5 Things No One Told You About Being a Malaysian Studying Abroad in Australia

Did you know that Australia is the most popular study destination amongst Malaysians? Over 26,000 Malaysians call Australia their study home, thanks to their quality of education, diverse culture and laid-back lifestyle.

The decision to move overseas can feel overwhelming, but the opportunity to study in a foreign country is one of the most incredible experiences! Of course, there is more to Australian student life than what the University brochures make known. Therefore, we’ve compiled a few things no one told you about studying in Australia as told by Malaysians students who are currently there.

1. There are a lot of amazing perks!

One of the best things about being a student is getting loads of discounts! Whether you’re in need of new clothes, textbooks, a movie night or even a cup of coffee, make sure you’re taking advantage of every student discount available to you.

• International Student Identity Card (ISIC): Being the biggest internationally-recognised student IDs, the ISIC card not only provides discounts within Australia, but you can also use it in over 130 countries weh!
• StudentVIP: This platform lets you buy used textbooks and sell them after your course is done! You can also access tutors, notes, campus maps and student events!
• UniDAYS: Want to shop some top clothing brands but on a budget? This platform provides student discounts on top clothing brands such as Urban Outfitters, ASOS, Topshop and more!

And if you are thinking of studying in Adelaide in 2019, StudyAdelaide is running a student ambassador competition that will give you a bunch of amazing perks – including AUD $1,500! That’s about RM4,500! 

Pretty sweet huh? To find out more and to apply for the competition, click here.

2. You might end up working part-time and it’s totally worth it

Source: curtinuniversity

In Australia, international students are allowed to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight, unless you’re on semester break – then you’re allowed to work unlimited hours. Awesome right?

Just recently, the Australian government passed a law to increase the minimum wage by 3.5%, meaning students can earn a minimum of $18.93 (RM58) per hour by just working part-time! That means you can earn up to at LEAST RM4,560 a month just by working part-time!

3. There are more Asians in Aussie than you think

You may have this mental image of Australia as being a land full of Ang Mohs looking like Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth. However, you’d be surprised by how many Asians there are living in the Land Down Under. In fact, people of Asian origin actually make up more than 15% of Australia’s population or approximately 2.6 million!

Adding to the fact that there are almost 140,000 Malaysians living in Australia, it makes adjusting and settling to student life there a lot easier.

4. Everyone wants the D!

Source: thestandard

And by D, we mean distinction! One of the first things you’ll notice when you study in Australia is the grading system. Unlike the grading system we have here in Malaysia, ‘D’ is actually a really good grade!

Here’s a table of the most common grading system used in Australia:

Source: scholaro

So, if you get a ‘D’ for your exams, don’t freak out! Instead, celebrate the achievements with your friends!

5. You’ll feel satisfied, even if you don’t get the D

Source: theaustralian

According to the 2017 Student Experience Survey, almost 8 out of 10 students or a whopping 79% rated the quality of their whole experience studying in Australia very positively! In fact, another survey in 2016 shows that 9 out of 10 students were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their experience of living and studying in Australia.

Cross-referencing that with data from the International Student Barometer panel, the student satisfaction scores for Australia are higher than for the US, Canada, UK and New Zealand.

Besides that, most students mentioned the temporary graduate visa entitlement after graduation as a contributing factor to their high satisfaction level. This means that great career opportunities in Australia are within your grasp right after finishing your studies without having to worry about immigration.

After going through all these points, we can definitely see why the Land Down Under is the most popular study destination for Malaysians!

Do you have any other unique experiences about studying in Australia that many may not know about? Share them with us in the comments section and have a good day, mate!