Careers: Preparing for Post-School Pathways

Studying overseas

One of the many post school study experiences that our students may pursue will be to study overseas. I explain to boys that there are five ways to include an overseas experience in their study pathway when they finish Year 12:

• Undergraduate study at an overseas institution
• Post graduate study at an overseas institution
• Domestic undergraduate study that includes a year studying at an overseas institution
• Engaging in an exchange programme while undertaking a domestic undergraduate course
• Considering a structured Gap Year Programme prior to commencing study in Australia.

We support students and families in exploring these options in a range of ways. My first question to boys when they ask me about studying overseas is about the conversations they have had (or not!) with their parents. You are aware that the commitment to study overseas is substantial, in terms of effort required for the application process, as well as financial. There is no singular pathway to achieving a course offer at an overseas institution.

If boys are seeking to apply for student athlete programmes in the US (ie apply for a scholarship), they will need to ensure they meet National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility criteria, as well as the academic admissions criteria for the course they are choosing. Applications are made directly to US colleges and each college will have their own application process. Some may use the US CommonApp system, which acts as a holding space for application information that colleges can access.

For those interested in study in the UK, applications are made through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This process is similar to Australia’s tertiary admissions process used by individual states.

In both cases, applying for US or UK courses, applicants need to provide personal statements to provide information about themselves that should complement the information provided in their applications, and provide context and connection with the courses they are choosing.

For applications to study in other countries, there is often very little standard information made available, and I welcome the chance to explore different possibilities with your sons if they have these interests.

Studying overseas provide a wonderful opportunity for growth, both personally and academically, and is a great teacher of foundation skills that are widely valued – resilience, flexibility, decision making, taking responsibility, to name a few.

I encourage your sons to look at the information provided on the Canvas Careers page regarding overseas study to explore ideas and review links with information to help them learn about the application process.

Courses and contacts

Please refer to Courses & Contacts for details of courses and contacts that may be of interest to you and your sons.

Susan Draysey | Careers and Student Pathways Advisor