“It is no secret that applying to any university is a massive and daunting task, let alone a university on the other side of the world! But it’s a decision that I have not regretted and I’d urge anyone who is thinking about studying in Australia or New Zealand to do it. So far my experience has exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to continue my studies.

“The application process to Australian universities is different to the one in the UK and, with UCAS being the only option offered by my school, my discovering Study Options was a big relief. The team at Study Options provided guidance and help that went far beyond my expectations; they provided help through every part of the process; from looking at universities and filling in a lot of application forms, to my visa and travel arrangements. The process of choosing courses was a very foreign one as, unlike the UK, there are multiple tracks in courses you could take. I got my shortlist by looking through each university’s history major modules and focusing on ones that offered a course I was really enthusiastic about. Once I had chosen my top five universities the application process was fairly easy – while there seemed to be a huge amount of forms, with the guidance of Study Options it wasn’t that bad.

“I secured a job as an au pair in Sydney after finishing school which allowed me to visit my top universities in Sydney and Melbourne. I would thoroughly recommend, if you can, taking tours of universities as they completely changed my mind on where I wanted to go! I thought I wanted to be in sunny Sydney, but after the campus tours, I decided that Melbourne was for me. I can safely say I made the right choice. I absolutely love Melbourne; the University itself, the people, and the culture of the city. I arrived by myself and that was daunting; arriving in a foreign city with no idea what lies ahead is hard and makes you want to just turn around and get back on the plane, but once you start to find your way that’s it, things just fall into place.

“I chose to live in a residential college. At first I had my doubts; the thought of having set meals times and so on made me feel a bit confined. Now, however, it is something I would never change! The community at college meant that even though everything was new, I always had somewhere to go and feel safe. Considering the size of Melbourne University (around 60,000 students) being in a college is definitely something I would recommend as it gives you the intimate social scene that is can be lacking at a larger university. If I was not at a college it might be harder to socialise and make friends outside of lectures, considering the size of classes themselves, so keep this in mind. The Students Union and all the social clubs at the University are great, though; I know everyone says it but there is literally something for everyone. This is something which I did not fully participate in during my first semester and I will definitely be taking advantage of next semester as it is a great way to feel a part of something in a large city like Melbourne. The academic facilitates at the University of Melbourne can’t be faulted; with a new Arts building, hundreds of study rooms and 6 libraries you are never short of a book or study space. I have really enjoyed my course so far, it’s incredibly flexible and allows me to choose exactly what I want to study to make up my undergraduate degree.

“When I am not participating in my studies I try to explore as much of Melbourne as possible. I try and see something new every week – it’s all about the full experience, not just seeing the University! This would be my top bit of advice for any future students; come and do your degree but also jump into whatever Australia or New Zealand has to offer as there is a lot and it’s really different to what we do at home. Also, don’t be scared, take help when it is offered and remember, this is an incredible adventure on top of what is already an exciting time!