Griffith University – Gold Coast Review (4)

Griffith University – Gold Coast Review (4)

1. General: Information about the country, the city and the university

The Griffith University has several locations in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. I decided to study on the Gold Coast because the beaches are not far away and there is more to do and see than in the metropolis of Brisbane. Once you have decided on a campus, you cannot take courses on the other campus. This means that you should find out about the courses in advance! The Gold Coast is right by the sea and in some parts of the city it is very quiet and idyllic (half a million inhabitants). Except in the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach districts, you don’t notice much of the tourist hustle and bustle. In summer, the party districts can get extremely crowded. The Gold Coast is located in the subtropical climatic area, so that even in winter there are hardly any temperatures below 20 degrees during the day. However, you should take warm things with you, as it cools down relatively quickly in winter in the evening (I don’t mean a winter coat, but a jacket that keeps you warm at 10 degrees)!

Australia is a huge country with comparatively few inhabitants. The big cities can be counted on one hand and they are all on the coast. The nature is breathtaking and just waiting to be discovered. The local currency is the Australian dollar. If you would like to travel for a longer period after the semester, this is the right place for you.

2. Recommendations for preparation: Visa, flight, insurance, visits to the doctor, housing and maintenance costs

Visa and Insurance

To study in Australia, you urgently need a student visa (around $ 450) that is valid for the duration of the study plus an additional month. To apply for a visa, a valid passport and the confirmation of the university to start your studies (Confirmation of Enrollment / COE) are required. Furthermore, a valid health insurance must be taken out, which can be found when transferring the tuition fees paid at the same time. The Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC) covers the basic medical needs for the duration of the degree. However, if you plan to make a follow-up trip, you should also take out private insurance. Since the student visa expires one month after the end of studies, we flew to Fiji during the semester break and applied for the e-visitor visa from there, which is free and allows a stay of three months from the time of entry. The e-visitor visa cannot be applied for from Australia and you are no longer allowed to work with this visa!

  • See getzipcodes for more information about Australia and Oceania.

Flight

I booked the flight through STA-Travel about two months before the start of my studies for about $ 650. If you book earlier, you can get the flight for a little less money. I flew to Brisbane with Etihad. But there is also an airport directly on the Gold Coast. So it is worthwhile to see whether the flights there are a little cheaper. Otherwise, you should definitely sign up for Griffith University’s free pick-up service !

Doctor visits

Fortunately, I never had to see a doctor during my stay. But even if you have to, there is a doctor right on the university campus so you don’t have to search long.

Flat

Many students book a hostel on arrival or try couch surfing and then look for an apartment on site. The accommodation options offered by the university are overpriced and not really well located. The housing market on the Gold Coast is really relaxed so if you arrive early it is relatively easy to find an apartment. The maintenance costs are higher than in Germany, but looking for an apartment is a lot easier. Here you usually pay weekly rent, which depending on the apartment and location is 130-200 dollars per WEEK. To find apartments, websites like gumtree.com.au or flatmates.com.au are recommended. The university service also offers“Studentguild” advertises other private accommodation offers directly on their website or on the pin board in front of the Studentguild building. During the orientation week, the Studentguild also offers a free car service for viewing apartments. Just call people and make an appointment to view the apartment!

When choosing the location of the apartment, there are the following options. You can either live in the immediate vicinity of the university, such as in the Parkwood or Labrador districts and can usually walk to the university within 10-20 minutes and are then about 30 minutes from the beach, or you live directly on the beach in Surfers Paradise and then drives 30 minutes to the university. You should be aware that it is usually more expensive and much louder in surfers, but all bars and clubs are located here. I chose option three, to live between Surfers Paradise and the University in Southport. Southport is cheaper than Surfers Paradise and is the “center” of the Gold Coast. Most of the local residents live in Southport, so it isthere are many cultural offers on weekends, but also many places to shop. So if you want to live like a local and don’t want to spend all your money on the apartment, Southport is the place for you. It takes about 15 minutes by tram from Southport to the beach and university.

Remarkable – Griffith University

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