Australia is one of the most popular study abroad destinations for students who are looking to get a degree overseas. Many international students are opting to study in Australia for its high-quality education, easy access to student support services, multicultural society and friendly atmosphere. Students passing out of Australian universities are highly sought after due to the high reputation of the education system. With more than 1,100 institutions and over 22,000 courses, this country offers a diverse range of study options for international students.

The education institutions may be relatively young as compared to some of the universities of other countries, but they are at par with them in terms of quality and demand. Six of the Australian universities rank in the top 100 universities in the Times Higher Education World Universities Ranking 2020 list. Hence, it is no surprise that many students start searching for “education loan for study abroad” online to pursue their further studies in Australia.

When you plan to go to a new place, it is extremely important to know about its culture and social norms. As an international student, you must know these things in detail to easily gel with everyone and to get accustomed to everything around you. Let’s explore and understand some of the interesting cultural and societal norms of this country.

Language

Australia has no official language. English is regarded as the de facto national language. Australian English has a unique accent, vocabulary and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling. Indigenous languages of this country are Tasmanian languages, Australian Aboriginal languages, Torres Strait Island languages.

Must try Australian cuisines

Chicken parmigiana, is a popular Australian chicken dish available in almost every pub and restaurant menu. This dish is made up of chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese and is typically served with salad and chips. When you study in Australia, you should definitely taste the meat pie over there. This is a hand-sized pie and contains minced meat gravy and is usually topped with tomato sauce. If you are a fish lover, Barramundi is a must try. It is large-scaled river fish which is served in restaurants across the country. You can try it as a fish steak with herbed oil or in pan-fried style. All non-vegetarians should not miss trying the grilled kangaroo of this country.

Basic etiquettes to be kept in mind 

• Humility, sincerity, humour, informality are some of the traits that you will find in the Aussie culture.

• Greetings are typically casual and relaxed. A simple handshake along with a ‘hello’ and ‘smile’ is perfect.

• Australians prefer using the first name. Hence, you can also use the first name when you meet someone.

• Australians love organizing barbeque parties. If you are invited to such a gathering, please carry a gift such as a wine bottle. Gifts are usually opened when received. Before reaching the party, if you call the host to check if there is something you should bring will help you score an extra point.

• You should offer to help the hosts with the preparation or cleaning up after a meal is served.

• The table manners followed by Australians are continental.

• Australians are very casual, direct and humorous when communicating.

• If you are invited to a restaurant, then it is a common practice to split the bill between diners. You are expected to pay for your portion of the bill at the end of the meal.

Academic culture

Students pursuing their courses in Australian universities are expected to proactively take initiatives and remain focused on independent learning. Students are encouraged to attend classes but at the same time it is not mandatory for them to be a part of all lectures. However, lecturers will expect you to be mature enough to understand the importance of attending the sessions. In lab-based and practical units attendance requirement is much more stringent. Teaching staff and faculty members of the Australian universities are extremely punctual and prefer to stick to all deadlines. Students are usually penalized if submission deadlines are missed.

Every student is encouraged to speak in class, ask questions and offer opinions. Active engagement is always welcomed by lecturers and valued by everyone rather than just being a silent and passive listener. Hence, students who are planning to search for “education loan for study abroad” online to pursue their education in Australia should start preparing to converse more often.

They should also actively participate in discussions and discard the fear of sharing opinion in public. Implementing these habits will help you learn faster during your degree course. Your critical thinking skill can prove to be more rewarding rather than just memorizing lecture notes for examinations. Another very important aspect that you should keep in mind – plagiarism is considered to be a serious offence by Australian educational institutions.

If you want to know more about the top universities of Australia, you can refer to Top Universities in Australia and if you are curious about the higher education system of Australia, please click here. Please feel free to reach out to us for any query or assistance. All the best!