queensland
queensland

Queensland is the second-largest and the third-most-populous state in the Australia. The state is located in the north-east of the country. The city shares border with Northern Territory in the west, with South Australia in the southwest and with the New South Wales in the South. On the eastern border lies the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

The Queensland is also known as the “Sunshine State” and is home to 10 of the Australia’s 30 largest cities. Brisbane is the capital and the largest city in the state. The state is also known to be the Australia’s third largest economy.

The Queensland is Australia’s holiday haven and offers beaches, jungles, reefs, friendly locals and an easy-going laid-back pace of life.

The major industry of the state is the tourism industry fuelled by the warm tropical climate of the region.

There are so many places and tourist attractions which you can explore over the weekends and in your free time. The state is home to the 2000-Km long Great Barrier Reef, hundreds of islands, surreal forests, and giant dunes. On the mainland, you will find bewitching national parks, sparkling lakes, and wildlife where you can find from cuddly Koalas to fearsome crocs. Brisbane and Surfers Paradise are full of skyscrapers and rest of the places are laid-back beach towns surrounded by the sugarcane fields basking under the sun.

Universities

The state is home to world-renowned universities. The University of Queensland was established in 1909 and is ranked among the top 100 universities in major global rankings of the world universities. James Cook University, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, Bond University, the Central Queensland University and the University of Southern Queensland, University of the Sunshine Coast, Southern Cross University and The Australian Catholic University are some other universities in the state.

Accommodation

When it comes to staying in Queensland, the accommodation cost is affordable as compared to the other states in the Australia. Generally, students either live in homestay accommodation with a local family or in a rental accommodation with other students. Some of the universities also provide a variety of accommodation as per the need and budget of the students.

Homestay accommodation will help you to learn about the culture of the Queensland and work on your English communication skills. You can also opt to stay in rental accommodations along with the other students and learn about their culture and gel with them.

The charges to stay in shared accommodation off-campus range between AUD$17,400 to AUD$25,920 per the calendar year. This cost will depend upon the area you choose to stay and the accommodation size and amenities offered.

Cost of Living

Average monthly expenses in AUD
 Single student living on-campusSingle student living off-campus* (commercial private provider)Single student living off-campus* (share house)
Rent**$1935 – $2580***$1075 – $1440$645 – $1075
Utilities – including gas, electricity and waterincluded in rentmost included in rent – check with individual provider$40 – $60
Foodincluded in rent$400 – $500$400 – $500
Mobile phone$40 – $50$40 – $50$40 – $50
Internetincluded in rentmost included in rent$15 – $25
Public transport$25 – $45$80 – $100$80 – $100
Photocopying$30 – $50$30 – $50$30 – $50
Recreation$100 – $160$200 – $300$200 – $300
Total monthly expenses$2130 – $2885$1825 – $2440$1450 – $2160
9 months (36 week academic year)$19,170 – $25,965$16,425 – $21,960$13,050 – $19,440
12 months (52 week calendar year)N/A$21,900 – $29,280$17,400 – $25,920
Other annual expenses in AUD
Textbooks and study materials (depending on program of study)$500 – $850
Clothing/personal$600 – $1500
Health (dental/medicine not covered by OSHC)$520 – $1300

*Based on sharing a common household with 2 other people within 30 minutes distance to the university.

**Rent will vary upon the location and .number of students sharing.

***This cost may vary from institution to institution.

Travel and Transport

Queensland is well-connected via a number of National Highways and motorways. Pacific National and Queensland Rail provide the rail services in the state. The major seaports of the region are the Port of Brisbane and subsidiary ports of Gladstone, Bundaberg, and Townsville.

Brisbane Airport is the major International & domestic getaway whereas the Gold Coast Airport, Townsville Airport, and Cairns International Airports are the other prominent airports serving the state. There are other Domestic airports which serve the state and connect the region with domestic airlines.

Also, the South East Queensland has well-connected public transportation system and provides bus, train, light rail, and ferry services through Translink. The major benefit of the fare system of Translink is that a person can use a single ticket across all modes for the same price regardless of the no. of transfers made on the trip.

Part-Time Job

Students can go for a part-time or casual job as per the rules of the visa acquired. As the state is a famous tourist destination, there are a number of umpteen cafes, bars, restaurants and nightclubs where students can work for part-time and earn while studying in the Queensland.

Queensland is a gateway to great career opportunities with many career advantages. The state is close to the growing markets of the world as it is at the crossroads of the Asia-Pacific region. The region is home to the world-renowned tourist cities, resources, agriculture, construction and education industries and also an emerging research & bio-industries sector.

Entertainment

The “Sunshine State” has something for everyone – live sport, music and festivals, art and culture events. You can witness one or the other event being staged throughout the year.

Brisbane is the major town and is a dazzling patchwork of different cultural neighborhoods. One can find bohemian West End, affluent Paddington; exclusive New Farm; party-central Fortitude Valley and a lot more. The Gold coast, night clubs, and surf clubs are the other entertainment hubs of the town.

There is so much for an outdoor adventurer person including Great Barrier Reef, white-water river rafting &easy going kayaking along the coast. You can go for a Bushwalking for the delight of your eyes. The sights are mesmerizing and breath-taking beautiful. You can always indulge yourself in great adventures like surfing, skydiving, fishing, mountain-biking, and hang-gliding.

Food and Shopping

One of the biggest advantages of living in Queensland is that her you experience the most multicultural environment in the world. You can find all the cuisines of the world here and many multicultural events are organized throughout the year. You can find some great seafood and the best beer and wines of the world in the Queensland.

Climate

One can experience the substantial variation in the climate across the state because of its size. In the West and Inland, the rainfall is low and summers are hot & humid, far north is known for monsoonal “wet” season and the coastal line experience warm temperate conditions. In South-east elevated areas, temperatures fall down below freezing in the mid-winter.

However, the population of the Queensland experience two weather seasons i.e. a “winter” period with mild to warm temperatures & minimal rainfall, & sultry summer of hot, sticky temperatures with higher levels of rainfall.