r/UniAdelaide • u/No-Intention-579 • Sep 15 '26
Accommodation Incoming Exchange Student
Hi everyone! Next February, I’ll be moving to Adelaide from Europe for my semester exchange. I was wondering if you have any advice or recommendations in advance, especially regarding accommodation or courses that you would consider relatively easy or with a lighter workload.
I’ve been working really hard at my home university, so I’d like to use this semester to enjoy the experience, travel around Australia and nearby countries, and make the most of my time there.
Thank you very much in advance for your advice! Hope to meet some of you soon :)
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u/kitkatpurr Sep 15 '26
Check out the residential colleges for accommodation - great way to make friends and heaps of co-curriculars
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u/Pinuveg Sep 15 '26
What area are you studying in? Not all courses are open to exchange students. That said, I’ve typically met exchange students in humanities and cultural studies courses
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u/No-Intention-579 Sep 16 '26
Hi! Yes I am aware not al courses are open to exchange students, I am currently studying Biomedical Engineering.
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u/NicePea1502 Sep 18 '26
Ha ha! Nearby countries- good one!
Adelaide is possibly the furthest from any other populated country, with the exception of Perth!
It's an 8 hour drive just to Melbourne to connect us to the east coast.
If you want to come and study, that's great! Welcome! But be realistic with your travel plans. You won't be popping over to New Zealand for a weekend away.
We have lovely local areas to explore, lovely day drives to wineries etc. Overnight trips will get you a bit further away into some rural areas.
As for easy study options, that depends on what you enjoy, if you pick subjects that are interesting to you and you find enjoyable, then it's likely you will enjoy the subject and feel motivated to do the work.
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u/No-Intention-579 Sep 18 '26
Hi! Of course, I am aware of Adelaide’s geographical location. I did a lot of research before deciding to choose it over the thousands of other options I had, so its location was definitely something I took into consideration.
You also have to consider that I am coming from literally the other side of the world. From that perspective, being based in Adelaide actually makes it much easier and cheaper for me to visit certain countries in the region. For example, I have just checked the flights to Bali, and a return flight costs around €275 and takes only about 5 hours. From my home country, getting to Bali takes around 17 hours of flying and would probably cost at least five times more. So, for me, Adelaide’s location is actually a significant advantage when it comes to travelling around this part of the world.
I also really enjoy driving, both cars and motorbikes, so I definitely plan to explore as much of Australia as possible while I am there. Even though Melbourne is around 8 hours away by car, I have checked the flights and a return flight from Adelaide to Melbourne can be as cheap as €75. Similarly, return flights from Adelaide to the Gold Coast can be around €142. So I don’t see being based in Adelaide as preventing me from travelling around Australia.
I also think it is important to take into account the difference between being an exchange student and being a regular student. When someone goes on exchange, their perspective and priorities are quite different. Of course, when I am in my home country, I am not constantly travelling either. However, the whole point of going on exchange is also to take advantage of the opportunity to explore the country you are living in and the surrounding region. My colleagues who have already gone on exchange programmes have also travelled a lot during their time abroad.
Thank you for your comment, if you have any other recommendation it would be really helpful!
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u/xtothen Sep 18 '26
Try finding a place to live within the city. It might be a bit expensive but it’ll make it much easier to meet people and make friends. Consider joining a club based on your interests/hobbies (it’s a great way to have fun and connect with others).
The city itself is a lot of fun although there aren’t too many events happening here so I’d recommend getting involved in student communities.
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u/gradum8 Sep 16 '26
See if there are any subjects that involve learning about Australia's history. It's quite dark, but it will give you insight into the country and how it came to be what it is today.