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Sydney

About

  • Sydney is one of the largest Australian cities and capital of the New South Wales state. It is one of the most important ports in the South Pacific.
  • Sydney is divided into North and South and connected by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A majority of the business and residential areas are located in North Sydney while the entertainment and tourist attractions are located in the South.
  • A person living in Sydney is known as a “Sydneysider”
  • Sydney is located on the East Coast of Australia, with the capital surrounding Port Jackson, Blue Mountains to the West, Hawkesbury to the North, and the Royal National Park to the south.
  • The city is made up of 658 suburbs and 40 local government areas.
  • Sydney has consistently been voted as one of the world’s most liveable cities and is classified as an Alpha+ world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.
  • Sydney is the most populous Australia city with an approximate population of over 5 million people, which makes up 65% of the total state population.
  • Almost half the residents in Sydney have been reported to have been born overseas and is considered to have the third largest foreign-born population in the world, following New York City and London.
  • The top five ancestries of people in Sydney are Australian, English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese.
  • The main languages spoken in Sydney are English, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Greek.
  • Top countries of birth for residents in Sydney, excluding Australians are from England, China, New Zealand, India and Vietnam.
  • Close to 2% of the population do not affiliate with any religion in Sydney, a further 22.6% have not stated their religious affiliations, 16% are Buddhists, 15% are Catholics, 5% are Anglican, 2.4% Hindu and the remaining are made up of Presbyterian, Uniting Church and Islam.
  • Sydney is home to spectacular beaches, inlets, bays, world-renowned museums, festivals, events, and numerous restaurants and bars.
  • Sydney has two of Australia’s National icons; the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
  • The Sydney Harbour bridge measures 1,149 meters and is the largest steel arch bridge in the world.
  • The Sydney tower is Sydney’s tallest building and the third tallest in Australia.
  • Some of the key industries in Sydney are Accommodation and food services, Finance and insurance, Retail, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Services, Administration, IT and telecommunications, Manufacturing and Education and training.
  • Sydney is known as Australia’s financial capital due to the multitude of foreign banks and multinational corporations located in the hub of the city.
  • The State Library of New South Wales opened in 1826 is the oldest library in Australia

Culture

  • Sydney is a dynamic and multicultural global city. It has a vibrant musical, film, arts, theatre, literary and visual culture.
  • Sydney has many independent theatres like the Capitol Theatre, The Lyric Theatre, The Theatre Royal, and the State Theatre.
  • A majority of its nightlife is centred around Woolloomooloo, Darling Harbour, King’s Cross, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and the Rocks. Coogee and Bondi are popular spots for tourists, with bars and pubs offering magnificent sea views.
  • The city is popular for its shopping, city markets, clubs, pubs and night life and has several vintage shops, bohemian cafes and is a foodie paradise.
  • Sydney is known for its arts culture and has a diverse range of museums including the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, The White Rabbit Gallery, Museum of Sydney, Australian National Maritime Museum, Artspace Sydney, Powerhouse Museum and more.
  • Sydney has several cultural festivals including food festivals, film festivals, arts, comedy and the famous Vivid light festival.
  • In Sydney, sports is a key element of the city’s culture. Over the years, Sydney has played host to International sporting events like the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1938 British Empire Games. The ANZ stadium in Sydney is also the location of the yearly NRL grand finals and hosts rugby league state of origin and soccer internationals.
  • Sydney has plenty of outdoor activities for you to unwind, including swimming, surfing, sailing, yachting and lots more. It has several golf courses and outstanding facilities for sports, like football, rugby, tennis and cricket.
  • Sydney has several coastal walks, from Bondi Beach, Coogee, to Manly Beach.
  • The Sydney Symphony is globally renowned and performs regularly at the Sydney Opera House concert Hall.
  • Each year, Sydney hosts the International Sydney Film Festival in June as well as other film festivals like Tropfest and Flickerfest.
  • The Darling Harbour region is one of the city’s key entertainment districts, with many shopping centres, plazas and restaurants. It also houses the Sydney Aquarium and the Australian National Maritime Museum.
  • Sydney’s Hunter Valley Region to the North of the city is popular for its great wineries and is one of Australia’s key wine regions.
  • The Sydney fish market is the world’s third largest fish market and the largest in the Southern hemisphere.

Climate

  • Sydney has a temperate, humid climate and enjoys several days of sunshine a year. The city experiences more blue skies during winter than in summer.
  • Since it is a coastal city, afternoon sea breezes are common and refreshing, especially when it is hot and humid. Smog is quite common on hotter days during the summer.
  • Sydney is known for experiencing the occasional drought but generally has a sufficient amount of rainfall per year.
  • The water temperatures in the oceans are generally warm to mildly cool, providing great opportunities for swimming and partaking in water sports year-round.
  • Winters are generally mild and summers are warm.
  • Sydney does not experience snowfall, but regional parts of NSW experience snowfall, including the Blue Mountains, Orange and the Upper Hunter.

Summer (December – February) – The average temperatures in summer is between 18.6 – 25.8 degrees Celsius with a humidity level of around 65%. Ocean water temperatures during summer are between 22-24 degrees Celsius.

Autumn (March – May) – is probably the mildest period in Sydney, with low levels of humidity and temperatures range between 14.6- 22.2 degrees Celsius. The air is crisp and fresh and provides plenty of opportunities for enjoying coastal walks in the city.

Winter (June – August)- During winter the temperature drops and averages between 8.8 – 17 degrees Celsius. The highest levels of rainfall is during June, while July is the coolest month of the year.

Spring (September – November)- The average temperatures in Spring are between 11-23 degrees Celsius, with mild levels of humidity.

University Education

  • Sydney is ranked within the tip five most popular student cities in the world, according to the QS Best Student Cities ranking. It has one of the biggest populations of International student enrolments annually, compared to other major Australian cities.
  • Sydney is welcoming, diverse and a multicultural city, attracting over 35,000 International students to its higher education institutions each year.
  • A majority of international students choose to live in and around the city due to its proximity to the Universities, Colleges, TAFE’s and other private colleges.
  • Voted as one of the 10 most liveable cities by the Economist, Sydney is also within the top 15 “world’s best cities” for International students.
  • Sydney additionally ranks within the top five in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings, offering students recognised qualifications, world-class facilities, expert resources and highly trained teachers and lecturers.
  • Sydney has five globally recognized universities, with two of the ranking amongst the top 50 Universities in the world according to the QS World University rankings; The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales.
  • The majority of international students in Sydney come from China, Vietnam, India, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil and Malaysia.
  • Estimated living expenses for students in Sydney are between $18,000 – $25,000, this is excluding tuition fees. The tuition fees differ, depending on the University, type of degree and program that you choose to follow. However on average, the annual yearly tuition fee is between $23,000 – 35,000 per year for International students.
  • Students are allowed to work while completing their studies for upto 20 hours a week and can use this income to cover some of their living expenses in the city.
  • Many Universities in Sydney offer student accommodation on campus, which could include studio apartments or shared apartments, and range anywhere between $130 - $650 per week.
  • Students could also opt to live off campus in independent housing, homestays, private rentals or flat sharing. Popular online sites for finding student accommodation in Sydney are Flatmates or Flatmate Finders.
  • The city has a well-connected transport system, which makes it convenient for students to get around the city and its suburbs, including trams, trains, buses and ferries.

Finding Work as a student

As a student in Sydney, you are allowed to work for up to 40 hours per fortnight, while classes are in session and unlimited number of hours during semester breaks.

There are several industries that provide part-time work, casual work, internships and volunteer work in the city. Popular sectors for part-time and casual work include:

  • Retail - supermarkets, department and clothing stores
  • Hospitality - cafes, bars and restaurants
  • Tourism - hotels and motels
  • Sales and telemarketing – Market Research, Cold-Calling
  • Administration or Clerical roles
  • Tutoring
  • Babysitting
  • Dog-walking

The NSW government is investing millions of dollars in Education, Innovation, Construction and Technology. Between 2010-2014 over 50,000 new jobs were created, according to the date provided by the city of Sydney. The number of jobs in the technology industry is expected to increase in the coming years which could provide immense opportunities for students pursuing higher studies in this field.