There are a number of Vocational Education and Higher Education providers located in regional and country Australia, which give you the opportunity to explore ‘the real Australia’ outside the big capital cities. There are some great reasons why you should think about studying in regional Australia: regional institutions offer a great relaxing lifestyle, a more personalised college/university experience, beautiful natural scenery and additional opportunities for migration.
What is Regional Australia?
Regional Australia is referred to as any area outside a metropolitan area.
The Australian government is simplifying the definition of Regional Australia for various visa purposes. Since 16th November 2019, Regional Australia includes all of Australia except:
• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
This means some cities (like Gold Coast, Perth, Canberra, Newcastle, and Wollongong) previously considered as cities is now included in the list of regional areas.
For migration purposes, the DOHA, Department of Home Affairs has divided the whole of Australia into three main categories:
• Major Cities
• Cities and Major Regional Centres
• Regional Areas and Other Regional Centres
In this table below, we try to make it easier for the students and migration applicants to understand the new regional areas and the benefits they can access when studying in these areas:
Why the Australian Government Made These Changes?
As regional areas are generally less populated areas, that’s why the Australian Government is trying to promote and get more people to move out in those areas.
It will not only help to build up those areas but also help to meet the shortage of the skills needed in the regional areas.
These changes will also mean that there will be less pressure on major cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that have got a growing population.
Five Benefits of Studying in Regional Australia
Lifestyle
Regional cities provide a relaxing lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Imagine being able to go for a swim at the beach or a bushwalk in your spare time between classes. Many regional cities are very cosmopolitan as well, with similar leisure pursuits to what you would find in the capital cities. Regional cities have the same facilities and entertainment that you will find in the big cities (think health care, cinemas, sporting venues, restaurants, cafés, bars and shopping), so you can be sure to find everything you need. One of the main differences is that these regional cities are more relaxed, and you will feel as if you are part of a community rather than just one person in a big city: you will get to know ‘country hospitality’ first hand.
Specialty course offerings
Regional areas provide opportunities for secondary school, English language study, TAFE, private colleges and University. Campuses in regional cities offer a wide range of disciplines, many of which are tailored to the strengths of the local area. You might find that campus in Adelaide’s Barossa Valley offers a specialty winemaking degree, a campus in Far North Queensland features a range of tropical studies or that campus on the New South Wales coast specialises in marine biology. There are also a number of medical and dental schools in regional areas, training students to (hopefully) take up jobs in these regions.
A community feel
You will find that regional university campuses are smaller, which usually means that there is a real community feel and that it is easier to meet and get to know people. Most other students will be living in the same area as well, so it will be easy to catch up with friends after class. At a regional campus, it is a lot harder to get lost in the crowd and it is likely that you will feel very welcomed, meaning that you can expect to settle into your new study and living environment in no time.
Discover the ‘real Australia’
Australia is famous around the world for the beauty of its natural environment. From tropical rainforests and snow-covered mountains to white sandy beaches, rolling hills, red deserts and the iconic ‘bush’, Australia really does have it all. Regional campuses are the best places to really explore Australia’s natural environment out of the city. You will have a chance to get to know the country and take up the amazing lifestyle opportunities that it offers.
Additional opportunities for migration
If you are thinking about applying for permanent residency in Australia once your studies are over, living and studying in a regional area will give you a distinct advantage.
International graduates with a bachelor or higher qualification from a ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’ of Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart regional campus of a registered institution will be eligible to access additional year in Australia on a post-study work visa. In other words, after completion of your two years, higher education studies from any of the above-stated areas when you apply for SC485 Post Study Work Visa instead of just 2 years will be granted 3 years visa.
On the other hand, you will be granted with 4 years Post Study Work Visa SC485 if you study in ‘Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas’.
The post-study work visa for 3 or 4 years will enable you to gain additional points. For instance, for working 1 year on your nominated occupation you can claim 5 points whereas working for 3 years you can claim 10 points. Meanwhile, you may also want to improve your English test score- for instance instead of claiming 10 points for IELTS 7-7-7-7 you may want to claim 20 points by securing a score of 8-8-8-8.
Studying in a regional area for two years will grant you five extra points in the DOHA points test for skilled migration visa applications. Also, you would most likely meet the state sponsorship requirements for SC190 PR or else at least gain an additional 15 points towards SC491 visa.
Do you want to know more about studying in regional Australia? Contact Pace Migration now and call us on 0434 123 123 for a quick chat or email us on [email protected] to book an appointment to have a consultation with our migration agent.
Thanks for reading!
sources: studiesinaustralia, overseasstudentsaustralia, studiesinaustralia and DOHA
