A brief history: It is a common belief that native people from Papua New Guinea migrated to Australia about 60,000 years ago. The number of Aboriginal people before European migration in Australia was between 300,000 to one million which consisted of 500 different cultural groups that spoke 250 different languages. They were basically hunters and gatherers and their social system was maintained by a sophisticated system of beliefs called the Dreaming. In 1770, James Cook discovered and mapped the eastern coast of Australia naming it ‘New South Wales’. The European settlement began in 1788 when a British penal colony was established on the east coast. On January 18, 1788, Captain Arthur Philip arrived in Australia at Botany Bay commanding eleven ships full of convicts, military guards, and officials. Their settlement later grew into the city of Sydney. The colonization of Australia grew more rapidly and spread over the entire continent. More settlers from the Great Britain and Ireland arrived in the mid 1800s with the rise of wool industry and the discovery of gold. Between 1852 and 1889 about 40,000 Chinese immigrants came to Australia in search of gold. As it became difficult for Great Britain to govern the colonies directly and they also wanted to be self-governed, in 1850 the British government gave the colonies the power to make their own laws. A national government was created in Australia on January 1, 1901 to protect and promote the common interests of different colonies and this event is known as Federation. During the World War I and II Australia felt vulnerable to an invasion influencing it to encourage the migration of people from about 200 countries.

Geography and Climate: Australia is politically divided into six States and two Territories. The total area of Australia is about 7,703,556.6 square kilometers. The Great Diving Range is the longest mountain range that starts in the central Victoria and ends in the Northern Queensland.  Australia has a relatively warm climate. It has four seasons (Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring). The summers are hotter and more humid in the north and winters are usually colder in the south. Australia has a low average annual rainfall but high falls occur in the north.

Population/Languages/Ethnicity/Religion: The population of Australia is about 21,199,880. Australia has a population density of approximately about 3 people per square kilometer which makes it one of the least densely populated countries in the world. The languages spoken are English, Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tegalog, German, and Australian Indigenous languages. Australia is a multi-racial society. The ethnicity comprises of Caucasian, Asian, aboriginal and others. The religions are Christian (68%), other religions (4.9%), and no religion (15.5%).

Education: Australia has over 200,000 international students from over 140 countries enrolled in any given year. The education system of Australia is divided into three sectors: schools, colleges, university and higher education. The education system in Australia defined by Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) is a system of 16 national qualifications in the above three sectors. In compliance with the ESOS Act 2000 and National Code of Practice 2007, a provider and the courses must be registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) to have international students and thus the educational rights of international students are protected by law. Australia nestles huge number of international students as pursuing higher education in Australia is relatively cheaper compared to the UK and USA.

Living: Living in Australia is relatively cheaper compared to the UK and USA. The living expenses including accommodation, food, and transportation is generally estimated to be A$ 1000 per month but it can vary according to the requirements and choices of an individual.

Employment: The international students can work up to 20 hours per week during semesters and full time during breaks. For this, the students need to apply for ‘student visa with permission to work’ upon their arrival in Australia; however, the factor that your work does not hamper with your studies are taken into considerations.