December 19th 2022

From Austria to Australia - A semester abroad in beautiful Sydney!

Daniel Niedrist is a student in the Bachelor's program in Medical Technology at MCI and decided to spend his fifth semester abroad in Sydney, Australia. The Medical & Health Technologies Department offers only a few scholarships for universities outside of Europe to help outgoings avoid the high tuition fees abroad. Daniel got one of these funded study places in Sydney at the University of Technology, being the first Medical Technologies student at our brand new partner university.

MCI: What was your general impression of the university and the courses it offers?

Daniel: The overall impression of UTS was very good. The buildings are beautiful and huge. The UTS offers many fun activities for international and national students, such as clubs, workshops, etc. The quality of the courses was comparable to MCI courses. However, there are fewer individual courses per semester (four). The amount of lectures is also lower. Therefore, the workload outside the university is significantly higher than at MCI. Exams are not as common as in Austria. Performance was assessed using short quizzes, reports, projects (both group and individual), and presentations.

MCI: How did you spend your free time during your semester abroad?

Daniel: In my free time, I always used the opportunity to explore Sydney. Sydney is a great city to live in. It is very safe, there are many activities (both in the city and around it), and there are loads of exciting locations. UTS is quite close to the city center, so many shops, bars, and clubs are reachable on foot if you live nearby. I will not give any concrete recommendations, but I am sure that everybody can find something to do in Sydney. For example, the streets near the Queen Victoria Building are full of stores if you want to go shopping. If you are into vintage stuff, check out Newtown (especially King Street) and Glebe. Many bars can be at Darling Harbour, alongside some event locations and weekly fireworks.

MCI: Which advice would you give to other students who also want to go to Sydney?

Daniel: However, as beautiful as Sydney is, the cost of living is high. If you are planning to get a job on the side, you should be able to find something easily. Additionally, the minimum wage in Australia is high. Finding a place to stay can be tricky if you want to do it from home. The two best possibilities are either arranging for housing in some kind of student accommodation or spending the first 1-2 weeks at a hostel and looking for an apartment while already in Australia. I would suggest selecting more than four courses before the beginning of the semester (approximately. 8 -12), so you can easily switch them if you do not like them.

MCI: How would you sum up your time abroad?

Daniel: This exchange semester was a great experience. UTS has close to 50,000 students, with 15,000 being international students. It is not hard to meet new people, especially among internationals. UTS clubs also regularly host get-togethers and other social events for networking. However, the best thing about studying in Sydney is the city itself.

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Studying abroad in beautiful Sydney! ©Niedrist