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Canberra was chosen as Australia's national capital in 1908. Its name comes from the local aboriginal word "Kamberra" which means, "meeting place".
Of all the cities in Australia, Canberra is one of the most convenient, safe and pleasant cities in which to work and study. With about 315,000 residents, Canberra is a cosmopolitan city that has all the attractions of larger cities - restaurants, shopping malls, markets, cinemas, theatres, clubs and sporting facilities- but without traffic, pollution and safety problems.
Canberra is also an ideal base from which to explore Australia. It is only half an hour flight from Sydney and a 1 hour flight from Melbourne. It is close to the beaches of the coast and to the snowfields.
One of the great advantages of Canberra is its natural beauty. The fresh, clean air, the spacious parks and lakes provide many opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation. Our lakes are ideal for swimming, fishing, sailing or windsurfing. Canberra can be explored easily by a network of bicycle and walking paths.
For students Canberra is a perfect place to study with two major universities, extensive library facilities including the national library, plus major national research centres.
Australia is a multicultural society with an international outlook. Apart from the diverse group of immigrants who have settled in Canberra, the city is also home to the international diplomatic community - as well as the hundreds of international students from over 92 different countries who have chosen the University of Canberra as their place of study. Australia's official multicultural policy encourages the various ethnic groups to express their cultural identity and this is reflected in the existence of many ethnic organisations - social, political, religious and cultural. International restaurants and grocery stores are also a positive result of this ethnic mix, and students should have no trouble finding their home country food. Complete religious freedom exists in Australia.
As a guide, international students will need to budget about $A12,500 to $A14,500 per year to live in Canberra. This will include accommodation and basic living expenses, but not luxury items such as running a car. Within this budget you will need to allow for textbooks and other study items which will cost between $A150 to $A650 per year. One of the benefits of living in Canberra is that the cost of living is lower than in most other large Australian cities. This is primarily due to lower accommodation costs.
There are four distinct seasons in Canberra. Summers are warm to hot with low humidity (13 - 38 degrees Celsius). Autumn and spring are mild and winters are crisp (0 - 11 degrees Celsius).
A public bus system provides links all over Canberra including the University. Student concessions are available. Many students take advantage of the network of bicycle paths. Other students choose to purchase a second hand or new motor vehicle which they sell at the end of their studies.
Last Updated: 18 July 2002