The University of the Sunshine Coast

I chose USC because it was in an English speaking country and I had only heard really good things about it. I was also attracted to the beaches and the scenery. I am studying Gender and Culture, Food and Society, and History of Australian Popular Culture. Gender and Culture is my favourite because it is closest to Psychology which is my major. I like the organisation of the school and I like learning from a different cultural perspective. I feel I'm more aware of a completely different part of the world. I like that classes are only once a week and I enjoy tutorials because I get a chance to understand the lectures better. I live at UniCentral and I like it a lot. The staff are helpful and maintenance are helpful and I like the people that live there too. It's fun to play sports here like basketball and tennis, and I really like volleyball at Varsity (student accommodation). I also enjoy the local night clubs. USC is a great school, people are helpful and the classes are interesting, it's just a great thing to further your education around the world!

I always wanted to visit Australia and I had always heard positive things about USC. I don't live near the beach at home and liked that USC was located close to the beach. Language and terms used are different to home and people say G'day instead of hello when you pass them - there are even kangaroos on campus. The USC campus is a place where I have met people from all over the world - Germany, Mexico, Japan, France, and China. My roommates and I are all from different countries and we are always sharing and laughing at our differences. My favourite course is Sport Psychology - it is very interesting, the lecturer is excellent and the tutorial is presented in an effective way that really captures my attention. I like the tutorials because they're the size of my classes back home. IR sets up trips for us and gives us a monthly activity sheet that has helped me see other parts of Australia. The activities are convenient, I just have to sign-up, pack my bags and go. It's nice not to have to set up the trip myself. Words cannot express the positive experience, it's something you need to experience first-hand.

I looked at several schools in Australia before choosing USC. I was attracted to the beautiful beaches and loved the fact there was a nature reserve in the area. I also love that there are kangaroos on the campus. I was able to transfer the courses for my degree and receive sufficient help with my studies when I need it the most. I love meeting new people from around the world. It is so awesome how you can relate with so many people and you become friends so quickly. The staff at IR are so helpful. I had problems with my overseas health insurance and they worked with me and helped get it all fixed. Also I had to apply for a permission to work visa and they guided me through the steps and made it a very easy process. Anytime I need help, I know that I can go to IR and find someone that is more than happy to help me with my problem. So far I have enjoyed all of my courses. My Tourism class is very different from any class I have taken at my home university, the Business Law class is very interesting, and the Indigenous Australia course is eye-opening to the circumstances of the Indigenous people of Australia. It is hard to pick a favourite course because I enjoy them all. I participated in the Fraser Island trip and the tour around the Sunshine Coast. I will be attending other IR activities such as the Barrier Reef trip and others. So far all of these experiences have been unforgettable and I would love to relive them again and again. It was great sharing such wonderful experiences with the friends you meet while at USC. I enjoy learning to surf and going on scuba diving trips. Also, I really enjoy shopping at the Plaza (Sunshine Plaza)! There is so much to do on the Sunshine Coast. I participated in a shark dive which is available to certified and non-certified divers! That was an experience that I will never forget. Also, USC is not far from Brisbane which has tons to offer! I am living at UniCentral and I love it. You become friends with so many people and you don't have far to go if you want to talk or hang out with someone. You are never bored there.

I really wanted to do an exchange semester and while I was browsing through the alternatives my first choice fell on the University of the Sunshine Coast. USC provided the most suitable courses for me and Australia is a fascinating country providing very different kinds of exotic activities, like for example surfing. I also preferred to go to an English speaking country to improve my English. My favourite course so far has probably been the Introduction to Sports Medicine. I like it because it is quite a practical course and I will most certainly benefit from the knowledge I gain in this course personally as an athlete and also in my work with athletes in the future. At USC I do four courses simultaneously. The compulsory tutorials are a bit 'strange' for me, but not in a negative way. They are beneficial in that they provide an opportunity to ask questions in small groups and also help you get to know your classmates and teachers better. What I also find is that the teachers here 'take care of you' quite well. Before I arrived on the Sunshine Coast they always answered my emails and questions, which was indeed very helpful. That made the arrival really easy and the airport transfer organised by International Relations was really appreciated. It feels good to know that if you have any problems or don't know what to do you can always turn to IR for help. The atmosphere in Australia is literally 'no worries'. People do not seem too stressed and seem generally more caring and friendly down here. USC is a nice University with a good location. I personally love the sunshine. Everything is so much easier when the sun is shining. You get the chance to become more independent and discover more about yourself and develop many of your skills, like social and language skills, and you gain an understanding for cultural differences. Australia is an amazing country with so much to see that there is no way you can be bored here.

I was told about the beautiful year-round weather on the Sunshine Coast and that the beach and other attractions were easy to get to. Also we were told that the school was small and very accommodating for international students. Because I come from a small school at home, USC seemed a good fit for an international experience. I have learned about animals that I see on a daily basis here at USC, many of which exist only in Australia. It is cool to see animals that I wouldn't see in any other parts of the world, and having an understanding of their characteristics makes the experience so much better. On my walk back from class one day, I saw a family of kangaroos feeding. I just sat down on the grass for half an hour watching them eat and interact with one another. There is more independence when it comes to studying here at USC. At home there are more exams and assignments due during the semester which helps keep a student on track with their study throughout the semester. At USC one must pace their own studying schedule. I'm staying at Varsity Apartments (student accommodation) and am enjoying the experience. The facilities are nice and the atmosphere is very community-like. Most of the people I have met are people who live in the same complex. I also enjoy the organised activities like volleyball on Fridays. I enjoy going to the beach or walking on the (Mooloolaba) Esplanade. The scenery is beautiful whether you're lying on the beach, or watching the water while enjoying a cup of coffee on the Esplanade. I also enjoy going to the zoo and aquarium and seeing all the animals. The entire experience is fun! Classes are interesting, especially those that focus on Australian subjects such as pop culture and wildlife. The community atmosphere at the student accommodation is great for meeting other international students.

USC is an environmentally friendly school and most people living here are very kind, it is a very good place to study English and make good friends. In Korea I don't need to attend tutorials, in fact there is no tutorial in my home institute, but the amount of assignment volume at USC is less than that of my home institute, Ajou University. In Communication and Thought I can learn very useful ways to write an essay and prepare for good school life. I am sure that it can help me to have good strategy and preparation when entering a graduate school after I get back to Korea. They counselled me very kindly when I asked something. We talked to each other face to face. They always pay attention to my English and sometimes speak in English slowly to help my understanding. I am staying at UniCentral. This place is rather quiet and gives me the opportunity to meet many Aussie friends. In particular, this accommodation is very adequate to Asian people who want to study English.