STUDY IN SYDNEY
What's in this student city guide?
Quick facts about Sydney
📍 State
New South Wales
📆 Established
1788
🌆 Area
12,368 km2
👪 Population
5.1 Million
🌥 Climate
Humid Subtropical
👋 Welcome to Sydney
Australia’s premier city welcomes a large number of students each year with open arms. Sydney is full of adventure with lots of man-made and natural wonders. This city never stops to surprise.
Sydney is Australia’s most populous and largest city. Here is a student guide about study in Sydney. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Reasons to Study in Sydney
🌤 Weather
Hot summers and gentle mild winters attracts lots of international students in Sydney. There are plenty of outdoor activities like riding a bicycle, surfing in Bondi Beach that can be done in Sydney
🎢 Attractions
Sydney is home to the world famous attractions like the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains, Bondi Beach and there is much more than that.
💼 Job Opportunities
There are plenty of job opportunities available for students during and after their studies as 45% of the 500 top Australian companies are based in Sydney.
🚍 Public Transport
Sydney’s vast public transport makes it easier for students to travel around the city, suburbs and surroundings. Trams, Trains, buses and ferries are all part of Sydney’s public transport system.
🌎 World class education
Sydney has been rated as the 9th best student city in the world as per QS Best Student Cities. The world class universities are one of the top reasons for students to choose Sydney
🎨 Diverse culture
Approximately 32% of Sydney’s population is born outside Australia which makes it a very diverse city. You can expect to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures.
💡 Did you know?
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is nicknamed “The Coathanger” because of its arch-based design.
Universities and Vocational Education in Sydney
🏛 Universities in Sydney
Here is a list of Sydney based universities in Australia:
📒 Universities with Satellite campus
Apart from the universities listed above, there are campuses of Charles Darwin University, Central Queensland University, Curtin University, La Trobe University, Torrens University, University of Wollongong, University of Newcastle and University of New England in Sydney.
✍ TAFE and other education providers
For students interested in studying vocational programs in Sydney, TAFE NSW is the main choice for TAFE.
But there are many other private education providers providing high quality training programs to international students in Sydney.
Monthly Cost of Living in Sydney
🏠 Rent
$1000
🍔 Food
$600
🚌 Transport
$200
🔌 Utilities
$200
🎉 Others
$150
💵 Total
$2150
⚠ Disclaimer
The prices are expressed in Australian Dollars for each month. The figures are for single student in a shared living setting. The figures are gathered from various sources, talking with students, our team experiences and provide general guidelines. The cost of living in Sydney can vary based on your lifestyle, type of accommodation, personal choice and many other factors.
Transport in Sydney
📌 How to get to Sydney city from airport?
Sydney, being the largest city in Australia, has the largest airport in Australia.
There are hundreds of flights flying into Sydney from all across the globe.
You can reach the inner Sydney central in 13 mins using Airlink train services.
You can also reach your destination in Sydney via bus, shuttle, taxi, driving or booking a rental car from airport.
There are plenty of options to choose from to travel to or from Sydney airport.
🚌 Public Transport
Sydney has one of the best public transport systems in Australia with trains, ferries, light trains and buses connecting the various parts of the city and surrounding areas. You will need an ‘Opal card’ when travelling on public transport in Sydney. You can use this card on any of the public transport including regional trains and coaches.
You will need to load this card with funds before travelling and “tap on and off” when getting on and off the public transport. You can top up this card online or using an app or at any of over 2,100 retailers. The average cost of travelling on public transport can be between $45 to $50 per week.
🚖 Other Transport & Concessions
There are plenty of taxi and ride sharing services available in Sydney. Electric bikes are also getting popular in the city.
Only overseas students who have received Australian Government scholarships or exchange places are eligible for concessions on public transport, while all other overseas students have to pay full fare in Sydney.
Although, some tertiary institutes provide MyMulti passes offering up to 35 percent discount.
💡 Did you know?
The cost of building the Sydney Opera House was estimated at $7 million but it ended up at $102 million instead.
Key Events During The Year in Sydney
🏞 January
Sydney Festival
Enjoy Sydney’s annual cultural celebration of arts, theatre, music, dance, and more, and the best part is that many of these quality events are free.
🌈 February
Sydney Mardi Gras
The annual LGBTQ pride festival is held in Sydney every second Thursday in February, and is one of biggest draws for domestic and international tourists.
🎪 April
Sydney Royal Easter Show
Since 1823, this annual show has been giving Sydney a taste of the rustic side with agriculture, animals, carnival rides, and more.
🎫 December
Sydney’s New Year’s Eve
Sydney’s New year eve is iconic event for the year and it is a world-famous event that you can’t afford to miss out.
🎧 June
Vivid Sydney
Witness this festival of lights, animation, and music in Sydney, the largest in Australia and famous all over the world.
Free Things to do in Sydney
🌉 Sydney Harbour Bridge
Enjoy a free stroll over this majestic ‘coat-hanger’ bridge, which opened in 1932. Stairs and lifts are available from both ends and the walkway is available on the eastern side (the western side for bikers).
It is quite enormous and visible even from different parts of the city. But that’s a given, as it is the biggest steel arch bridge in the world.
📷 Circular Quay
This location is Sydney’s centerpiece that connects the iconic attractions like Harbour Bridge and Opera house.
Although it also serves as a ferry terminal and commuters’ hub, one can easily say that it definitely takes the cake as the next most Instagrammable part of the city next to the Harbour Bridge.
🌳 Royal Botanic Gardens
The oldest botanical garden in Australia is situated in the heart of Sydney.
Apart from a variety of plants, picturesque walkways, and leisurely strolls, it also offers festivals and special events throughout Sydney.
🎭 Art Galleries
Whether you’re an art connoisseur or not, Sydney has its doors open to lure you into the art world exclusive of any charges.
Explore the art gallery of New South Wales or Museum of Contemporary art for both indigenous and overseas works without paying a cent.
🏫 Local markets
Take a tour of Sydney’s own local bazaars like Paddington market or the Rocks over the weekend and explore the local crafts and fashions spread out over countless stalls and unique to their own locality.
Entry is free.
🏁 Other places to explore
Apart from the list above, there are many other places to explore and visit in Sydney. Here are some of them:
Gold Coast
Melbourne
Perth
Adelaide
Sydney
Darwin
Brisbane
Canberra
Hobart
Newcastle
Geelong
Wollongong
Sunshine Coast
Cairns