“I really like the classes at JCU; they have all been super-interesting so far and the professors have been great, all very passionate about their subjects. I did my bachelors degree in the UK and compared to that I feel the teachers here are more relaxed and encourage interaction, they always invite us to come and speak to them after the class. It feels as though they want to help you do well; the feedback they give is very constructive.

“I get emails from the JCU team all the time with information about where to find networking groups, study support, events – all kinds of things. Just like in the UK there is a strong focus here on the importance of mental health. There are lots of student societies – marine, diving, yoga, zoology. Lots of things at JCU are marine-related!

“JCU has a fantastic reputation internationally for marine science and as a university it does feel very marine-focused. I think I’ve met two people so far who don’t study marine! I love that – I’m surrounded by like-minded people, but also by people I might be working with in the future. The university regularly puts on events, guest lectures and so forth. It’s up to you to network as much or as little as you want, but they provide a lot of opportunities to do that. It’s a great environment to be in, particularly as a masters student.

“Whatever you’re interested in within marine, whether its octopi, sea turtles, jellyfish, whatever – there’s always someone at JCU working in that. I have a friend who is really interested in jellyfish and squids. She told the department she’d like to focus on that for her thesis, and the head of the department recommended academics for her to go and speak to. So they are very good at making those connections between students and supervisors. Guest lecturers pretty much always give out their emails at events, so it does feel as though there are lots of opportunities to put yourself into helpful circles of people. Which in marine science, or in conservation, does feel like the way that people climb the professional ladder.

“In terms of what I study, you’re supposed to take a certain number of classes for your chosen stream, a certain number as free choice, a specialised subject in something like GIS – so a data analysis or computer skill – plus a core module. Last term I took a class in managing marine megafauna, which I really liked, it was all about legislation and how you would go about creating a marine protected area (MPA), for example, working with local government and so forth. How do you analyse data sets, how do you manage your MPAs. How do you apply all these things we learn about in class to the real world, basically, how do you make sure this kind of work counts. It was really interesting.

“My last class I absolutely loved, it was my coral class. The lectures were so good and we had labs as well, plus there was a PhD student on hand as an academic support. It was really inspirational – I actually switched to the coral stream because of that class! Next up I have the next core module, which will include a project, then I’m doing evolution and ecology of reef fishes. Both of those include field trips – most of my classes have labs and field trips.

“I’m trying to get on the dive registry at the moment. You need to be a dive master with 60-plus logged hours to dive here. Australia is very strict on anything to do with health and safety! That’s something I wish I’d known before I arrived, because I would have used that time before I started to get my dive master! I want to get it before next trimester, because there is a field trip to Thailand that I really want to do. You don’t always need to dive for a field trip, you can usually snorkel if you’d prefer, but for the Thailand trip I want to be able to dive.

“I’d only been to Australia once, on a family holiday as a teenager. I wasn’t daunted by moving here, though. I grew up in France so had already moved abroad to study before – I did my first degree in the UK, and that included an exchange year in Costa Rica. So I already had quite a lot of experience of moving somewhere to study, having to settle somewhere, find new friends, all of it!

“Australia is far from everywhere in the world, and Townsville is far from most places in Australia! I do get homesick sometimes, but the people here are so friendly, so approachable. I genuinely would feel happy sitting down next to anyone in a lecture, because you know they’ll always be nice and up for a conversation. I wouldn’t have said that about my UK university! My cohort is very friendly and willing to help each other and that makes for a really nice environment to be in.

“I chose to live in private accommodation, rather than halls, and have rented a flat. I felt I’d done halls, after my UK degree, plus I didn’t really want to live with undergrads. I wanted somewhere that felt more like a home. But then I have friends for whom this is their first time away from home, and they are happier in uni accommodation. So it really depends on the individual. It’s also an option to go into uni accommodation for just the first term, until you work out what’s what, and then move out to private housing.

“I am really glad I applied through Study Options. I sent them so many questions and they were always so helpful. JCU referred me to Study Options (they are a free service).

“What would be my top tip for someone looking to apply to this course at JCU, other than apply through Study Options? Be organised! Do everything early, because you don’t always know how long things will take. For example, my visa application took ages, because the Australian Department of Home Affairs had lots of questions around the time I’d spent in Costa Rica, and asked me to do medical checks because of that. So make your decision about whether to accept your place early. Once you have done that, then you can apply for your visa, and once that’s in place you can book your flights and arrange your accommodation. It all flows from the acceptance, so don’t delay that!

“Also, prepare for the rain. It is not always sunny here – this is the tropics! – and when it rains, it really rains. Bring a good raincoat, because they are expensive here, and they sell out really quickly whenever the weather hits. And ALWAYS wear sunscreen. The sun here is fierce – I have seen some terrible sunburn!”