University of Technology Sydney : POV'S!

• My course curriculum was not that easy as the post graduation study requires a lot of subject research. The elective subjects were a bit practical but the rest of the subjects were theory based.

• In my opinion, there were no such negative impacts of the course. All the assignments you submit must be plagiarism free which gives you an opportunity to thoroughly understand the subject matter.

• I applied in US (University of Dayton, Wayne State University, University of California, University of Arlington and many other state universities) in the first place but did not receive any I-20 form from there. So I decided to move to Australia.

• I received offer letters from Western Sydney University, CQU, ECU and UTS and I finally decided to go to UTS.
• I decided to go to UTS because I liked the course structure I wanted to pursue. Though UTS does not come under G-08 but its reputation is equivalent to a G-08 university.

• You have to apply through the website of the university you are interested in by uploading the required documents (school certificates, passport, Bachelor degree certificates, and/ or qualification certificates, work experience if you have any, co-curricular/ extracurricular activities certificates)

• You must have an eligible English Language Test Score (IELTS/PTE). You could also submit your GMAT/GRE score if they ask. The minimum IELTS score required was 5.5 (in 2018).

• After submitting all the documents they will send you a conditional offer letter where you have to accept it (if you are ready to go ahead) and pay the fees of first semester to the University to receive Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)

• You can only apply for an Australian student visa if you have a COE, just an offer letter won’t work.

• As long as your all the required documents are ready, you should not have any challenges. 
If your visa gets delayed for some reason, you must inform your University regarding the same as soon as possible. This happened with me.

• I applied for the 2018 Feb intake.You should prepare yourself at least 6 months prior to your intake for all the documents as it depends on which University and course you are applying for. If you are opting for an overseas studies loan then you might have to extend as it depends on when your loan is going to be approved.

• In Australia, the student visa policy keeps on changing. So the students need to keep themselves up to date on what is going on. Accordingly, they can plan for their admission intake.

• 2-3 classes are scheduled per week both morning and evening so that the student does not miss any lecture due to the nature of their part-time jobs.

• The average number of students could be around 40.

• Indian students could be 20-25% of the whole strength.

• The faculty-to-student ratio depends on how many students have enrolled in that subject.

• The faculties use case based studies as a teaching methodology which gives practical understanding to the students.

• The students have to make a strong professional relationship through their hard work and discipline if they want their faculties to assist them in finding part time jobs. They should submit their assignments on time and ask the right questions to them if they are in doubt.

• I think UTS has 3 campuses in Sydney, I studied in the main campus which is based in Broadway, Sydney (city). The other two are based in Botany and Moore Park( I might be wrong).

• UTS had all the facilities a student could think of, such as the Library, Sports Club, and medical facilities.

• UTS Oktoberfest, new students welcome and graduation ceremony are the major festivals. Every month they organise an event.

• UTS has an International Student Society , UTS Sports Club, Music Club etc.

• Not every student can secure the job of Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant or Departmental Assistant. The student has to prepare to build a strong professional relationship with the faculties to secure any on-campus part time job.

• The pay scale could start from at least AU$32 per hour to AU$40 per hour depending on the experience. They also have positions such as Library Assistant, Lab Assistant, on campus Food Court Assistant etc.

• As per the student visa policy in Australia, the students are allowed to work a maximum 48 hours per fortnight.
• The minimum wage of a student as per the government policy which is tax payable is AU$24 per hour. It is not easy to secure a part time job if you do not have any referees. It takes a lot of time and effort to secure one. The student must have a good amount of experience or skills as well. You have to build a strong network among your classmates or friends who could refer you somewhere to work.

• They do not organize any campus placements in the Universities but campus fair. Companies visit the campus with their stalls and students introduce themselves to the company representatives.

• If you are an international student it might be a bit difficult compared to a domestic student to secure the job as some companies prefer domestic students over international students because international students do not have permanent residency.

• The big firms do have a graduate program where the student works in every department for a set duration and later decides where he/she should pursue their career further.

• I opted for off-campus accommodation as finding an on-campus accommodation was very hard as well as expensive. I found accommodation through websites such as Gumtree, Flatmates and domain. Facebook and Whatsapp groups are also handy to find shared accommodation.

• I used to pay weekly rent around AU$150 which included electricity and gas bills for a shared accommodation in 2018. 

• To get the right accommodation, you must thoroughly inspect the property by physically visiting it and check all the terms and conditions with the property owner.
• Most of the Indian Students stay in Western suburbs of Sydney.

• IELTS and PTE both are accepted. In some cases, you could also submit your GRE/GMAT or any other exam scores as it might bolster your profile. 

• The aspiring student must have a CV and Statement of Purpose. In some cases, LOR may be required, depending on the course you are opting for.

• The university representative calls the student when you accept the offer letter to conduct a telephonic interview. You might be asked to explain the purpose of the course you are going to pursue, the reason you are choosing a particular country or particular university. You might be tested on the knowledge of the expenses of the city. You may also be asked about the jobs you would be seeking after finishing the course or your future plan.

• I did not stay in the University Hostel as it was very expensive (atleast 300 AU$ per week in 2018) . So I decided to stay in suburbs which are bit far from the city and affordable to rent.

• My total fees was AU$72000 for two years. I used to pay AU$18000 per semester. If you have studied any subject which is going to appear in your post graduate studies, you can apply for credit which will help you to save some money as you do not have to pay the fees of that particular subject

• I used to stay in a shared accommodation as it helped to reduce my rent. If you have a good understanding with your flatmates, you could also share your overall expenses (rent and groceries)

• I did not receive any scholarship but Australian Universities do have some options if you are eligible.

• At the time of my admission, if you have scored more than 75% in 12th and/or Bachelor you can get around AU$5000 in your first semester. 

• If you perform well in your first semester (3.5/4 GPA) you get another scholarship 

• They also have a Vice-chancellor scholarship if your overall performance is really exceptional.