Here’s Why You Should Consider Going Regional For Uni

We’ve barely made a dent into 2020 and already it’s delivered us some harsh blows. If you cast your minds back only a couple of months to before this whole pandemic situation started, you’ll remember that Australia was essentially on fire, with regional and rural Australia copping the worst of it. 

It’s not only devastating for the people and animals who lost their homes and habitats, but it’s also sad to see so much of Australia’s beautiful regional landscapes damaged. When you think of the ‘Aussie lifestyle’ – even for those of us who live in the city – it conjures up images of brown countryside, remote coastlines and tightknit communities of people who say “g’day” and “tell him he’s dreamin’”. Okay, maybe I’m just thinking of The Castle, but you catch my drift.

Our regional land is such an important part of what makes us Aussie, and while it’s comforting to know that towns will rebuild and land will regrow, there’s still a ways to go and a lot of support that needs to be given.

This is why you should really consider going regional for university. Whether you’re a city kid looking for a change of pace or already living regionally, there are some massive benefits to studying away from the big cities - the first of which is being able to help jump-start their local economies. Plus, Australia has some insanely good regional unis that specialise in areas a lot of metro unis can’t.

Here’s some other benefits to living and studying regionally:

Smaller communities mean smaller unis

When I was a kid visiting my grandparents in Coffs Harbour, strolls around their house would always take painfully longer than necessary all because they would have to stop every few metres to chat to yet another neighbour they knew and catch up on the local gossip.  

Looking back on it now, I’m envious of the sense of community they had. People are more connected, less lonely. And when it comes to studying, this equates to smaller classes and campuses. At a city uni you’re always a small fish in a big ocean, but in a regional uni it’s more like a lake, where you kind of bump into everyone at some point. It’s a whole lot easier to meet people and make friends.

The cost of living is cheaper

There’s no denying that the city is an expensive place to live. For the same money you’d spend on a shoebox room with a curtain for a wall in the city, you could get a lush place by the beach or bush in a regional town. Heck, you might even be able to get yourself a lil’ dog too.

Another great option if you’re going regional to study is to live on-campus. Here you’ll find an even tighter-knit community of young people who are keen to get to know each other and make new friends. You’ll all be away from home and muddling this newfound independence thing out together – good times are sure to ensue.

You’re closer to nature

One of the best parts about regional life is that you never have to go far to get some fresh air. Whether it’s a beautiful bushwalk, a pristine beach, rolling countryside or some crazy combination of all three, regional areas certainly have a one-up when it comes to natural beauty.

A lot of regional unis use this to their advantage. For example, at Southern Cross University (SCU), they use the proximity of the beach and bush to allow their students to get plenty of hands-on experience in degrees that focus on things like regenerative agriculture, sustainable tourism, marine science or forest science.

If you’re keen to suss out regional study a little more, your first point of call should be SCU. They’ve got three main campuses in Lismore, Coffs Harbour and on the Gold Coast and they’re all about incorporating the natural landscape into your learning and your lifestyle. They’ve also got heaps of clubs, societies and sports groups so you can get to know the other students, and an award-winning student support system which means that if you are going regional to attend their uni, you’ll have plenty of help along the way. 

The smaller classes mean you’ll have more individual attention, plus they’ve got a huge emphasis on experiential learning, which means you’ll get plenty of practical experience in your degree so you’re work-ready by the time you graduate. Suss out more info over here, and have a good think about a regional change for uni – you’ll be doing all of Australia a huge solid.