More RI students opt for Australia
More RI students opt for Australia
JAKARTA (JP): Language, low tuition fees, proximity and safety
are some of the reasons why Indonesians choose Australia as the
destination for continuing their studies, an organizer of an
educational exhibition said yesterday.
Indra Lesmana, former organizer of the Indonesian Students'
Association in Australia, said familiarity with the English
language among Indonesian students and the relatively short
distance are prompting an increasing number of students here to
study in Australian universities.
Indra was at Jakarta's Aryaduta Hotel as a staff member of the
Australian Universities Expo. The exhibition, which ends today,
represents 10 state-run Australian universities in New South
Wales.
Jane Baker, an exhibition organizer, said that the number of
foreigners studying in Australian universities has increased
about 1,000 people per year, making it 6,000 this year, including
those who attend short courses at privately run colleges.
Supporting Indra's statement, Baker said Indonesian students
prefer to study in Australia because all of the universities are
recognized by the Australian government.
She said most tuition fees are relatively lower, at A$6,000
(US$4,500) a year, compared to those in other Western countries.
In addition, a student must fork out around A$10,000 each year
to cover their cost of living.
Over the past few years, thousands of Indonesian students have
gone abroad, usually to English-speaking countries, to study at
various colleges and universities.
Most students who can afford to study overseas are from upper
middle class families. They have to pay very high entrance fees
and face tough competition before they can be accepted at
reputable universities or higher learning institutions.
"The fact that there are many (Asian) immigrants in Australia
also gave confidence to the Indonesian students to study in
Australia," Baker said.
Organizers of the exhibition said that another advantage for
Indonesians graduates of overseas universities is that they will
get higher salaries than people graduating locally due to their
skills and performances. (03)