For American students considering studying overseas, Australia can look like an attractive destination from a distance. But there is a difference between browsing university websites and imagining what life might actually be like on the other side of the world.
A new initiative from student accommodation provider Scape by The Living Company and digital youth careers platform Anyway is attempting to bridge that gap, giving two young Americans the opportunity to experience Sydney and get a taste of Australian university life before making any decisions about their future.
The competition has awarded American student Leo and his friend Nathaniel a two-week Sydney experience, including return flights with Qantas, accommodation at Scape and a student experience at UNSW.
The idea is to offer more than a holiday. By experiencing the city, student accommodation and university life firsthand, the pair can explore what studying in Australia might actually involve, from settling into a new home to making friends and finding their way around an unfamiliar city.
“It’s one thing to look at universities and watch videos about Australia online, but being here and experiencing it for yourself is completely different,” Leo says.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what everyday life is like, meeting people, exploring Sydney and getting a feel for what studying here could be like.”
Preparing for the move
The experience began before Leo and Nathaniel packed their bags. Entrants were required to complete learning modules through Anyway covering key aspects of studying in Australia, including the university system, visas, money management, arrival and everyday student life.
It is a practical approach to a decision that involves considerably more than choosing a course or comparing university rankings. For students contemplating an international move, the prospect of navigating unfamiliar systems, managing living costs and building a social network can be just as significant as the academic opportunity.
Anouk Darling, CEO of Student Living and Build to Rent at The Living Company, says helping students understand the realities of living in Australia is an important part of the international education journey.
“Choosing to study overseas is a significant decision, and students need to be able to picture more than just their university course. They want to understand where they’ll live, how they’ll build friendships and what their life outside the classroom could look like,” Ms Darling says.
“By combining practical education with a first-hand experience of Sydney, we’re helping prospective students explore those questions in a way that feels real and relatable.”
For Scape, the initiative also puts student accommodation firmly in the frame as part of the international student experience.
Finding somewhere to live is one of the first major challenges facing students moving overseas. A secure place to stay, opportunities to connect with other students and convenient access to university can all help make an unfamiliar environment feel more manageable.
“Student life extends well beyond the lecture theatre. Feeling connected, having a supportive environment and being able to explore the city around you all contribute to the experience of studying overseas,” Ms Darling says.
She also points to the involvement of Qantas and UNSW as helping bring the experience together, saying their support demonstrates the value of showing prospective students what life in Australia is really like.
Seeing student life beyond the brochure
Over the two weeks, Leo and Nathaniel will document their experience, from arriving in Sydney and settling into accommodation to exploring campus activities, student events and the city itself.
The focus is on the everyday details that can shape a student’s decision. How easy is it to get around? Where do students spend their time? What does the social scene look like? And how might someone build a community thousands of kilometres from home?
These are questions that university brochures and virtual campus tours can struggle to answer. First-hand experience offers a different perspective, helping prospective students connect the practicalities of relocating with the opportunities of studying abroad.
It also reflects the way younger audiences increasingly research major life decisions through digital content and the experiences of their peers. Watching someone navigate a new environment can make an unfamiliar destination feel more accessible, particularly for students who have never visited Australia.
There is, of course, a difference between spending two weeks in Sydney and committing to several years of study. A short visit cannot replicate the financial pressures, academic demands or adjustment challenges that come with a permanent move. But it can help turn an abstract possibility into something a prospective student can better understand.
Selling Australia as a student experience
The initiative highlights a broader point for Australia’s international education sector. Universities remain central to the country’s appeal, but the decision to study overseas is also shaped by everything surrounding the classroom: accommodation, transport, affordability, community, culture and the opportunities available outside study.
For Sydney, international students contribute to the character of university precincts and neighbourhoods, while supporting businesses across hospitality, retail and tourism. Helping prospective students understand what life in the city could offer is therefore about more than promoting individual institutions.
It is also an opportunity to introduce Australia to a new generation of potential students in a way that speaks to their interests and how they consume information.
For Leo and Nathaniel, the immediate task is to make the most of their two weeks, experience Sydney and discover whether studying here could be part of their future.
For the organisations behind the initiative, the hope is that a first-hand introduction can do what even the best marketing material cannot always achieve: help a prospective student picture themselves living here.
Sometimes, the first step towards an international education is not choosing a university. It is being able to imagine a life in another country and seeing enough of it to believe the move might be possible.
