Study Abroad | UniSC Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Why did you choose this program?

My plan was originally only to go for 6 months and see how I liked living on the other side of the world, and also so far away from home. I quickly realised after 2 months of living on the Sunshine Coast that I did not want to go back home, and started exploring any options for a full-degree program. The reason for choosing USC was seeing how close to nature the campus was, as it is located on the coast of Queensland. I loved that there were kangaroos on campus, lots of activities to do such as visiting the Australia Zoo, Glasshouse Mountains and Noosa National Park. I've always had a passion for crime and find it very interesting and exciting, so choosing this degree was a no-brainer for me.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

I received assistance through Kilroy Education in Norway, and they were the ones that put me in contact with USC and assisted me with the application process. USC was however very helpful when I wanted to apply for my Criminology degree and made the credit transfer process easy. I also had a couple of courses from my Study Abroad semester that I could use towards my Criminology degree, making my 3-year degree only 2,5 years with the credit transfer. That way I sawed money and time, which was great and made it an easy choice for me to stay longer.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I would definitely recommend students coming to study on the Sunshine Coast to stay for at least 1 year! 6 months will go by so quickly you won't even know what happened. There is so much to see and explore here, and you'll really get a grip on the academic side of things once you stay a bit longer at USC and get more into the way of study. I found it easier to study in Australia in comparison to Norway, so that was just a big bonus for me.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

In this program you will study 4 courses each semester, and you have 6 semesters to complete (24 courses in total). Each week you will normally have 1-2 hour lectures per subject, and 1-2 hour tutorials per subject. All in all, you'll have a lot of time to study during the week and you won't be in class all the time. Sometimes, depending on the semester and class structure, I had classes Monday-Wednesday, and long-weekends from Thursday to Sunday!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear were a couple of things: not enjoying myself, not knowing anyone (I travelled alone which I highly recommend now!), and finding the studies way too hard for my liking. Luckily, I enjoyed myself so much I am currently still in Australia 5 years later, I got to meet so many people and make life-long friends mostly because I did travel alone which made me seek these friendships more rather than leaning on a friend from home, and I loved the studies! I would do it all over again.

For future students wanting to travel to / study on the Sunshine Coast, there are a couple of things I would have loved to know before I got here:

• Live in student accommodation your first semester: you'll meet so many people and maybe move out with some of them eventually.
• Get a bank card with Commbank: You'll need it so you don't have to constantly pay fees for using your card
• Get an Australian ID (drivers license): They use these everywhere for ID and they'll probably struggle to ready your overseas drivers license, and sometimes not accept it...
• Get a phone sim card with Optus or Telstra
• Visit mountains, explore Maleny and Noosa, and travel!

What is your favorite travel memory?

It is difficult to describe only one favourite travel memory, however one of my fondest travel memories would be visiting K'gari Island (Fraser Island) which is a world heritage listed sand island located in South East Queensland, Australia - just a short adventure from my workplace, UniSC Sunshine Coast. K'gari is the worlds largest sand island and offers an array of exciting things to see and do. A few highlights include: Swimming in the pristine waters of Lake McKenzie, whale watching, hiking sand dunes in the Great Walks, floating down Eli Creek and seeing the unique Australian flora and fauna (for example, dingoes, echidnas, owls, wallabies, humpback whales, dolphins, sea eagles and more). Whether you like adventure, relaxing, history or nature - there is something for everyone at K'gari!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Since working for the UniSC International Office there has been significant personal and professional growth. The experience has enhanced my cross-cultural skills, expanded my understanding of global relations and allowed me to collaborate with stakeholders to provide high quality study abroad opportunities for people all around the world. Aside from the professional part of my work, I have also created many friendships with colleagues that I am grateful for and cherish. Working in International Education is an ever evolving and rewarding career that I enjoy!

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

There are too many great stories from returned students to pick just one, however a highlight would have to include one of our students who studied at UniSC and returned home to the United States of America (USA). During their studies here at UniSC Australia, they used their study breaks and holiday time to travel all around our country visiting the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Sydney, Tasmania and Brisbane. Throughout their semester of studies they also picked up many new hobbies and joined various student clubs and social sporting teams, making friends from Australia as well as other countries. However upon return, they completed their studies and landed their dream job at an international marketing agency where they were able to be creative, use their theoretical and practical skills and contribute to developments and designs. This is a prime example of a 'feel good story'!

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

UniSC offers a great experience with an opportunity to visit Malaysia and Borneo to map flora and fauna of an endangered, biodiverse environment. Being able to visit Ulu Temburong National Park in Brunei and the Gunung Mulu National park in Sarawak, Malaysia would be an exciting adventure to participate in!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

UniSC promotes an authentic Australian study experience, International Students represent 72 different countries and I am very proud that we are ranked Number 1 in Queensland for overall educational experience*. Having placed in the Top 2% globally for overall impact^ it is evident that our commitment to out students, staff and the community are genuine and front of mind.

*2022 Student Experience Survey Data.
^Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Having a positive customer focussed approach, fostering a culture of innovation and leading staff effectively are important factors that influence a successful company. While there are many factors that influence business, people are always the forefront, so ensuring people are happy, healthy and motivated is a must!