The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is in a prime location in Sydney city center. In addition to the very eye-catching main building, which has been awarded several times as the ugliest building in Sydney, the other university buildings are spread out in the immediate vicinity of this. In addition to a state-of-the-art building for the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, UTS is also building a new building for the UTS Business School. This was designed by the world-famous architect Frank Gehry and will be completed in August 2014. With almost 11,500 students, UTS Business School is the largest faculty at UTS with a total of 30,000 students. The equipment with meeting rooms, computers, multi-media rooms and print stations is excellent. Visit andyeducation.com to get information about California State University Los Angeles study abroad program.
On-site support
One week before the start of the semester, UTS Housing organizes the so-called O-Week (Orientation Week) with many activities such as cocktail parties, pub crawls and excursions, which offer the perfect setting to get to know other exchange students and fellow students. In addition, the university itself also organizes many information and introductory events, which is why I warmly recommend coming to Sydney a week before the start of the semester. Basically, it can be said that the student care is excellent. There are various contact points, such as a place where you can get advice on the written assignments. There is also a wide range of sports available, including a fitness center that is very affordable for students.
Accommodation
The UTS has five different student residences, with Yura Mudang being the largest, newest and most modern student residence. It is located just minutes from all university buildings and has a large rooftop with a BBQ grill and great views of the city. There are also table tennis and billiards tables as well as a cinema and laundry room available. The Gumal Ngurang dormitory is also good, but has larger rooms but is smaller than Yura Mudang. In terms of price, Yura Mudang is the most expensive for a 6-person apartment at $ 262 per week, although the price difference to the cheapest Geegal student residence at $ 218 per week is not significant, as Geegal has a much worse location and infrastructure. You should also know that the rental period is 6 months and that it is difficult to get out of an ongoing rental agreement. Of course there is also the possibility to look for accommodation in Sydney independently.
Living in Sydney
Sydney is the largest city in Australia with around 4. 2 million inhabitants and is very multicultural, which is also reflected in the culinary offer. The residents are extremely friendly, helpful and have a very relaxed lifestyle. In Surry Hills in particular, you will find excellent restaurants, bars and cafes.
The city has a vibrant nightlife (the largest and most famous clubs are the Ivy and Marquee), with the majority of clubs in Kings Cross. There are also countless very stylish bars and pubs, and I can particularly recommend the Shady Pines Saloon, The Lobo Plantation and Baxster Inn. In the immediate vicinity of the UTS there are two backpacker bars, the Side Bar and the Scubar, which are inexpensive and where something is going on practically every day of the week.
There are countless beaches around Sydney, with Manly and Bondi certainly being the most famous. Also recommended are Bronte, Coogee, Tamarama and Watsons Bay.
Travel
Sydney is the ideal starting point for a variety of travel destinations. The Queensland region is particularly recommended in Australia, where it makes sense to take a road trip from Brisbane to Cairns and visit Fraser Island, Whitsunday Island and Magnetic Island on the way. This trip can easily be done during the semester break within 10 days, whereby it is advisable to travel in a group in order to share the costs. I can also recommend a long weekend in Melbourne with a detour to the Great Ocean Road. Tasmania can also be reached within two hours by plane, which I can especially recommend if you don’t have the time to travel to New Zealand. Other recommended and exotic destinations are Fiji and New Caledonia.
Final assessment
My exchange in Sydney was a unique time and I would recommend the destination to anyone. The weather, the beaches, the travel options, the university and the city are unique and I made many new friends from all over the world during my exchange.
