Gurleen Kaur studying a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) at USC

My name is Gurleen Kaur and I am from India. My program of study is the Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). I chose to study at USC because the university welcomes students from all around the world and has a lot of diversity, which makes it a likely option for every person to be accepted in a diverse environment.

Studying at USC

Studying at USC has been a fun and delightful experience. I enjoyed my course of study thoroughly. All the staff and teachers were supportive, and I made a few friends as well which have become a part of my life. USC helped me understand the career I want to pursue through my degree. It showed me the way of doing so, and the course structure was simple and divided into parts from basic to more experienced knowledge. My overall impression of the program is great as it has given me an experience of a lifetime.

Living in Australia

Living in Australia has been a good experience for me overall. I learned from each day living here by myself. I can cherish the memories that I made throughout these three years, and I have been living in a share house since I came here. I have had to travel to USC through bus and I will never forget those days of travelling with airpods in my ears and listening music on my way to study. Attending classes is a mandatory thing (for some courses) in order to pass with good marks, so that would be my tip for future students.

Jerome Albores from the Philippines studying a Master of Professional Accounting at USC SouthBank

Hi everyone! I’m Jerome, an international student from the Philippines. I am in my second year of studying a Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) at the University of the Sunshine Coast: SouthBank campus. I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Management Accounting from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines back in 2012. I then worked for 6 years in the corporate world as a finance analyst.

A decision to further your studies at the master’s level is never an easy one. When you add studying abroad to that decision, which includes leaving your friends and family, you can imagine how difficult of a decision it is. So I did what any reasonable person would do when faced with a decision like this; I made a pros and cons list. It was close but going to Australia to study further might be one of the best decisions of my life.

The University of the Sunshine Coast offers a great experience for students. As I am studying at the SouthBank campus, I am going through a unique journey in my uni-life. As it is a smaller campus compared to others, the campus creates a close relationship among the students. Everyone will most likely come across each other. Student support for Academic Skills to Student Wellbeing is easily communicated and given. I can reach out to my lecturers and tutors with no trouble and they are more than happy to help me with any questions I have with my studies. The lecturers’ and tutors’ expertise in their field offers different points of views that help me become a better professional in my field.

While staying here I try to travel as much as I can. I’ve driven down to Sydney from Brisbane, a 1000+ kilometre drive. It’s the farthest I’ve driven in my life and it was amazing! Seeing the countryside of Queensland and New South Wales during winter was beautiful. I went hiking up Mount Ngungun, one of the famous Glasshouse Mountains in South East Queensland. Up there you can glimpse the Sunshine Coast to the north and Brisbane to the south. I also went snorkelling in a shipwreck off the coast of Moreton Island; you can see different kinds of fish swimming in the gaps of the wrecks. There are so many things to do in Australia and I can’t wait to try them while I’m here.

Studying abroad can be intimidating, particularly living in a country where I’m speaking a second language. But it is fulfilling as I am introduced to new people every day, new places and new experiences. In a diverse city such as Brisbane, I learn more about the world and its people. I get to know their cultures and develop friendships that will last a lifetime. In just a year of studying and staying away from home, I got to know myself as well. I taught myself to be more independent and to be more open to what life throws at me. Yes, I am here with a goal in mind but I can’t help stopping and appreciating the other things that studying abroad can offer me. All the knowledge and skills I’m learning here are definitely helping me become a better person.

If you have the opportunity to study in Australia or any other country, take it! Living in a different country will be one of your best decisions. You will become a whole better person with the things you learn. You will appreciate things differently and have a new outlook on life. Adventure awaits!

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Clemence Mataruse from Zimbabwe studying a Master of Professional Accounting at USC SouthBank

My journey to Brisbane, Australia started in June of 2018 with a simple visit to the Koala Education Centre (my agency) in Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe. A friendly staff member (Kundai) sat down with me for a good consultation where I was given all the information I needed to get ready, and all the documents required for my application. Furthermore, she gave me various information about different institutions, their advantages and disadvantages, and also how coming to Australia and what it includes as opposed to other countries, which was a very good thing. Choosing The University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) was a no brainer as I have an aunt who graduated from USC and she told me about its level of excellence.

Before coming to USC, I had studied an undergraduate degree from the University of Namibia in Banking and Finance back in 2016. Today, I am based at the USC SouthBank campus. Upon my arrival at USC in February of 2019 to study the two-year Master of Professional Accounting, I found the institution to be astoundingly superior to my former institution. My campus is in the heart of Brisbane itself, right in the middle of the city. SouthBank is the entertainment hub for the Brisbane CBD with various well-known spots, including the famous Wheel of Brisbane and Brisbane river that runs through the city.

I had visited some universities in Africa for comparison purposes, but USC was beyond measure. The facilities are exceptional and unlike the institution where I studied my undergraduate degree with 150 students in one classroom, USC has sometimes less than 30 students in each classroom which gives the lectures and students proper interaction to provide a personal experience in the learning environment. The study experience has been good, simple and direct. A combination of lectures, tutorials and practical exercises are used, including the use of an accounting software called Xero which is not available in Africa. This combination gives direct knowledge to prepare us for work upon graduation, which is exactly what employers are looking for. On a personal note, I am the only African in my class of 30, with most of my classmates coming from Nepal and India. One from the Philippines, two from Pakistan, and an exchange student from Germany thus creating a diverse group of people. This gives me pride to represent not just my country but the continent as a whole.

Traveling to Brisbane, Australia was a great experience for me as I had never left the African continent. It was and still is a great eye-opening experience to see the world from a different perspective. The differences in culture, society, advancement and development are things I thank God for every day as well for His guidance and protection.

Apart from the academic side of my experience, Brisbane is an amazing place to be; it is regarded as a great tourist city of Australia with perfect weather and great scenery. I created a proper school, work and life balance. I got my job within a month of my arrival, which I still have to date, and it helps pay for bills and even helps out my family back home. I love the transport system very much as it is efficient and reliable. Most days I have 8am classes, so my day starts bright and early. Furthermore, after classes I am off to work, all  by using the public transport system. I have visited places such as the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and travelled as far as Winton, a small town 1500km away from Brisbane. The town is famous for the founding of Qantas, Australia’s national airline, and also a dinosaur museum.

To all future students, I would advise them to do thorough research on the different aspects of studies and places they want to go. The decision impacts their lives forever, and time lost can never be gained. Follow your heart and passion, and don’t look at what the world says.

I am very grateful that I got this amazing opportunity to study in Australia and I am thankful to my wife and son for all the encouragement and support, as they are still back home, and my family who sponsored and helped me to experience this legendary time. I am looking forward to my life journey with all this experience being bestowed upon me.