Opportunities and Challenges Faced by International Students in Sydney

Running head: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS IN SYDNEY
Opportunities and Challenges faced by International Students in Sydney
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN
SYDNEY
Table of Contents
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................2
Background............................................................................................................................2
1. Challenges..........................................................................................................................2
2.1. Learning and Socio-Cultural Adjustments..................................................................2
2.3. Educational Expectations............................................................................................3
2.4. Individual Problems and Safety..................................................................................4
2.5. Accommodation and financial hardships....................................................................4
2.6. Public transport...........................................................................................................6
2. Opportunities......................................................................................................................6
1.1. Social Isolation........................................................................................................7
1.2. Community Safety...................................................................................................7
1.3. Information Provision..............................................................................................8
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................8
References:...............................................................................................................................10

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN
SYDNEY
Literature Review
Background
“The path to career success is not an easy one for international students and
graduates in Australia” (Gribble, Blackmore and Rahimi 2015). According to Rumble and
Harry (2018), the number of international students who come to study in Sydney have
crossed about half a million. It has emerged as one of the significant locations for higher
educations. This section of the paper is going to elaborate on discussing about the
opportunities and issues that are faced by the international students who comes to study in
Sydney. The main aim of this literature review is to explore the experiences of the
international students for revealing the challenges and difficulties that they face while coming
to complete their studies in Sydney and with the same, it shall also shed light on the supports
available for them in this city.
1. Challenges
2.1. Learning and Socio-Cultural Adjustments
International Students who come to study in Sydney, also bring a rich cultural
paradigm along with them and they highly aid to the economic development and cultural
diversity of the city. This enhances the approach of the learning, and also shapes their own
expectations from their lecturers, support staffs and administrators. After the enrolment of
these students in Australian international education program, they face with a significant
challenge of new academic and cultural domains. Acculturation, language, social cultural
adaptation, communication, adjustment and learning problems are some of the very common
problems faced by them (Baylis, Smith and Owens 2017). The need for English language
standards however make sure that the students are well-prepared for the great cultural shift
which they are required to make for successfully adjusting with the education system of

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN
SYDNEY
Australia, but the finding of several researches have highlighted that the issues are much
more complicated than just proficiency in English language. The style of learning, level of
participation and collaboration, independence and structured learning are some of the more
extensive subjects of conflict. With the same, the students belonging from UK or USA might
not feel any difference in terms of adjusting socio culturally in Sydney but the students who
are from Africa, Asia and from the other European nation experience a cultural shift. Most of
the students tend to feel lonely, disturbed and might also suffer from homesickness as well.
With the same, most of the students coming from abroad do not have English as their
first language. Most of the international students belong from Hong Kong, Macao, South
Korea, Pakistan, India, France, Sweden, Germany, Vietnam and Kenya. Hence, they are more
fluent in their own language rather than in English. Though it is mandatory that every
students should be qualified in English proficiency test in order to get Australian visa, still the
Australian style of speech, the accent, the lexical differences are troublesome for most of the
international students. In Sydney, student get their tutorials and lecturer motes in English
medium only. They do not get any other option to choose from. Therefore, there are some
international student who have complained that the professors in the Sydney colleges speak
too fast and that they make use of come idioms and abbreviations that they are not familiar
with. Hence, the English language proficiency has a great impact on the overall experience of
the quality of life that the international students get in Sydney.
2.3. Educational Expectations
It is to mention that as per David (2014), educational system differs from one nation
to other. The educational system of Sydney too, has its very own distinctiveness that makes it
different from rest other educational systems. As because of the fact that the international
students come from different backgrounds, they feel quite confused and takes time to get
accustomed with the education system of Sydney. More often, they are directed towards