13 November 2024
What are you studying? Where are you studying?
I’m currently back in Adelaide planning to study Radiography starting in February but I was studying an Associate in Science (AS) while in America for two years.
Why did you decide to study in America?
It was a very last
minute decision for me. One of my softball coaches was contacted by a coach
from a school in America looking for players who wanted to play college
softball. I thought it would be an amazing opportunity so I got everything
sorted and left a few weeks after completing Year 12.
Many students feel they can't consider studying internationally because of the cost? Is this a concern? How do you manage?
The cost can definitely be a big factor so it is important to look into what scholarships are available. Because I was attending college for softball, I was given a scholarship that covered my tuition and fees. Although this helped a lot, there were still a lot of costs associated with living overseas including residence, meal plans, and general spending money. I attended a community college so these costs were not too high for me but it is dependent on the school. On top of my softball scholarship, my school also offered a Cultural Diversity Scholarship for international students.
The main problem I had in terms of money was the fact that being a student on an F-1 visa, you can’t have a job outside of school. However, international students are able to get jobs on the school campus. For me personally, it was difficult being an athlete and trying to have a job because I would have practice twice a day on top of classes, but it is possible. A lot of schools are good at providing job opportunities on campus for their international students but that is the only way to earn money so it is an important factor to consider before moving overseas.
Did you apply whilst you were in Year 12? How did you manage the application process? Did you use an agent?
I was contacted about this opportunity right after I finished all my Year 12 exams with the intention of starting college in the following January so my application process was very rushed and not exactly standard. I know for a lot of people using an agent is an easier option but it can be pretty expensive so I opted not to do that. I was also lucky that my application process happened during COVID-19 so it was much quicker than it would generally be. Once I had been contacted by a coach, had a few interviews, and was offered a spot. My application was a formality because I already had a place at the college. For non-athletes who were just looking to apply, this process would be different, however most American colleges (and I would assume other countries too) are very good at providing information for international students wanting to apply which makes the process much easier.
Honestly, pretty much any college has at least one person who’s only job is to focus on international students so there is a lot of help out there.
What are your plans for the next 5 years?
I plan to stay home in Adelaide and study at university here for the next four years. One problem that I ran into while studying overseas, which was one of the main factors that caused me to come home after two years, was that my credits and studies that I completed while in America would not transfer back to Australia. I knew that I wanted to study something within the healthcare industry, which is not transferable between Australia and America. There are many degrees and studies that will transfer, so it is something to look into before making any decisions. For me personally, I was okay with the fact that my studies wouldn’t transfer, as I was mainly attending college to play softball and considered it to be more of a ‘gap year’ but if you are someone who wants to move overseas with the main intent of studying, it is extremely important to consider if Australia will recognise American (or any other country) degrees.
Many students feel that they can't consider going to university internationally because they'll miss their friends and family. What advice do you have?
It is a hard decision to make and a huge adjustment being so far away from friends and family, but in my opinion it is worth it. When I first moved to America I was so nervous and I almost backed out a number of times, but I’m so grateful that I pushed through and followed through with it. I have always been a very introverted person so this was something that was out of my comfort zone, but living on a university campus with a roommate and being part of the softball team meant that I was always surrounded by people. In America particularly, students will often attend college far away from their homes so it’s very comforting to know that a lot of people are in the same boat as you. Also all your family and friends back home are only one call away! I FaceTimed my family and friends almost everyday, even if it was just for 5 minutes.
As well as this, my friends at college honestly became like family to me, and I’m so grateful that I have people like that in my life now. I now have friends all over America, Canada, Spain, and other states in Australia.
Poppy Carman (2021)
Old scholar
