Looking for entertainment on your long bus ride to campus? Keen to learn something new? Or just interested in Australian culture? It might be time to turn on a podcast.
With over three million podcasts out there in the world, it’s pretty hard to know where to start! Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. From history to news, comedy to conversations, let’s take a look at some of the best podcasts for international students in Australia.
The Imperfects
Genre: Mental health and wellbeing
Aussie brothers Hugh and Josh van Cuylenberg and comedian Ryan Shelton team up to interview interesting Australians about their imperfections. By opening up and sharing their stories of insecurity, vulnerability and struggle, The Imperfects shows that everyone is going through something, whether we can see it from the outside or not.
Recent guests include activist Chanel Contos, cricketer Pat Cummins and musician and actor Tim Minchin.
Unwind with Divya
Genre: Mental health
Divya is a recent nursing graduate from India, now living and working in Australia. Her podcast dives into the international student experience and life after university, as well as topics considered taboo or stigmatised within the South Asian Community. Relatable and friendly, Unwind with Divya hopes to create a safe space for anyone just trying to navigate life.
The Daily Aus
Genre: News
If you’re looking for a quick rundown of Australian and world news, you can’t go past the Daily Aus podcast. Hosts Sam and Zara squeeze the biggest news stories into ten-minute episodes every weekday morning, making them easy for young people to understand.
Yarning Up
Genre: First Nations culture
If you’re interested in learning about Australia’s First Nations community, Yarning Up is a great place to start. Host and Mbarbrum woman Caroline Kell holds engaging and heartfelt conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, activists, artists and thinkers from all over Australia, allowing listeners to learn about First Nations history, issues and stories.
Being Biracial
Genre: Culture
Hosts Kate and Maria come together to chat about navigating the world as a mixed-race person, featuring weekly interviews with unique guests. Their unique topics of discussion include family history, growing up feeling different, race and body image, among many others. Season 2 has just started, so you can look forward to a new episode every week.
The Australian Finance Podcast
Genre: Money
Hoping to finally start saving some money in 2024? Kate and Owen of the Australian Finance Podcast can help you out. From topics like investing, sticking to savings goals and having conversations about money with your partner, this podcast gives you knowledge and simple strategies that are easy to action.
Dr Karl Podcast
Genre: Science
Dr Karl’s Science Hour on radio station, Triple J, is their longest-running segment (it’s been going since 1981!) and for good reason! Every Thursday, Australian icon Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and cohost Lucy answer listener questions, solving the mysteries of the world with science.
Recent topics include: What does space smell like? Does drinking lots of water make you sweat more? And could you sunbathe on the moon?
Conversations
Genre: Australian culture
The ABC radio show, Conversations, has been running for fifteen years. Each weekday, presenters, Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, interview an Aussie — either well-known or a regular local — who has done ‘amazing things’ and has a story to share. The fifty-minute podcast is intimate, eye-opening and, like all the entries on this list, free to listen to.
Hamish and Andy
Genre: Comedy
Hamish and Andy are a popular Australian comedy duo who have entertained audiences on radio and television since 2003. Their podcast is an opportunity for light entertainment at the end of a busy day. Like The Zest is History, Hamish and Andy’s podcast is full of Australian lingo, allowing you to ‘switch off’ your ears and brain, and listen to some easy-going banter between two good mates.
Grammar Girl
Genre: Language and education
There are lots of educational podcasts for students out there that can help you with your studies, such as Grammar Girl. This isn’t an Australian podcast (so be careful, because some of the advice will be about American English, not Australian English), but it’s full of tips and tricks for international students. Grammar Girl (real name Mignon Fogarty) is your ‘friendly guide to the English language’, providing tips on punctuation, spelling and style — for both native English speakers and second language learners. Episodes run from 10 to 20 minutes and are released weekly.
Some tertiary institutions in Australia produce international student podcasts, so keep an eye out for those. For even more listening suggestions, check out this list.
Has this list got you thinking about making your own podcast? If you have an idea that excites you, our advice would be to go for it! After all, anyone can start up their own podcast for free – and you could be educating or entertaining listeners in no time.
