What’s it like to live in Brisbane?
Have you been wondering if the city of Brisbane is a good place to study? Our quick guide to Brisbane for international students introduces you to Australia’s third largest city and gives you an idea of what it’s really like to live and study in this laidback river city. Let’s take a look.
Brisbane Quick Facts
Brisbane is the capital of the sunshine state of Queensland. It has a population of roughly 2.6 million people and is located along the banks of the Brisbane River and the shores of Moreton Bay.
Brisbane is famous for its warm climate, friendly people, and active outdoor lifestyle — with plenty of beautiful parklands, botanical gardens, walking trails, and riverfront bikeways all within the confines of the city.
Universities and RTOs
There are a number of local universities located in the city of Brisbane, including the critically acclaimed University of Queensland (UQ). You’ll also find campuses for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that offer premium-level VET qualifications.
The key providers are:
What’s exciting is that many of these campuses are located right in the heart of the CBD and alongside the Brisbane river. It’s really fun going to uni by riverboat!
Affordability and Lifestyle
Brisbane is definitely one of the more affordable state capitals in Australia. Compared to Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Perth, you’ll find living costs are much cheaper in Brisbane.
If you’re still organising your study budget, we suggest checking out the Australia Cost of Living Calculator. It’s a useful tool developed by the Australian government and allows you to prepare a reasonably accurate budget based on the local costs of food, accommodation, transport, entertainment and other essential services.
Getting a Job
International Students who live in Brisbane and hold a current Student Visa 500 will have no problems finding a part-time job. Brisbane is a popular tourist destination so there is always a good range of job vacancies in the hospitality, retail, and tourism sectors.
You’ll also find that most Australian universities offer free career advice and professional development courses. Take advantage of these services and you will be able to confidently prepare a a resume, apply for a job, and perform well in an Australian job interview.
Public Transport
Brisbane City is an active transport hub, providing metro buses, trains, and river ferry services around the city and outer suburbs as well as to the nearby cities of Ipswich, Redlands, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Grab yourself a GO CARD to access all services at much cheaper prices.
Additionally, you’ll find a domestic and international airport, plus a large network of regional buses and trains that connect Brisbane to the far reaches of Queensland in all directions. Queensland is an incredibly big state and spans a whopping 1.853 million km².
For public transport timetables and fare prices in (and around) Brisbane, visit the TransLink website. Alternately, for long-distance and interstate services, visit the Queensland Government website.
Accommodation
Like most Australian cities, student accommodation in Brisbane can by highly competitive. You’ll find a full range of options including on-campus student accommodation, sharehouses, flats and apartments, studios, and homestays.
While there are always short-term rentals available, we recommend sorting out your accommodation and living arrangements as soon as possible because short-term stays quickly become expensive.
The best places to look for accommodation in Brisbane are:
Sharehouses
House and Apartment Rentals
Essential Services
When it comes to shopping for food, clothing, stationary, gadgets and computing supplies, Brisbane has everything you need (and a whole lot more). No matter what your budget, you’re sure to find something in your price range.
There are also plenty of medical centres, dentists and allied health professionals, hospitals and healthcare centres that are easily accessible by public transport or within walking distance of the universities.
Entertainment and Nightlife
If you like to dine-out or party during your downtime, Brisbane has a good range of nightclubs, cocktail bars, pubs, restaurants, and live entertainment venues to choose from. In-line with the warm weather and outdoors life-style, you’ll find some excellent outdoor bars, beer gardens, laneway bars, and rooftop bars around Fortitude Valley, Paddington, and along the riverside.
Brisbane also hosts regular sporting events, cultural festivals, ballet recitals, music concerts, and theatre featuring national and international artists and sports icons.
Outdoor Attractions
If you love the great outdoors, Brisbane has so much to offer international students. In the city of Brisbane itself, you can enjoy the walkways and bike paths along the river system or the BBQ facilities and public swimming pools at the Southbank beach and parklands.
Alternately, ride the bus or train to the Redlands area and enjoy stunning Moreton Bay or the pristine lakes and beaches on North Stradbroke Island.
A little over an hour north of the city, you’ll find the Sunshine Coast and Hinterlands, which offer white sandy beaches, rainforest, waterfalls, swimming holes, and the stunning Glasshouse Mountains. Then just one hour south, is the Gold Coast and it’s famous surf beaches, broadwater, and elaborate system of canals and waterways.
Health and Safety
Finally, Brisbane is 24-hour city that is (by world standards) very safe for both residents and visitors. Brisbane has a diverse population and is well-known for it’s friendly people, easy going culture, and highly responsive emergency services.
If you’re keen to learn more about personal safety in Brisbane, we recommend visiting the Personal Safety page on the city government’s website.