As an international student in Australia, choosing the right education provider is a crucial decision. Maybe you’re finishing your undergraduate course and you’re looking for the best university to pursue your postgraduate studies. Maybe you’re feeling like your current education provider isn’t the right fit and it’s time to start a new chapter. Regardless of your situation, there’s one tool that can help with the transition: open days.
Open days are events during which education providers invite prospective students to visit and explore campus. Open days are typically packed with informative and interactive events and activities, from information sessions to campus tours to live performances. While many universities offer hybrid open days (meaning you can attend virtually or in person), attending these events face-to-face if you’re already in Australia is an awesome way to figure out which education provider is best suited to your goals.
Let’s take a look at the top 7 best reasons to attend open days as an international student.
1. Familiarise yourself with the campus and its facilities
No matter which education provider you choose, one thing is for certain: you’re going to spend a lot of time on campus. So, it’s important to know what to expect from the environment, how to get around and what kinds of facilities will be available to you, such as libraries, cafés and laboratories.
Campus tours are extremely common at open days. In most cases, they will be led by student ambassadors who will guide you around the grounds and explain the facilities on offer. You may even learn some fun facts about the campus and its history, which can make these tours more interesting.
2. Explore your study options
Not 100% sure what you’d like to study? Attending open days might just help you find your answer.
Open days are incredibly beneficial for narrowing down your study options because they showcase courses across a wide range of disciplines. Many universities feature information sessions specifically about each of their faculties and/or programs. For instance, Australia’s #1 university, Australian National University (ANU), will host an array of information sessions throughout its open day on 3 September 2022. Australian Catholic University (ACU) will be doing the same at its on-campus open day, taking place on 20 August 2022. Some examples of faculties in the spotlight will include arts, teaching, medical studies (including paramedicine and nursing) and engineering.
Read more: How to Choose the Right Course for Your Future
3. Get advice directly from the university community
When you attend open days, you’ll usually have ample opportunities to chat directly with enrolled students (both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels) and hear their firsthand experience of what it’s like to study there. It’s an informal, no-pressure way to gain insight into what you can expect from life and study at a given university.
Oftentimes, you can even go a step further and ask members of the university community for guidance based on your personal situation. For example, the University of Canberra (UC) – which is hosting its open day on 3 September 2022 – will feature a Postgraduate Information Hub where prospective postgraduate students can book one-on-one consultations with an academic in their field. By participating, you’ll learn more about your study options and services available at UC while enjoying free refreshments.
4. Discover scholarships
If you’re concerned about the financial aspect of studying internationally, exploring your scholarship options can ease your mind. Most open days feature information sessions on scholarships, both institutional and government-provided. By attending one (or several!) of these information sessions at open days, you’ll learn all about the available scholarships, the relevant eligibility criteria, and how to write a stand-out application.
5. Interact with your future instructors
Professors and other faculty members have plenty of insights to offer when it comes to study pathways, campus culture and career prospects. Visiting an open day can often allow you to engage with these experts before you actually enrol. In a sense, you’re getting a sneak peek at who you’d be learning from if you were to attend that institution and what kind of expertise they have to offer. Plus, if you interact with faculty members at an open day, they’ll be more likely to remember you if you enrol in one of their courses in the future.
6. Network with your peers and make new friends
When you check out an open day, you’ll be joined by many other prospective students, both domestic and international. So, embrace the opportunity to get to know them! Chatting with fellow attendees is a great way to network and make new friends. Plus, if you both end up enrolling at that institution, you’ll have a familiar face on campus. This is ideal as it can help ease any nerves you may have at the start of your studies. Additionally, if you’d like to start a study group or attend an O-Week event with a buddy, you can always ask the peers you met at the open day.
7. Give yourself peace of mind
Your education is a significant investment. As a result, it’s important to feel confident that you’re choosing the right education provider. By attending open days and comparing your options, you’ll know that you explored all your potential pathways to the fullest.
Learn more about your study options in Canberra by attending the 2022 Tertiary Open Days. Complete with enriching experiences and informative activities (available in-person and virtually), you can explore some of Australia’s finest institutions in the heart of Australia’s capital. Discover more about Canberra Open Days via the Study Canberra website.
