Deborah Anderson School and University Liaison

1. Deborah Anderson School and University Liaison EXPLORING HE OPTIONS

2. Study in New Zealand or Australia

3. Why are UK students choosing to study • in Australia and New Zealand? • Quality of education available • Investment in Australian/ NZ universities • Rise in UK tuition fees • Increase in competition for UK university places • Global experience – proximity to Asia • Travel and work opportunities • Learn new skills/enhance CV • Straightforward to apply/14 month application period

4. Quality of education Australian and New Zealand universities are research-led and respected internationally. Easy to move between UK and New Zealand/Australian universities Excellent recognition of Australian and NZ professional qualifications in the UK

5. 17% Australasian universities ranked in top 200. 22% UK universities ranked in the top 200. (Times Higher Educational Supplement’s World University Rankings 2010) Study Options is the official UK representative for all the Australasian universities ranked at this level by the THES

6. Group of Eight in Australia equal to The Russell Group in UK University of New South Wales, Sydney University of Sydney University of Melbourne Monash University, Melbourne University of Queensland, Brisbane University of Adelaide UWA, Perth ANU, Canberra

7. World leaders in many subjects

8. More spaces available to study what YOU want Popular courses such as history, politics, economics, health sciences, and natural sciences are not as over-subscribed as the UK

9. Achievable entry requirements • Entry requirements at many top universities in Australia and New Zealand lower than UK universities. Not a reflection of quality – question of supply and demand which means less pressure on places • No additional tests for majority of degrees – apply with A-levels, IB, Scottish Highers or Irish Leaving Certificate. • Exceptions are medicine and dentistry (additional tests) and performance-based subjects such as music and fine art (portfolios/auditions/interviews. • * BTECs not always accepted – assessed case-by-case

10. Choosing a university: Things to consider • Location – big, cosmopolitan city or smaller, more relaxed town? • Campus-based or city-based university? • Programme detail – does the university offer the exact course that student wants to study? • University’s reputation; level of its entry requirements Choosing Australian/ New Zealand universities • Costs – international tuition fees; cost of living • Climate! • Distances • Study Options offers advice about the different choices

11. Australia – 18 universities

12. University of New South Wales, Sydney

13. New Zealand – 8 universities

14. University of Otago, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand

15. What can students study? • anything they can study in the UK! • experience Natural Sciences first hand – Marine Biology, Geography, Geology, Antarctic studies, Environmental Sciences • world leaders in Sport Sciences • Economics and Business (links with Asia) • range of professional courses (Teaching/Social work) • internationally recognised Healthcare courses • broader Arts and Humanities degrees/ also Sciences • excellence in Art and Design • many more to choose from – contact Study Options for detailed course lists

16. What will seem familiar? • Australian and New Zealand education systems based on British model • Teaching and assessment methods • Names of qualifications and time they take to complete • University facilities

17. What will seem different? Timing of the academic year Semester 1: February through to June Semester 2: July through to November Break between semesters comparatively short – most students only return to UK once a year

18. Costs Tuition fees AU$18,000 - 35,000 NZ$19,000 - 33,000 Living expenses AU$18,000 - $28,000 NZ$16,000 - $24,000 Costs/budgeting must be factored into decision-making process from the beginning. Scholarships Very rare at undergraduate level. Those that do exist are awarded on the basis of academic merit. Please see http://www.studyoptions.com/money_matters/funding.html

19. When and how do students apply? NO UCAS SYSTEM Simply apply to each university via Study Options BEFORE A2 RESULTS Students can apply for conditional offers during year 13 with - GCSE certificates/AS results - Predicted grades at A2 or IB, signed off by an appropriate school authority (Head of Careers, Head of Sixth Form, etc). - Personal statement AFTER A2 RESULTS Students can apply for unconditional offers with - GCSE certificates/AS/A2/IB results and personal statement Hold 5 conditional or unconditional offers

20. Study Options offers FREE help and guidance STUDENT ADVICE * Experienced Student Advisory Team When you know what subject(s) you want to study, contact us for complete list of the courses available in that area and receive expert advice on choosing which university and course * We provide list of degree courses and guidance on most suitable courses Includes web-links to each course’s content and structure as well as details of its tuition fees, entry requirements and application deadlines HELP WITH APPLICATIONS * We provide application forms and a detailed guide to applying Completed applications should be sent to Study Options. We check them before sending to the universities for assessment. Applications made via Study Options fast-tracked through assessment processes

21. What do students gain apart from a degree by studying down-under?

22. Skills ExperienceEmployment • Independence • Resilience • Confidence • Flexibility • Sense of adventure • Understanding of different cultures • Global perspective plus links with Asia • Enhanced CV • Attractive to employers

23. The Employer’s view Bill Muirhead, Partner, M&C Saatchi (Advertising) “Exposure to the different lifestyles on offer in Australia and NZ is considered an experience in itself and develops characteristics such as resilience and flexibility. Graduates from Australia have proven to be very innovative.” David Hansel, Partner, Hansel Henson (Law) “ Because Australian and New Zealand law is so similar to English law I would have no concerns about the content of the degree.” “ I would like the sense of adventure that the person had shown – it would make them stand out from the crowd.” Clare Thompson, Senior HR Business Manager, King Sturge (Property) “We interview a lot of incredibly bright students who lack the confidence that someone who has travelled or has lived abroad possesses. The difference is quite remarkable.”

24. My Story:Nicola Kitson BA EconomicsUniversity of Queensland I am still waiting for it to sink in - the reality of living and studying in Brisbane, Australia. Everything has run so smoothly that it all seems a little too natural to be here… a whole 16532 km from home! Being faced with the numerous decisions leaving school in England I decided to break it down to what I love to learn and where I would love to learn it. One introductory email to Study Options soon multiplied into many and with their fantastic up to date knowledge on individual schools within the universities .As for Brisbane itself there’s everything you need - cafés, parks, areas to relax, a buzzing nightlife and a short journey to the sunshine and gold coast. Three months ago I never thought I would be sat reading a Microeconomics textbook… in the sun... in February!

25. If you would like Study Options to make a presentation to your students please contact deborah@studyoptions.com Tel: +44 20 7353 7200

26. www.studyoptions.com Helping students go further with their degrees