Greater Sydney
Australia’s truly global city
Sydney is a smart city with a focus on innovation and new-generation technologies — a haven for start-ups and forward-thinking entrepreneurs.
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About Sydney
Australia’s only truly global city, Sydney is the gateway to the vibrant and diverse regions of New South Wales and the country’s other capital cities. Famous for its glittering harbour, beautiful beaches, and amazing food, wine and entertainment scene, the Sydney lifestyle is the envy of the world. Top ranking universities and research facilities attract students seeking globally recognised qualifications and lifelong career connections.
High-quality vocational education and training providers, primary and secondary schools, English language courses and universities can be found across Sydney, including the thriving metropolitan hub of Parramatta to the west of the central business district and Central Coast immediately to the city’s north.
Study destination: Sydney and Parramatta
With the largest knowledge-based economy in Australia, Sydney is renowned for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. Around 64% of Australia’s tech start-ups are based in Sydney, offering excellent work experience and employment opportunities for international students.
Sydney is the beating heart of Australia’s financial, professional, technical and scientific services sectors. It also has a thriving creative and arts community. Finance, tourism and retail are economic strengths, with emerging sectors including the green and night-time economies.
With its beaches, harbour and acclaimed food, wine and cultural experiences, there are countless opportunities for international students to work in the tourism sector during and after study. Sydney is the home of Australia’s oldest university and has 4 universities ranked in the world’s top 200 — more than any other Australian city.
Just 35 kilometres west of the central business district (CBD) is Sydney’s second city, Parramatta, which has been the focus of multi-billion dollar investment in public and private infrastructure, transforming it into a world-class metropolis and centre of excellence in education, research and innovation. Australia’s largest urban transformation project has seen Parramatta emerge as a hub for commerce and industry, with the nation’s largest concentration of health, education and research facilities making it a magnet for international students seeking globally relevant careers. Western Sydney University has two campuses in Parramatta and others across Western Sydney and the CBD. Parramatta offers unrivalled educational outcomes against the backdrop of a stress-free lifestyle, with parks, waterways and natural bushland providing the perfect counterpoint to a thriving arts and entertainment scene.
Top reasons to study in Greater Sydney
Headquarters of 6 universities, 4 ranked within the world’s top 200
Australia’s largest economy
22.8°C in summer (Dec to Feb) and 12.7°C in winter (Jun to Jul)
World-class lifestyle
Main industries: professional, scientific, financial and insurance services, health, retail, construction, education and training, manufacturing, accommodation and food services
Safe and multicultural environment
Sydney
- Population: 5,367,200
- Largest industries: Professional, scientific and technical services, accommodation and food, financial and insurance services
- Rental prices: $800 per week (2-bed house) / $700 per week (2-bed unit)
- Shared rooms and homestays: Campus rooms from $338per week
- International sister cities: Athens, Greece; Berlin, Germany; Dublin, Ireland; Florence, Italy; Guangzhou, China; Manila, Philippines; Nagoya, Japan; Paris, France; Portsmouth, UK; Rome, Italy; San Francisco, US; Seoul, Korea; Wellington, New Zealand
Biggest employment sectors in Sydney
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Accommodation and food services
- Financial and insurance services
- Health care and social assistance
- Education and training
- Retail
Study
Whether you choose to study in the beautiful sandstone buildings of Australia’s oldest tertiary institution, The University of Sydney, or in the gleaming, high-tech surrounds of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), you will leave with the qualifications and connections to open the door to an internationally recognised career.
The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) are consistently ranked among the world’s top 50 universities and rate highly on graduate employability. Both are in the Group of Eight leading Australian universities. UTS, in the heart of Sydney’s creative and digital precinct, is the top-ranked young university in Australia, with an innovative teaching approach integrating immersive, career-focused education with industry partnerships. The pioneering Macquarie University is also consistently ranked among the world’s best.
Beyond its world-leading universities, Sydney and NSW are also home to top quality private higher education providers and vocational education and training (VET) providers. TAFE NSW, for example, is the leading VET provider in Australia with over 430,000 students enrolling each year.
A network of high-quality primary, secondary, tertiary and further education colleges and English language schools feeds into Sydney’s tertiary education system to support students who want to make a significant impact on the world following their studies.
Work
As the preferred location for the headquarters of Australian and global corporations, Sydney offers unrivalled opportunities for students to gain internships and work placements with multi-national finance, banking, technology and services businesses. In Sydney, you will build the right connections and experience to secure the best possible career outcomes.
UTS offers an innovative Startups program to support entrepreneurship among its students. The University of Sydney holds careers fairs and employer information sessions to connect students with work opportunities. The UNSW International Student Employability Guide explains how to find employment during and after university. The City of Sydney offers a range of programs to help international students improve their employability. For part-time work, Sydney’s thriving tourism and hospitality sectors offer many opportunities to gain experience, hone your language skills and earn money during your studies.
Study NSW also offers a comprehensive range of programs to help international students find work during and after study in the regions, including #NSWGlobalConnections, Farm Jobs Connect, Finding a Job, and 2021 Study NSW Employability Program for International Students.
For information on your rights and opportunities around working in Australia, visit the Australian Government’s Study in Australia website.
Live
The cost of living in Sydney reflects its position as Australia’s most popular and dynamic city.
Sydney ranks among other leading global cities in terms of accommodation and transport costs. Yet, it also has exceptional standard of living, career opportunities, access to award winning beaches, natural attractions, and one of the best food, wine and entertainment scenes in the world. The Sydney lifestyle is what draws many to study here.
Accommodation options are varied and include student housing, private rental, homestay or short-term options. Most universities offer on-campus rooms and private accommodation can be found via sites such as realestate.com.au and flatmates.com.au. Sydney Airport is Australia’s busiest transport hub, offering flights to most destinations across Australia and the world. For information on transport around Sydney, visit Transport NSW.
The City of Sydney hosts an annual official welcome for more than 1000 newly arrived international students, marking the start of their lifelong connection with Sydney. The local government authority helps students access all the support they need to enjoy their new life in Australia’s most exciting city. Its award winning International Student Leadership and Ambassador Program offers free training, work-integrated learning and volunteering opportunities to enhance leadership skills and experience, and develop the skills needed for future careers.
Sydney’s multicultural society means there are support networks whatever your country of origin. Within the City of Sydney, almost 50% of residents were born overseas and 36.7% of people speak a language other than English at home including Mandarin, Thai, Cantonese, Indonesian and Spanish. Sydney’s famous food scene is a clear reflection of its multicultural heart, with a world tour of authentic global flavours to choose from.
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Enjoy a perfect outdoors lifestyle all year-round courtesy of Sydney’s famous beaches, rivers and walking trails and enviable climate. Learn to surf at Bondi, get up close with Australia’s magnificent wildlife at Taronga Zoo Sydney (which has some of the best views of the city) or enjoy fish and chips or a barbecue in a picturesque park or on the beach. A lively entertainment scene and world-class museums and galleries combines with live music, theatre and comedy to deliver unique experiences. Visit the Official Sydney Tourism website to explore things to do in Sydney.
Parramatta
- Distance from Sydney CBD: 35 minutes by car or rail, or 50 minutes by ferry
- Population: 251,311
- Largest industries: Health care, professional, scientific and technical services, retail
- Rental prices: $480 per week (4-bed house) / $430 per week (2-bed unit)
- Shared rooms and homestays: Campus studios from $338 per week / room in 4-bed apartment from $275 per week.
- International sister cities: Beersheba, Israel; Cebu, Philippines; Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea; Phetchaburi, Thailand; Putian, China; Vungtau, Vietnam
Biggest employment sectors in Western Sydney
- Health care and social assistance
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Retail trade
- Education and training
- Financial and insurance services
- Accommodation and food services
Study
The City of Parramatta is home to two campuses of Western Sydney University, globally recognised for its research and innovations in teaching. It is also the location of satellite campuses for the University of Sydney, University of New England, University of New South Wales and Charles Sturt University. Western Sydney University’s highly regarded Sydney Graduate School of Management helps students fast-track their careers with a range of postgraduate studies, with many courses accredited by leading Australian associations. The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, known for delivering breakthroughs in research into many of the world’s most serious illnesses, is based in nearby Westmead.
Work
With Parramatta’s central business district forecast to grow from 49,000 in 2011 to 83,000 in 2041, there are increasing opportunities for graduates to find a career in their chosen field. Leading industries in Parramatta include health care, professional, scientific and technical services and retail.
The location of Western Sydney University’s interactive, technology-enabled Parramatta city campus in a building shared with leading professional services firm PwC provides access to learning and career opportunities for international students. Western Sydney University provides advice on securing part-time jobs, roles within your chosen profession, as well as volunteering and work experience on its Careers page.
Study NSW also offers a comprehensive range of programs to help international students find work during and after study in the regions, including #NSWGlobalConnections, Farm Jobs Connect, Finding a Job, and 2021 Study NSW Employability Program for International Students. For information on your rights and opportunities around working in Australia, visit the Australian Government’s Study in Australia website.
Live
Parramatta may be in the history books as the place where Australia’s famous wool industry was born, but today it is a young, multicultural hub with a vibrant city centre and growing population. Sydney’s 'second' city is alive with commerce and innovation, offering exceptional opportunities to succeed in work and life. It also offers a more relaxed, less crowded lifestyle than Sydney’s better known CBD. Parramatta, and surrounding Western Sydney, has a diverse and inclusive community, with a higher Asian population than Greater Sydney, including well-established Chinese, Indian, Korean and Irish communities.
On-campus accommodation options at Western Sydney University include shared villas and flats or individual studio apartments. For private rentals, visit sites such as www.flatmates.com.au and www.realestate.com.au.
The closest airport to Parramatta is Bankstown — a new light-rail network is on track to arrive in 2023 and the new Western Sydney Airport is scheduled to be complete in 2026. Parramatta benefits from good transport connectivity, see Transport NSW for more information.
For more about the cost of living in Australia, visit the Australian Government’s Study in Australia website.
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With its multicultural heart, Parramatta’s eclectic food scene features restaurants, cafes and bars that span all corners of the globe. Take a ferry trip along the beautiful Parramatta River or have a sip at a rooftop champagne bar before a show at the Riverside Theatre, which attracts world-class performers. Visit one of Parramatta’s World Heritage-listed convict sites or the oldest surviving European building in Australia at Elizabeth Farm. A packed events calendar draws big crowds to Sydney’s second city. Visit Sydney’s Official Tourism website for more information.