Picture yourself on a coastal walk overlooking waves crashing against Sydney’s shoreline, indulging in Asian-inspired dishes from winding street markets, listening to the rhythm of 250+ languages, and studying Aboriginal culture at CAPA’s Sydney center at the TAFE NSW Sydney Institute. With a bit of preparation, this can become your reality. CAPA’s team of study abroad experts and travel enthusiasts are excited to help you on your way, making sure first that you know how to study abroad! With a checklist in hand, going from considering what your life could look like in Australia to breathing the salty ocean air will seem much more achievable.

First, there will be some admin: application forms, applying for a passport, chatting with your advisor and considering an internship, among other things. You’ll want to plan a budget to make sure you have enough dollars to last the duration of your Australian study abroad adventure. Think about scholarships and any other finance options available. Once you’re accepted, it’s time to think about what to pack. Then hop over and look at our blog for solid budgeting tips from our finance team, a list of helpful apps and inspirational Sydney stories.

Sydney has well over 100 beaches and dozens of coastal walks. The ocean and stunning shores play a central role in this experience. But it’s not all sand and seashells. Sydney is a multicultural society home to people from more than 120 different nationalities. It’s a global business hub named the “innovation and technology capital of Australia” and a nucleus of activity for the start-up community.

You’ll learn about Aboriginal heritage, pet koalas, and let your curiosity lead you through the buzzing markets where the cultural connections with Asian Pacific countries are easily apparent. Explore the city’s many charming neighborhoods, from the youthful King Street to the Central Business District, and don’t miss tourist favorites like the famous Sydney Opera House. Rugby, swimming, and surfing are also popular and there’s a high appreciation for creativity in art, music, and theater. Locals love an active but laid-back lifestyle and are often outdoors enjoying the beautifully scenic environment and great weather. Connect with Sydneysiders through an internship and mingle between classes at university to appreciate a local’s perspective on life. If you’d like to extend your trip further afield, you’re in an excellent place to organize international travel in the region.

Vegemite. Tim Tams. Lamingtons. Anzac biscuits. If you’re studying abroad in Sydney, you’ll encounter all these classic Australian snacks. When it comes to meals, Sydneysiders love a bit of beetroot on their hamburgers, meat pies (possibly topped with mushy peas), sausage rolls and barbecue. Unusual to an American palate, tastes like emu and kangaroo feature on menus. If you love Asian Pacific flavors, you’ll be spoiled with the abundance of choice from Malaysian, Vietnamese, Thai, Taiwanese, Chinese, Javanese, and Japanese, to Sri Lankan and Indonesian food. Also widely available, as expected in a coastal city, is the fresh seafood. Try barramundi, John Dory fillets, fish and chips with chicken salt on the beach, or freshly-cooled fish from the markets. For sweet treats, try the pavlova, gelato, or milkshakes. 

If you’re heading out to eat, ask CAPA Sydney staff or local students at the university for restaurant recommendations or see top picks from CAPA alumni on our blog. Cooking as a student is affordable and easy when you take advantage of places like Eveleigh, Glebe and the Sydney Fish Markets.

Sydney is a beautiful city, both outdoors and in. We’ll start by mentioning those world famous beaches. From Bondi, where you’ll find the Instagram famous pool that’s home to the Bondi Icebergs Club, to Bronte with its enclosed rock pool. Want to watch the surfers or take lessons yourself? Manly beach is your spot. Want something more relaxing? Coogee beach is perfect for swimming and picnicking, or head out to Bilgola Beach for a quieter experience. If you prefer to stay on dry land and admire the ocean views, try a cliff walk, seaplane ride, ferry trip, or even the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. Wake up early for a sunrise Kayak and Coffee Tour, then pry yourself away from the sun, sand, and sea to make time to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art or the White Rabbit Gallery. Music lovers can take a backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House, see an edgier performance at The Old Fitz, or catch a live gig at The Metro Theatre. For Nature lovers, make sure to relax at the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, spend a day at Taronga Zoo for koala cuddles, or take a train out to the Blue Mountains for stunning hikes.

There are many different types of scholarships, grants and finance options to explore that can help you reach your goal of studying abroad in Sydney. CAPA’s predeparture staff will be able to guide you in the right direction so you can decide which opportunities are best suited to your personal situation and find out how to apply.

We do our best make study abroad accessible to everyone and to provide funding to those who need it. Need-based options include CAPA’s own need-based scholarship, the FEA-CAPA Access Scholarship, a grant from one of the colleges or universities who are affiliated with CAPA, and third-party options such as the Gilman Scholarship. CAPA also offers a blogger/vlogger grant that select students receive in exchange for creating content for our blog about their study abroad experience, a diversity advocate grant, an accommodations fund for students with disabilities and an HBCU grant for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. There are also many other study abroad scholarships available that are not direct CAPA initiatives. Research early as they usually require you to apply up to a year in advance. You may also be eligible to for financial aid.

Set yourself apart from your peers by interning abroad for credit in the coastal city of Sydney! You’ll develop new skills, learn how to effectively articulate these to grad schools and hiring managers, and positively impact your future career in a city ranked global elite in the 2018 Global Cities Index. You’ll collaborate with and learn from Sydneysiders in this Asia-Pacific business and finance hub, expand your professional network overseas, gain an international perspective on your field and an appreciation for diverse working cultures and practices in a global city.

CAPA’s internship program is well-established with a network of over 2,000 internship sites across the globe in private and nonprofit sectors and in just about every field. We work hard to place you somewhere that fits your academic major, personal interests and abilities. CAPA Sydney internship placements are available in more than 40 different fields and industries across Sydney. CAPA has established meaningful partnerships with a range of local, national, and international corporations and nonprofits where students can hone their professional skill sets. Internship placements are included in the cost of the CAPA Sydney program, so don’t miss out on a fantastic opportunity! Chat with an admissions advisor to learn more about the placement process and be sure to read about other CAPA Sydney students’ internship experiences on our blog.

Studying abroad in Sydney doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, credits or academic integrity. CAPA courses and faculty-led programs are rigorous; we run them in strict adherence to the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice. You’ll play an active role in your own development while you’re abroad, working toward what we call our Student Learning and Development Outcomes (or SLDOs). From personal and professional development to urban environments, our five SLDOs will guide everything you do as a CAPA student. You’ll have plenty of time for fun and exploration too, and those things are also incorporated into (and a very important part of!) the CAPA Sydney experience. One example is our My Global City social events and cultural activities, including a food crawl through the many eclectic flavors of the Newtown neighborhood and a stunning Bondi to Coogee coastline walk. We also take your experience in Australia from international to global, with collaborative projects that involve working directly with CAPA students in other cities around the world through our innovative globally networked technology.

See our blog to read our Thoughts on Education Abroad column and take a deep dive into specific areas of academic focus from the perspective of past CAPA Sydney students and faculty.