Does the thought of packing your suitcase and studying in a new city sound daunting?
Well, if Yvonne Cheong’s experience is anything to go by, you shouldn’t worry. Yvonne relocated from Singapore to Melbourne to complete her final semester at RMIT, and is learning a ton of new things as she journeys towards her dream career.
An overseas education means experiencing life in a foreign country and meeting people from different cultures. But mingling with classmates from the US, Brazil, Germany and Japan isn’t the only good thing about studying in Melbourne. Yvonne has also discovered an enjoyable learning experience in the process.
Yvonne loves the vibe in her classroom. “There’s a lot of opportunity for interacting with lecturers as well as other classmates. And there’s always a teaching assistant in class to ensure we get our queries sorted out during lectures,” she says.
Given the intimate setting of small lecture groups, the teachers at RMIT Melbourne are able to make sure everyone is up to speed before moving on to a new topic. Yvonne also loves their unique teaching methods; for instance, some of her courses use games as a tool for learning.
“Instead of a theory-based report, we had to play an online simulation game where we ran our own company while applying the theories and strategies we learnt in class,” explains Yvonne of one such exercise. “It was a very refreshing experience for me. It definitely made studying easier as it required us to apply what we learnt in order to score well in the game. Plus, it also added the element of fun in the learning process!” she says enthusiastically.
Yvonne decided to go to Melbourne as part of her final semester of the Bachelor of Business in Marketing programme at RMIT. If working out the details of such a process seems troublesome, you needn’t worry as it is made extremely simple and easy to follow. After submitting an online application of interest, successful candidates are sent a letter of acceptance with complete further instructions.
“Our RMIT Singapore staff were beyond helpful throughout the application process all the way to acceptance. They conducted briefings to ensure we got the required documents signed and submitted on time, and also connected us with past and current Singaporean students in Melbourne so that we could get a better understanding of what to expect,” says Yvonne.
Yvonne wants to pursue a career in consulting or brand management, areas where she would be required to understand a client’s business and develop or fine-tune their branding strategies to achieve the desired goal. These are things she believes she has learnt at RMIT.
“The course has introduced me to real-world knowledge which will be useful in the workforce. It has taught me creativity, adaptability, communication and analytical skills, all of which will be important in my career,” says Yvonne.
If you are thinking about going international with your own studies, you can approach the university to know more and find the necessary support. Yvonne, for her part, can’t recommend it enough. Her advice to you: “Go with an open mind and don’t be afraid of being adventurous. There’s so much to discover and try out.”
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.