About New South Wales
New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s oldest European settlement and has an incredibly diverse landscape with beaches, cities, regional towns and mountains. As such, it’s one of the most popular destinations for international students.
Sydney, the state’s capital, has a very modern, cosmopolitan vibe which attracts people from many different backgrounds and cultures. Sydney is also very multicultural, with ethnic communities from more than 100 different countries.
If you want to study in NSW, you will have a wide range of choices, as the state boasts many world-class educational facilities.
Geography & climate
New South Wales covers 600,642 square kilometres of land, which is about 10.4% of Australia. The state shares its borders with Victoria, South Australia and Queensland.
NSW has four main geographical areas:
- the coast: a thin stretch of land that runs from the northern rivers to far south coast
- the mountains: the snowy mountains, central and southern tablelands, southern highlands and south west slopes
- central plains: 500 kilometres of agricultural land that runs from east to west of the state
- western plains: the remaining area, which covers more than two-thirds of NSW.
Because of its size, the state’s climate can change depending where you are. However, generally NSW has a warm subtropical climate and cool winters – very pleasant, comfortable weather.
Spring is sunny, and summers are hot and generally dry, with rain coming more toward autumn. Winter can be cool, particularly in the southern and western inland areas, where you can get snow.
People
New South Wales is densely populated with 7.8 million people – though around 5.3 million are located in Sydney. Outside this bustling city, 2.5 million people live in regional towns and rural areas throughout the state.
Healthcare
In Australia, residents have three types of healthcare available to them:
- Medicare
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
- private health insurance.
Medicare is run by the Australian Government, and is mainly for Australian permanent residents and citizens, as well as New Zealand citizens. The scheme covers 70% of a person’s healthcare costs.
However, international students in Australia can access Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC). This health cover is mandatory to keep students safe while they study in Australia.
Economy
New South Wales has the largest economy in Australia, making up almost 33% of Australia’s GDP. This contribution comes from many diverse sectors, including film and television production, finance and insurance, property and business, communications and manufacturing.
This shows how many different opportunities are available for people who live and work in NSW. In fact, 65% of Asia Pacific’s regional headquarters are located in Australia – more than 600 companies!
Studying in New South Wales
Every year, New South Wales gets more enrolments from international students than any other Australian state. In 2018, more than 300,000 international students enrolled in a NSW university. And it’s easy to see why.
NSW has many top universities and vocational and research institutions with a solid reputation for providing high-quality and relevant education. In fact, NSW has the largest research institution sector in Australia.
When you study at a NSW education institution, you get access to world-class programs and courses. You’ll also get qualifications that are recognised around the world, and the highest quality research and teaching.
You will also belong to an institution that prioritises cultural diversity and a safe environment for its students.
These universities and research centres will give you the skills the knowledge to make you ‘work ready’ by partnering with the best global industry research networks.
Some popular NSW cities for international students are Sydney and Wollongong.
Universities in New South Wales
- Macquarie University
- University of Sydney
- University of Wollongong (UOW)
- University of New South Wales (UNSW)
- Western Sydney University (UWS)
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
