#1 Victorian uni for graduate employment1
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#1 Victorian uni for graduate employment1
#1 in the world for sport science2
#1 Victorian uni for course satisfaction3
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There are many reasons for studying at university: to become job-ready, to build expertise in a particular area, or to be a part of the academic world. For many students, experiencing university culture is also a key reason to pursue tertiary education.
Australian university culture is unique and that is one of the reasons it is such a great place to study. Studying in Australia means unlocking access to a supportive, welcoming, fun and highly academic environment. For many international students, studying at university in Australia is a rewarding choice, not just for your future career, but for life experience, confidence and connecting with others, too.
This is the experience of international student Ruvindi, who studied a Bachelor of Business Analytics at Deakin University, Australia. We sat down with Ruvindi to hear about her experience of Australian university culture as an international student.
‘To me, university culture is the combination of the people around you and how you grow together,’ Ruvindi says. ‘It is not just what happens inside the classroom, but everything in between.’
University culture differs between countries. For instance, the university culture of Ruvindi’s home country Sri Lanka is quite different from that of Australia. So, what is university culture like in Australia, then?
According to Ruvindi, Australian university culture is unique – and that is a good thing.
‘Australian university culture has a distinct character of its own that I did not fully expect when I arrived,’ she says. ‘It is more relaxed and collaborative than I anticipated. Coming from Sri Lanka, where university culture tends to be more formal and hierarchical, that shift took some getting used to. But it is one of the things I have come to appreciate most.’
She also describes Australian university culture as being quite ‘autonomous’ – meaning that the responsibility for success is on individual students.
‘From the moment you arrive, you are treated as an adult who is capable of making your own decisions, managing your own time, and taking responsibility for your own learning,’ Ruvindi says. ‘Nobody is going to chase you. The expectation is that you show up, engage, and take ownership of your experience.’
But, although there is a focus on individuals being responsible for their own success at university, Ruvindi says Australian university culture is also accepting, inclusive and welcoming for all.
‘There is a genuine effort to make space for students from all walks of life, all backgrounds and all personality types,’ she says. ‘Whether you are outgoing or reserved, local or international, you will find that the culture bends to accommodate you rather than expecting you to conform to it.’
Besides the broad elements of Australian university culture, there are some specific areas worth understanding. One is the unique academic culture of Australian universities, which is quite different from other countries, but ultimately an important part of how every Australian university works.
As Ruvindi explains, an important part of this is the way in which Australian academic culture focuses on independence and ‘open-ended’ learning.
‘Back home, assessments were straightforward,’ she says. ‘You memorised content from a fixed textbook and reproduced it in an exam. There was always a clear guide telling you exactly what to study and how. The biggest adjustment at an Australian university was the absence of that structure. Assignment briefs can feel deliberately open-ended, and that ambiguity is intentional.’
This part of Australian university culture encourages students to think independently, and to take control of their own learning and research. Ruvindi says the adjustment was a little uncomfortable initially, but her advice to future students is to embrace it.
‘Ask questions, go to your lecturers during office hours, and do not wait for someone to spell everything out,’ Ruvindi says. ‘The Australian system rewards curiosity and initiative. Once I understood that, everything clicked. No spoon feeding. Pure learning and self-discovery.’
Every culture has its own unique language quirks and phrases, so this is something you can expect at Australian universities. For instance, the language of the grading system might look a little different to what you are used to.
‘I was used to letter grades like A, B and C,’ Ruvindi says. ‘Here it is HD for High Distinction, D for Distinction, C for Credit, and P for Pass. It sounds simple enough, but when you are new and someone asks if you got a D, it takes a second to register that it is actually a good thing.’
Other terms can be different in Australian university culture, too. Ruvindi says that terms like ‘electives’, ‘hurdle requirements’ and ‘prerequisite units’ can be unfamiliar at first, but that is okay.
‘My advice to incoming international students is to not be embarrassed about asking what these terms mean,’ she says. ‘Every local student learned them too, just a little earlier. A quick Google search will sort it out faster than you think.’
Whether you choose to live on campus or just attend lectures and classes in person, you might notice a unique campus culture in Australia. This goes beyond the academic culture of Australian universities and includes campus social life and access to general support.
Having lived and studied here in Australia, Ruvindi experienced one of the most important non-academic elements of Australian university culture: clubs and societies.
‘While every university has its own flavour, the culture around clubs and societies is a cornerstone of Australian university life broadly, and my experience at Deakin is a good reflection of that,’ she says.
Ruvindi joined the Deakin University Sri Lankan Association (DUSLA) and, while she admits to being nervous at the start, quickly found it to be a positive choice. She says that joining DUSLA led to other opportunities, including as a DUSLA committee member, engagement officer at Deakin Women in STEM, and peer mentor.
Of course, every university has a huge range of clubs and societies to join – from those with ethnic or religious focus, to societies based around music, sports and games. Wherever your interests lie, Ruvindi says that joining a club or society can be a really positive choice.
‘My biggest takeaway for international students, especially those without family in Australia, is this: join at least one society,’ she says. ‘It gives you a network of people who share your interests, an outlet to express yourself in ways you might never have before, and honestly the confidence to reinvent yourself if that’s something you are open to.’
Australian culture is built on ideas like ‘mateship’ and the ‘fair go’. This means caring for others is a high priority in Australia – and at Australian universities, too. This is seen in the support and guidance offered for university students in Australia.
‘Australian universities invest in the whole student experience,’ Ruvindi says. ‘The support is there if you seek it out, and in my experience at Deakin, it never felt out of reach.’
There are academic support services like library resources and writing assistance, mental health support like accessible counselling, and financial support, including hardship funds and scholarship pathways. And, as Ruvindi says, there are even more support options for international students.
‘Dedicated student advisors help navigate everything from visa queries to settling into life in Australia,’ Ruvindi says. ‘There are also peer mentoring programs where more experienced students support those who are newer to university life. I experienced this firsthand, first as a student who benefited from peer mentoring during a difficult assessment period, and later as a mentor myself.’
Having completed her studies at Deakin University, Ruvindi can see firsthand the positive impact of Australian university culture. As she explains, this unique culture is one of the big reasons why studying in Australia is such an attractive idea for international students – even if it seems unfamiliar at first.
‘That combination of academic freedom, approachability, and inclusivity is what makes Australian university culture distinctive,’ says Jayasundera. ‘It is not just a place to get a degree. It is genuinely a place to grow.’
Want to learn more about studying at Deakin, life in Australia, and Australian university culture straight from the source? Start a chat with one of our student ambassadors today and hear about their experience at Deakin first-hand.
