bali, etc.

ACU and my experience in Sydney has been amazing. I am really grateful to have had the opportunity to study here and immerse myself in the Aussie culture. I would definitely recommend this program to other students interested in studying abroad!

I studied at ACU Melbourne from July - November 2016. The ACU's coordinator for exchange students was extremely helpful before and during my studies in Melbourne. She answered all my questions and helped me with documents I needed for my student loan (BAföG). During orientation week, the exchange coordinators helped all exchange students scheduling timetables and we were given additional information about life in Australia. Altogether, the provided support and help was excellent!
There are several possibilities to find accommodation in Melbourne. The University lists some privately operated student housing businesses on its website. I found a single room in a shared house on flatmates.com.au and can only recommend using the website.
The campus in Melbourne is close to the city centre but also very close to Fitzroy and Collingwood, where you can find a variety of cafes, shops and small galleries. Melbourne in general is simple beautiful with a lot of things to do and explore. Apart from interesting museums and galleries there are theatres with great shows, sport events, concerts and a lot of cafes and restaurants worth to explore. The Yarra-Valley, Phillip island and the Great Ocean Road are great destinations for a weekend trip since they are quite close to Melbourne. You should be aware, that Melbourne is quite expensive and if you want to travel after the semester you should maybe look for a part time job. I found a job in a restaurant and was able to travel after the end of the semester.
The Uni offers a variety of courses and I decided to do some volunteer work through a community engagement project offered by the University in addition to my courses. I can highly recommend to join one of the projects and get to learn Melbourne through a different perspective.

I studied at ACU on the Brisbane campus from July to November 2015. The Brisbane campus is said to be the most beautiful of all ACU Campuses and equipped with everything you need to make your study life as enjoyable as even possible! The downside of the beautiful campus however is the location. Around 40 Minutes train ride outside of central Brisbane the campus is a bit far off and most students commute to and from the campus as no on campus housing is available. But even though there was on campus housing (as there are plans to build some) I would recommend to live in the city and travel the distance to uni, as public transport is cheap and Brisbane’s city has so much to offer!
ACU staff was very helpful and friendly at all times. No matter where and when I needed help: ACU staff was always there. The process from first application to the orientation week in Brisbane was very well structured. Information guides answered almost every question.
When it comes to academics, ACU offers a wide variety of interesting classes with excellent lecturers. The classes where very well structured and the lecturers where happy to help wherever they could.

I attended the exchange program at Australian Catholic University for the July through November semester. I was at the Melbourne campus.The staff at ACU was extremely helpful with the process by providing a guide about visas, accommodation, scheduling classes and everything you needed to know before coming. Upon arriving you attended an orientation where you met the staff in person and they provided further information about classes and life at ACU. I received many emails of support throughout the semester and they also arranged a few fun activities such as a footy match and dinner at a local pub. I would highly recommend the Melbourne campus as there was something to do everyday in the city. I was there for 4 months and still left without doing everything that I had wanted to do. I had a really pleasant experience and will definitely be coming back to Australia.