If choosing a country among so many options for study is already a difficult task for many, defining the city in which you will live and study can be a real dilemma. Do not despair, as this indecision is quite common, especially when it involves Australia, as it has important and well-known destinations, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
After all, you are not only looking for a place that is a reference in education, but also has good infrastructure, has an attractive cost of living, has different leisure options, offers work opportunities and allows contact and interaction with natives and other international students, right?
For this reason, we prepared a complete post to show why Brisbane has everything to be the ideal place for you to study abroad and live a unique experience as an international student. Follow up! You can also use this guide to find homes for rent in Brisbane when you’ve made your decision.
What are the main pros and cons of Brisbane?
Defining what is a pro and what is a cons of living in Australia is very subjective. After all, what can be positive for some, for others can be something negative, right? There are, however, some aspects of Brisbane that most international students agree on. Therefore, we will address them here.
As positive points are the excellent educational institutions (which we will present and address in more depth in the next topic), the reduced cost of living compared to other large cities (such as Sydney and Melbourne) and the ease of getting around both within the country and neighboring nations – given that some municipalities have less crowded airports and are more focused on domestic flights.
To top it off, in 2016, Brisbane ranked first (for the second time) in Australia’s Most Sustainable City ranking, as reported on the city council’s official website. This governmental award is due to the policies adopted by the city hall over the years to reduce CO2 emissions, increase the areas of environmental preservation, enhance the recycling system and expand the options of ecologically correct means of transport (such as the bicycle ).
As for negative points, for example, we can mention climate issues. This is because, as we mentioned at the beginning of the text, the climate of the region is subtropical and temperatures do not vary so much throughout the year. As a result, winter isn’t as cold as you’d expect, it’s often a rainy season, and it doesn’t snow at all – which can disappoint those who are most keen to see snow.
Another relevant point is that summer comprises most of the tropical cyclone season in the country, which starts in November and lasts until April. Therefore, it is common to see articles and news on TV, in newspapers and on the internet about the passage of this natural phenomenon and the impacts it causes in the state of Queensland.
It’s no wonder that Brisbane has a branch of the Global Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (GTCWC), which is run by the Australian government’s Bureau of Meteorology. The other branches are in Perth and Darwin.
How is studying in the city?
Not just in Brisbane, but across Australia, education is taken very seriously. The reason for this is simple: the higher the education level of the population, the greater the supply of qualified professionals available in the country – something that directly influences the expansion of various sectors, such as construction, communication, the automotive industry and agriculture.
To give you an idea, according to Australia in Brief, a promotional guide prepared by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, about 40% of the entire population has an academic background. Furthermore, education is one of the five pillars of the economy’s expansion, generating nearly 20 billion Australian dollars annually.
It is no wonder that, according to the latest survey carried out by the government department, there are about 440,000 international students in the nation. Another relevant point is that there are 36 Australian universities among the top 1,000 in the world, according to data from the QS World University Rankings 2022. All this makes the land of kangaroos one of the main destinations for those who want to study abroad.
In fact, of this total, three are only in Brisbane, which shows the relevance of the municipality in the international student scene. Below, we tell you a little more about these institutions and their differentials. Follow up!
The University of Queensland (47th)
The first of these is The University of Queensland, ranked among the top 50 universities on the planet – a recognition it more than deserves. After all, it was founded in 1909 and today leads the country’s academic centers when it comes to scientific research.
Therefore, it is the one that concentrates the largest amount of funds for Australian Research Council projects and investigations, in addition to having been awarded, in 2015, by the federal government for its history of excellence. But it does not end there, as the institution also stands out for other reasons, such as:
- have a job center for newly graduated students to facilitate their entry into the market;
- be part of an online course project for students in partnership with MIT and Harvard University;
- have a massive collection of more than 2.4 million literary titles available for free to students.
Therefore, it is easy to understand why it has more than 52,000 students regularly enrolled and has more than 6,000 active professionals on its 3 campuses. Among the areas of study at The University of Queensland are:
- science and mathematics;
- medicine;
- education;
- economy and business;
- right;
- arts, communication and society;
- architecture and urbanism;
- behavioral sciences and health;
- engineering and computing;
- agriculture
- agriculture and environment.
Queensland University of Technology (213th)
Queensland University of Technology, in turn, is a university with a long tradition in Brisbane. Founded in 1849, it only offered arts courses. However, its focus changed and from the 1960s onwards, several faculties of technology were implemented that turned it into a national reference for cutting-edge education.
Proof of this is the growth that took place between 1965 and 2018. During the period, the institution went from 4,634 thousand students to 50 thousand. Among his areas of study, we can highlight:
- business;
- health and community;
- tongue;
- law and justice;
- education;
- construction and planning of buildings;
- design, communication and creative practice;
- degree in English;
- science, technology, engineering and mathematics
In addition, it is important to note that QUT, as the university is popularly known, has important policies to combat racism and in favor of gender equality within the campus – both for professors and students.
Precisely for this reason, she has already received awards (Employer of Choice for Women) for generating equal employment opportunities for men and women and also provides full support to the Australian Human Rights Commission, which is responsible for the “Racism. It Stops With Me”.
Griffith University (290th)
In operation since 1975, Griffith University currently has a total of 50,000 enrolled students, 4,000 working professionals and 6 active campuses. However, these numbers do not show the real importance of the institution.
It is recognized throughout the country due to its intensive research and academic production program, which has more than 1,700 experts leading projects in numerous fields, from ecology and political science to quantum physics and inorganic chemistry. In addition, it is a university that has very diverse areas of study, such as:
- architecture, construction and urbanism;
- general engineering, aerospace engineering and IT;
- business and government affairs;
- humanities, languages and social science;
- law and criminology;
- education;
- science and environment;
- health in medicine and dentistry;
- music and performing arts;
- visual and creative arts.
As you have seen, living and studying in Brisbane is a unique opportunity to invest in your mastery of English, in your academic training, in building international contacts and, above all, in your career. Not to mention, of course, that you will have a unique life experience living in a country as rich in culture, traditions and mixtures as the land of kangaroos. So don’t think twice, get in touch with an education agency and run after your future!
