English remains main reason why students choose Australia

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Choosing the right place to study, especially if that place is abroad, is an arduous task. So it is understandable if making such a difficult decision results in occasional bouts of dizziness, as it has for Citra Puspowardoyo, a high school graduate. Citra is ready to pursue a university degree somewhere abroad, but she has not decided which country fits her best.

Is the country a safe place to study? Does the country rank among the best in terms of its universities and colleges? Is it a cheap place to live? These are the kinds of questions that have been bounding around inside Citra's mind.

But really, all this confusion is quite unnecessary, for the answer is right next door for Citra and other Indonesians. It is Australia, which offers instruction in the English language, safety, an affordable cost of living and excellent universities.

Australia has become a popular place to study for people from around the world, and English is one of the main reasons people come to this southern continent for an education. Many young adults from developed countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany and France flock to Australia for one main goal: to learn English.

Indeed, those countries already offer their students world- class educational facilities. However, these students still come to Australia, because Australia offers both world-class educational facilities and, more importantly, English.

Cliff Tang, a student from Hong Kong, is a good example.

"By studying here, I obtained two things at the same time. My English got better, while I also earned a master's degree in public policy," said Tang, who just completed the Graduate Program in Public Policy at the Australian National University (ANU).

Besides English and the top educational facilities, Australia also offers a safe living environment. Australia has been a stable democracy since the country was founded in the 19th century.

The crime rate is very low in this prosperous country. There is growing concern over the rising number of drug addicts, but the figures are still low enough not to cause alarm.

Nationalistic sentiments -- including some anti-Asian feelings -- also persist in Australia, but have never led to significant racial conflicts. Indeed, Australians respect and uphold the law.

Last but not least, Australia is a relatively cheap place to live and study. On average, the annual cost of living in Australia is between A$23,000 (Rp 115 million) and $26,000. This is much less than the United Kingdom and the United States, whose currencies are much stronger than the Australian dollar.

Australia also offers inexpensive education fees. In the United States, it is possible to pay tuition fees of up to US$14,000 (Rp 140 million) for post-graduate studies, while in Australia the average tuition is A$16,000 (Rp 80 million).

Judging by these criteria, plus its geographic proximity to Indonesia, it is understandable why Australia has for years been the main destination for Indonesian students going abroad to study.

From 1993 to 1997, Indonesians made up the second largest group of foreign students studying in Australia. From 1998 to 1999, Indonesian students topped the list, followed by students from Singapore and Hong Kong.

In 2000, the number of Indonesian students in Australia was 17,626, most of them taking graduate, undergraduate and vocational courses, or attending high school.

Most of the Indonesians pay for their studies themselves, while about 3 percent obtained scholarships from AusAid.

According to data from the Indonesian Embassy in Australia, Australia is the second most popular destination for Indonesian students going abroad to study, after the United States.

In 1999, some 8,185 Indonesians went to Australia for higher education (undergraduate and post-graduate degrees). That same year, 12,142 Indonesians were studying in the U.S.

There is no doubt that Australia is a fantastic place to study. However, it should be noted that would-be students must put attention to what institutions they apply to.

There are, unfortunately, some students who end up regretting their choice of university.

Hendrik Pau, for example, complains that ANU focuses too much on research, with not enough practical application in their courses.

"Had I known this before, I would have applied to other business schools which are more practical in nature," said Pau, who recently completed the Graduate Program in Financial Management at ANU.

Different universities are well known for different programs, and prospective students should look into which university has a reputation for having the best program in the area they want to study. For example, the University of Melbourne is known for its law school, while the University of New South Wales has a good business school. And ANU has earned a very good reputation for its Asian studies and international relations programs, and for its law school.

"In the United States, there are many good universities that have programs in international relations. However, I wanted to study at ANU because the international relations department here is ranked as the best in the world, especially for its Asia Pacific studies," said Jennifer, an American who just graduated from the international relations department at ANU.