Fast-track graduate studies in Australia
Bond University’s accredited programs recognized in Canada
When Victoria Zavitz decided to change careers a few years after graduating from university with a business degree, she was eager to begin the next chapter of her life. Attending Bond University on Australia’s picturesque Gold Coast and steps from pristine beaches allowed her to do that.
“I was able to start law school within six months of my decision to become a lawyer,” says the University of Western Ontario graduate. “With its fast-track program, I could complete my law degree in two years. Bond also knew the process of returning to Canada to work, which gave me peace of mind.”
Australia’s first private non-profit university, Bond runs three full semesters a year, allowing students to complete their studies sooner, and offers intakes in January, May and September. It’s ranked in the Top 20 of the world’s best small universities and is consistently ranked No. 1 in Australia for student experience.
As part of Bond’s rigorous Juris Doctor curriculum, students learn essential practical skills — such as legal research and reasoning, legal writing and drafting, and dispute resolution and collaboration — in simulated legal environments and state-of-the-art facilities.
Zavitz completed an exchange program to Australia during her undergraduate studies and was thrilled to return. Just a month after graduating in December, she landed a job in her hometown with a lawyer who also studied at Bond and recently began articling. “I know two different jurisdictions of law, which brings a unique perspective to my work,” she says. “Attending Bond was such a great experience. I can’t imagine doing it any other way.”
Bond also boasts innovative programs in a range of health-related disciplines and professions. It works closely with partners — including hospitals, health-service providers and community groups — to produce career-ready graduates with the leadership skills needed to improve local, national and global health and wellbeing.
That appealed to Derek Ng. Armed with a University of British Columbia degree in kinesiology, he’s now completing the two-year Master of Occupational Therapy Program at Bond. “The thing that put Bond on my radar was the small class sizes,” says Ng, who appreciates his professors’ open-door policy.
“You can tell you’re not just another student in their eyes and they genuinely want you to do well. They also continue to practise so the examples they bring to class are very real and at times, very challenging. Some of the leaders in the industry are involved in the program as well, so the information is very up to date.”
Ng values the priority Australians place on worklife balance and appreciates the benefits of studying in another country. “I think it’s always helpful to learn about different cultures in their natural environments. Bond was unique in that it’s an international university so you’re exposed to many other cultures, not just Australia’s.
“My program did a lot of comparisons of cultures, specifically how the profession is practised,” he says. “I think that was the most beneficial thing for me studying overseas, since I plan on going
It’s a lifechanging experience in terms of taking people out of their comfort zone and teaching them valuable skills and all about themselves.
back to Canada to work. It gives me a different lens to look through.”
In addition to offering on-campus residence, Bond offers assistance to international students through its international office, as well as a buddy program and disability support services. “We want people thinking about their graduate study options to know Bond is a great place to study,” says Stuart Floyd, International Regional Manager of Bond International in Ontario.
“Accredited Australian programs are better recognized by accreditation bodies in Canada than degrees from elsewhere…It’s a life-changing experience in terms of taking people out of their comfort zone and teaching them valuable skills and all about themselves. When they return home to get a job, they stand head and shoulders above the rest and it’s really obvious to employers.”