OVERSEAS STUDY STILL 0N BOOKS
COVID-19 is not deterring students who are keen to study overseas, writes Lauren Ahwan
AUSTRALIANS are still seeking out international study experiences to add to their resumes, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Education USA country co-ordinator Samantha Jackson says COVID-19 has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of those applying to study overseas, with tens of thousands still going ahead with enrolments at US colleges.
A small number have deferred their travel plans and are either tak
ing an extended gap year or doing a semester of remote study from Australia, with intentions to move to the US later, Jackson says.
“The lockdown in Victoria has forced that student cohort to stay (in Australia) and defer their plans,’’ she says.
“But we have seen a lot of other students proceed as planned.
“We’ve had more people go (to the US for study) than people who have stayed home, to be honest.’’
Jackson says Australian students have been largely satisfied with COVID-19 precautions put in place by US colleges and universities and believe overseas study is still advantageous to their career.
She says prospective students should research their options, including enrolling at smaller liberal arts universities if they feel their safety may be compromised attending Ivy
League colleges that can attract up to 60,000 students on campus.
The number of Australians studying overseas is steadily increasing, with latest figures showing almost 50,000 students take up the option each year.
Universities in China and the US are the most popular for Australian students, followed by the UK.
Coronavirus restrictions mean all Australians must receive a Federal Government exemption to leave the country but Jackson is unaware of any applications to travel overseas for study being rejected.
While numerous pathways exist for those wanting to study at an overseas university, including the ATAR, Mercedes College curriculum and programmes director Ashley Coats says the International Baccalaureate Diploma “guarantees’’ eligibility.
Coats, who is also chair of
IB
Schools Australasia, says the Diploma requires students to study a second language, which can better prepare them for overseas learning.
“The IB Diploma is centred around independent learning, inquiry and critical thinking (and) students often realise the value of this course once they are studying at university,’’ he says.
Year 12 IB student Soobin Lee, 17, hopes to study a computer science degree in the UK and has already investigated his options at the University of Manchester, as well as King’s College and UCL in London.
He says the pandemic has done little to sway his plans. “I’m interested in studying at an overseas university to meet new people and expand my networks, experience a different culture, broaden career prospects and help to see the world from a new perspective,’’ he says.