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Australia Feedback
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Students taking part in this year’s Feedback survey on Australia were largely satisfied with their experience, and the country’s language schools are starting to welcome students from Central and Eastern Europe for the first time.
Australia feedback at a glance
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Total number of students: (female 54, male 55, unknown 7) 116
Average age in years: 23.9
Average length of programme in weeks: 17.6
Average number of students in class: 13
Average number of hours of language tuition per week: 24.3
% of students who found out about their course through an agent: 64
% of students who booked through an agent or adviser: 67
% of students who had been on another language programme: 26
% of students who would recommend their school: 94
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| Respondents by world region of origin |
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Top nationalities |
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1. Asia 72%
2. Western Europe 11%
3. Latin America 5%
4. C & E Europe 4%
4. Middle East 4%
No reply 4%
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1. Korean 21%
2. Chinese 16%
3. Taiwanese 10%
4. Japanese 9%
5. Spanish 3.5%
5. Thai 3.5%
7. German 3.5%
8. Turkish 2.5%
8. French 2.5%
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| In my class there are... |
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How easy is it to practise English with native speakers? |
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1. The right amount of students (45%)
2. Too many students of my language (21%)
3. Too many students from one other countries (21%)
4. Too many students (11%)
Unknown 2% |
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1. Quite easy (42%)
2. Quite hard (41%)
3. Very hard (9%)
4. Very easy (5%)
Unknown (3%) |
| How did you find your programme? |
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Did you book your course through an agent or an educational adviser?
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1. It was recommended by an agent (64%)
2. I found it on the Internet (28%)
3. It was recommended by a friend/relative (14%)
4. I saw it advertised (2%)
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Yes (67%)
No (28%)
Unknown (5%)
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Student reasons for school selection included:
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“I liked the countryside and wanted to study at a school with many nationalities”
“Because it offers degree programmes”
“When I visited here I felt comfortable”
“I thought the academic level at a university would be higher than a normal college”
“In terms of price and quality, this school is the best option”
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| Before looking for your course, did you know where you wanted to study? |
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Country
Yes (87%)
No (7%)
Unknown (6%)
City/town
Yes (75%)
No (19%)
Unknown (6%)
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School
Yes (51%)
No (43%)
Unknown (6%)
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Student nationality
Belarusian, Slovakian and Ukrainian were just some of the nationalities represented from Central and Eastern Europe in this year’s Feedback survey. Overall, four per cent of students were from Eastern and Central Europe, compared with none last year, while students from Western Europe dropped from 13 per cent previously to 11 per cent this year (see LTM, February 2007, pages 16-17). Asian students made up the greatest proportion of respondents at 72 per cent, compared with 70 per cent last year. Overall, 29 different nationalities were represented, and three Western European nationalities featured in the top 10, compared with just one last year.
Student motivation
The largest group of respondents (58 per cent) were in the 20-to-25 year old age bracket and 54 per cent said that they were currently using English in their educational studies so it is not surprising that 60 per cent described their profession as student. Future work prospects was the most common motivational factor among students this year with 47 per cent saying that they were learning English for this purpose. Last year, just 37 per cent gave this as their reason. The percentage of students intending to go on to further studies in Australia stayed the same as last year at a high 38 per cent, while those intending to study in another English speaking country or at home decreased from eight to five per cent.
Student enrolment
Agent usage remained high in this year’s Feedback survey on Australia with 64 per cent of students finding out about their course through an agency and a high number indicating that they relied solely on the advice of their agent when deciding where to study. In keeping with the findings from last year, a relatively high percentage of respondents (72 per cent) where on their first language study abroad trip and only two per cent had been on more than one overseas study trip in the past. This perhaps explains the high use of agents among students who may need the confidence offered by professional advice for their first study trip.
Standard of the schools
Class sizes ranged from five to 17 students and 11 per cent of students – those in classes of between 10 and 17 – said that they thought there were too many students in their classes. With so many students from the top student countries of Korea, China and Taiwan (which together made up 47 per cent of the total student body) it is not surprising that 33 per cent of respondents thought that there were too many students of their own or one other nationality in their class. Of those who thought there were too many students of their own nationality, 48 per cent were either Chinese or Korean and a further 16 per cent were Taiwanese. Overall, however, satisfaction levels were high and 91 per cent of respondents deemed their teachers to be either excellent or good.
Living in Australia
The average cost of a one-week English course with accommodation was AUS$420 (US$378), down from AUS$591 (US$532) last year. Despite this decrease, slightly more respondents found the cost of living in Australia to be higher than in their own country this year (69 per cent compared with 61 per cent previously). This included all Chinese students, most Taiwanese, but it was generally Germans and Japanese who found the cost of living to be the same as at home.
Thank you to the following schools for participating in our survey: Ability Education, Sydney, NSW; Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD; Edith Cowan University IEC, Perth, WA; Embassy CES, various; Global Village, Sydney, NSW; LSI Brisbane, Brisbane, QLD; Northern Sydney Institute Tafe ELC, Sydney, NSW; RMIT English Worldwide, Melbourne, VIC; SA Adelaide Language Centre, Adelaide, SA; University of Queensland ICTE, Cairns, QLD; West Coast International College of English, Bunbury, WA.
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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