Island Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 HI, We are dual citizens, both kids born in Australia and lived all their lives there, until now. Moved our 14 and 16 year old back to the UK recently - however they both want to go back to Oz for uni and rest of lives! I know if we left Oz & tried to move to the UK for uni - they'd need to be here THREE YEARS prior to qualify as home students. I believe that is not true in Australia, and the boys can return after living overseas and still be home students. Can anyone confirm? Has anyone experience with getting into Australian universities with A'levels? No doubt we shall move back with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 They’ll have changed their minds by then so not to worry. They’ll be fine with A levels (they convert nicely to the ATAR) and as they’re citizens they can get Commonwealth Supported Places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstWorldProblems Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 I've spent many hours researching this topic as this is our plan too and yes, your are right. As a citizen they will immediately qualify as a domestic student and as @Quoll says, many courses offer commonwealth supported places, reducing the cost often to about half that of the UK. Note that not ALL courses have CSP A-Levels are a recognised qualification, but be aware that the criteria differs by uni. Here is an example from Sydney Uni: Advanced Computing requires an ATAR of 90 or A Level points of 13/14 The A Level points are calculated as: The first score listed (the 13 of the 14) is the requirement for three subjects, the second score (the 14) is for four subjects. • A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1. So for 13 you’d need two A’s and a C One key difference between uni courses in UK and Australia is that in Australia Degrees without honours tend to be 3 years, with honours 4 years. Whereas in the UK it's 3 for honours 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Like Quoll says, quite likely they will have changed their minds by then and certainly at least one probably will. Throw a girlfriend/boyfriend into the mix and a few good mates down the pub/football club and they may well take root. It sounds like it would be easy enough with no residency issues should it happen which is good news. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Island Posted June 25, 2021 Author Share Posted June 25, 2021 Thanks so much for feedback - esp yours firstworldproblem! Tulip and Quoll - you might well be right, but I think you underestimate the power of an amazing sun drenched, sea soaked aussie childhood! They are pretty adamant that is where they belong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 12 hours ago, Island said: Thanks so much for feedback - esp yours firstworldproblem! Tulip and Quoll - you might well be right, but I think you underestimate the power of an amazing sun drenched, sea soaked aussie childhood! They are pretty adamant that is where they belong! That’s what my son said when he went to U.K. for a holiday in 2002 - he envisaged bringing up a family in Australia and having a childhood like he had. He was only going for a year. We are still waiting! He won’t be back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 12 hours ago, Island said: Thanks so much for feedback - esp yours firstworldproblem! Tulip and Quoll - you might well be right, but I think you underestimate the power of an amazing sun drenched, sea soaked aussie childhood! They are pretty adamant that is where they belong! Can I ask what made you decide to leave and return to England? Your description of an amazing sun drenched, sea soaked life sounds like things were pretty good for you in Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Island Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 Hi Tulip, Sure - our parents! My mum has dementia.. Yes life was very good, Australia was very very good to us - beautiful home, great jobs, great lifestyle, happy kids, great friends. But ageing parents meant we felt quite torn and would spend all our holidays back in the UK. Although its been financially disastrous for us, I am still glad we've come back mid covid as we've seen loads of my family so its been totally worth it - I know we would have been miserable feeling stuck in Oz, however perfect life was. And nothing is forever, we are all dual citizens. And no doubt we will all head back in the next couple of years. I moved around a lot as a kid so find it easy to get my head around. Not so great for my kids probably. To be honest I think I underestimated the sense of belonging they have to Oz, and also the peace of mind that financial security gives to us as adults with responsibilities (ugh!). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beanbear Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 On 26/06/2021 at 08:07, Island said: Hi Tulip, Sure - our parents! My mum has dementia.. Yes life was very good, Australia was very very good to us - beautiful home, great jobs, great lifestyle, happy kids, great friends. But ageing parents meant we felt quite torn and would spend all our holidays back in the UK. Although its been financially disastrous for us, I am still glad we've come back mid covid as we've seen loads of my family so its been totally worth it - I know we would have been miserable feeling stuck in Oz, however perfect life was. And nothing is forever, we are all dual citizens. And no doubt we will all head back in the next couple of years. I moved around a lot as a kid so find it easy to get my head around. Not so great for my kids probably. To be honest I think I underestimated the sense of belonging they have to Oz, and also the peace of mind that financial security gives to us as adults with responsibilities (ugh!). We were very much in the same situation. We moved back for similar reasons and then our kids, who are now both young adults, decided to come back to Australia a couple of years ago and we moved back nearly a year ago. I agree as to the financial impact - it has definitely set us back quite a lot in mortgage terms, however we were the ones who brought them here, and I can see why they wanted to be back. We have settled back in pretty well. Our kids are doing so well here, with opportunities they would never have had in the UK. Always going to be a difficult balancing act with aging parents in the UK though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Island Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 Thanks so much for your message - it was two years ago I wrote that - my boys are. now 16 and 18 years - the older one is thinking of going back for Uni next year after he finishes Alevels - they are having a great life of travel and diversity in europe but the pull of australia is still great and they still feel very Australian. Did your kids move back first - and then you followed beanbear - did you tell them at the time you would follow in a few years? Did you move back to the same part of oz? For my own part, I'm loving life in Bristol so much - love the woods, love the village life, love my job and the kids school and being in Europe - all the travel and the cold weather too (menapause!!) but I understand the pull for them and definitely want them to follow their dreams and return for uni if they still want to...and we will follow at some point... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophW Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 On 27/09/2023 at 07:05, Island said: Thanks so much for your message - it was two years ago I wrote that - my boys are. now 16 and 18 years - the older one is thinking of going back for Uni next year after he finishes Alevels - they are having a great life of travel and diversity in europe but the pull of australia is still great and they still feel very Australian. Did your kids move back first - and then you followed beanbear - did you tell them at the time you would follow in a few years? Did you move back to the same part of oz? For my own part, I'm loving life in Bristol so much - love the woods, love the village life, love my job and the kids school and being in Europe - all the travel and the cold weather too (menapause!!) but I understand the pull for them and definitely want them to follow their dreams and return for uni if they still want to...and we will follow at some point... Hope you don't mind me asking, but do you miss Oz at all? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tahm563 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Just curious to know if you moved back yet and whether your kids settled well. We are thinking of doing the same, moving to sydney for University however kids never lived in Australia (frequently visited however) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Manna Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 On 27/09/2023 at 07:05, Island said: Thanks so much for your message - it was two years ago I wrote that - my boys are. now 16 and 18 years - the older one is thinking of going back for Uni next year after he finishes Alevels - they are having a great life of travel and diversity in europe but the pull of australia is still great and they still feel very Australian. Did your kids move back first - and then you followed beanbear - did you tell them at the time you would follow in a few years? Did you move back to the same part of oz? For my own part, I'm loving life in Bristol so much - love the woods, love the village life, love my job and the kids school and being in Europe - all the travel and the cold weather too (menapause!!) but I understand the pull for them and definitely want them to follow their dreams and return for uni if they still want to...and we will follow at some point... At least you all have options which is good. I've always thought it a choice not a compromise between Australia and the UK, and I've always wondered what horrible things must have happened to those poor souls who run either of the countries down. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophW Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 On 27/09/2023 at 07:05, Island said: Thanks so much for your message - it was two years ago I wrote that - my boys are. now 16 and 18 years - the older one is thinking of going back for Uni next year after he finishes Alevels - they are having a great life of travel and diversity in europe but the pull of australia is still great and they still feel very Australian. Did your kids move back first - and then you followed beanbear - did you tell them at the time you would follow in a few years? Did you move back to the same part of oz? For my own part, I'm loving life in Bristol so much - love the woods, love the village life, love my job and the kids school and being in Europe - all the travel and the cold weather too (menapause!!) but I understand the pull for them and definitely want them to follow their dreams and return for uni if they still want to...and we will follow at some point... Please keep us posted on what you do - I would love to see how it all works out for you and your family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Island Posted April 9 Author Share Posted April 9 HI All, thanks for your messages. My son is just about to do his Alevels and yes still planning on returning to Oz for University. He's going in July after his exams, to look at JCU and UQ to do Marine Bio/ Zoology degree. He will spend a few months in Oz alone to see how he feels about living on the other side of the world to us... we are staying another three years now as waiting for younger son to finish school and then one extra year after that to tie up house sales, finances etc. My husband and I are still so happy to be in the UK and enjoy all the Euro travel (& all our family too) but at the end of the day want to live in the same country as our kids in the long term. Thank you so much for the info about residency and qualifying for CSP at Uni. That's very helpful. His course is a CSP course luckily. Are you aware of any stipulations around qualifying for HECS help loan to pay his student contribution? Does he have to be resident for a certain amount of time prior? Thank you Jess 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 49 minutes ago, Island said: HI All, thanks for your messages. My son is just about to do his Alevels and yes still planning on returning to Oz for University. He's going in July after his exams, to look at JCU and UQ to do Marine Bio/ Zoology degree. He will spend a few months in Oz alone to see how he feels about living on the other side of the world to us... we are staying another three years now as waiting for younger son to finish school and then one extra year after that to tie up house sales, finances etc. My husband and I are still so happy to be in the UK and enjoy all the Euro travel (& all our family too) but at the end of the day want to live in the same country as our kids in the long term. Thank you so much for the info about residency and qualifying for CSP at Uni. That's very helpful. His course is a CSP course luckily. Are you aware of any stipulations around qualifying for HECS help loan to pay his student contribution? Does he have to be resident for a certain amount of time prior? Thank you Jess A friend of mine’s granddaughter has done that. She is Australian, but lives in England with her parents. She is in her 2nd year at JCU, and loves it. Although her grandmother lives on the Sunshine Coast she is completely independent, just stays with her for a couple of days at the beginning of the year and then again before flying home for Christmas. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 2 hours ago, Island said: HI All, thanks for your messages. My son is just about to do his Alevels and yes still planning on returning to Oz for University. He's going in July after his exams, to look at JCU and UQ to do Marine Bio/ Zoology degree. He will spend a few months in Oz alone to see how he feels about living on the other side of the world to us... we are staying another three years now as waiting for younger son to finish school and then one extra year after that to tie up house sales, finances etc. My husband and I are still so happy to be in the UK and enjoy all the Euro travel (& all our family too) but at the end of the day want to live in the same country as our kids in the long term. Thank you so much for the info about residency and qualifying for CSP at Uni. That's very helpful. His course is a CSP course luckily. Are you aware of any stipulations around qualifying for HECS help loan to pay his student contribution? Does he have to be resident for a certain amount of time prior? Thank you Jess After Uni your kids could go anywhere - what would you do if one chose Canada and the other preferred Spain? There's no guarantee they'll stay in Australia. HECS Help https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/hecs-help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 As someone who attended university in the UK and has worked in an Australian uni for the last decade I'd 100% take the UK university experience over an Australian one. Whilst I'm sure the level of education is comparable, the fact that in the UK pretty much everyone leaves home to go to uni makes the experience many times richer, more character-building and more fun than simply commuting to your local uni in Oz whilst living with your parents and not really changing your life in any other way. I guess if they go back to Oz alone then they'll be more likely to go to a uni that isn't in their home city but, even then, it's just not the same as in the UK as all of their classmates will just disappear after lectures and go home. Plus, with a significant proportion of teaching still being done online these days, they might not have much of a university experience at all. Even if they're not big party people, the experience of living in halls with hundreds of other people in the same boat is pretty special. Campus life in Australia is just tumbleweeds compared to in countries where people typically leave home for uni. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BendigoBoy Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 15 minutes ago, llessur said: Whilst I'm sure the level of education is comparable, the fact that in the UK pretty much everyone leaves home to go to uni makes the experience many times richer, more character-building and more fun than simply commuting to your local uni in Oz whilst living with your parents and not really changing your life in any other way. A bit of an oversimplification to say pretty much everyone. In the West of Scotland, it's extremely common for students to live at home (from as far afield as Ayrshire) and commute into Glasgow to attend university. I was very much the outlier when I left the fold to go to St Andrews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 9 hours ago, llessur said: As someone who attended university in the UK and has worked in an Australian uni for the last decade I'd 100% take the UK university experience over an Australian one. Whilst I'm sure the level of education is comparable, the fact that in the UK pretty much everyone leaves home to go to uni makes the experience many times richer, more character-building and more fun than simply commuting to your local uni in Oz whilst living with your parents and not really changing your life in any other way. I guess if they go back to Oz alone then they'll be more likely to go to a uni that isn't in their home city but, even then, it's just not the same as in the UK as all of their classmates will just disappear after lectures and go home. Plus, with a significant proportion of teaching still being done online these days, they might not have much of a university experience at all. Even if they're not big party people, the experience of living in halls with hundreds of other people in the same boat is pretty special. Campus life in Australia is just tumbleweeds compared to in countries where people typically leave home for uni. I've always been so glad I went to university in the UK for precisely that reason. We did have one person who lived at home and I remember her saying she wished she was in Halls as we seemed to have a much better social life. I couldn't imagine living at home while doing my degree, I would have missed out on so much due to pressure from parents to stay home and study, mind younger siblings in the evenings etc. Always found it odd that so many students were leaving college in Aus and starting jobs with no experience at all of being independent. We had some at work and had to explain the basics of living to them, even down to how to do supermarket shops and open bank accounts, parents had always done everything for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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