Digital Experience Report – Macquarie University Sydney 2015
Name: Lianne Wouters
ANR: 447378
Email: l.d.j.wouters@tilburguniversity.edu
Study Program: last semester of my Bachelor
Exchange semester: February – June 2015
Academic year: 3th year of Psychology
Host University: Macquarie University
Country: Australia
I General information about the city and school
I lived in Sydney from the beginning of February till the end of June. Macquarie University is located
35 minutes away with the train from the city centre. I lived in the Macquarie University Village, a
village where 900 students from Macquarie University live just 5 minutes walking away from the
University. In the Village you live in a house with 4 other students, all female or mixed. I lived with 4
other female students. I would definitely recommend to live in the village during your exchange
semester, since it is really close to the University, but also because there are just students living
there. There is something to do every day and they host a lot of different events and sometimes free
food. On the way from the Village to the University, you walk passed the Macquarie University Gym.
This is a gym where you can do lots of different sports, including group classes like Zumba and body
attack. There are also 2 swimming pools located there, one inside and one outside.
The University campus is big and not really comparable with the campus from Tilburg University.
There are more buildings, a bigger library, an impressive food court, a lake where you can relax in
summer located next to campus. If you walk away from the campus, around 20 minutes walking
distance from the Village, there is a big shopping centre, called Macquarie Shopping Centre. You can
get everything you like here, from supermarkets to fancy restaurants to McDonalds to Zara and
H&M. The train station is also located here.
Sydney is a great city to live, I absolutely fell in love with the city. There is so much to see and do!
Although I lived 35 minutes by train away from the city, it is really easy to get there and it goes really
fast. In 30 minutes you drive over the Harbour Bridge and see the beautiful harbour and the Opera
House. There are lots of different neighbourhoods in Sydney. George Street is the main shopping
street, near the train station Town Hall. The Rocks is a really cool neighbourhood with bars and
markets. I also really liked neighbourhoods such as Glebe, Newtown and Surrey Hills. Here there are
a lot of nice bars, restaurants and places to drink a nice coffee. Darling Harbour is also really cool
with lots of bars and restaurants and music on the streets. For going out I would go to the bars in
Darling Harbour, King’s cross or any of the rooftop Hotels where you have the best view over the city.
Sydney also has heaps of beautiful beaches, I would definitely recommend taking the ferry to Manly
beach or Bondi beach ofcourse. After living 5 months in Sydney, I still have the feeling that I did not
see everything since there is much fun things to see and do in Sydney!
II Practical information
Information before you left
Lots of things need to be arranged before you leave. I was convinced that Macquarie University
would contact me with the procedure from the exchange, but I found out quite late that I was the
one who had to send them lots of documents. I had to send them my transcript of results, proof of
my level of English (you need to do an English test at Tilburg University), transcript of results from
high school and a list with courses you want to get approved. It took a really long time before I heard
back from them. My semester started in February and at the end of December, I received an email
that I was officially approved for the exchange semester at Macquarie University. After you receive
this email you have to pay an Overseas Health Cover Insurance and once you paid this you get the
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), which you need to apply for your visa.
If you have any questions, you can always send them email. They are very friendly and reply quickly.
Visa procedure and arrival
After you receive the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your exchange-coordinator from
Macquarie University you can apply for the Visa. I know that a friend of mine got her Visa the same
day she applied for it, but for me it took around a week and then I received my Visa on my email. A
visa to study in Australia is around 500AUD. You are allowed to stay one month after school finished
in Australia. If you want to stay longer you should get a working-holiday visa, which is more
expensive.
You can apply for a pick-up from the airport via the website from Macquarie University. You get a
reply with approval within a week. When you arrive at the airport you will see them when you walk
into the arriving hall. The driver takes you with a bus to the place where you are statying (in my case
the Macquarie University Village).
Orientation/Introduction activities
The Macquarie University Village, where I lived, organizes an introduction week called Fresher’s Fest.
This is the week before University officially starts, so for me it was 19th to 26th of February. This week
is really cool there are activities every day and evening and you can chose which events you want to
attend and which not. There are some free events, but the coolest activities organized cost some
money (it is quite expensive). Events that were organized during this week were: ‘international party
in the city, White Harbour Cruise, Coogee to Bondi coastal walk, day trip to the Blue Mountains,
markets, Surf lessons and much more’. I had so much fun during this introduction week and you will
meet so many new people!!
The week University started (26th of February) is called O’week (Orientation Week). University
organizes different activities during this week such as a day to the Featherdale Wildlife Park and also
a Harbour Cruise. During this week you will also meet all the different clubs and societies Macquarie
Uni has (you will be surprised how many there are) such as all the sports clubs, religious clubs, the
fashion society, the psychology club, the I love Harry Potter club and so on.
Macquarie University also has two compulsory orientation sessions during the O’week which you
have to attend. You get a buddy and you meet other people who also have the same buddy as you.
Housing
Macquarie University sends you an email when you are officially accepted for their Exchange
Program. In this email they attach a list with housing options (you can also find it on their website).
There are a lot of different options that University offers and you can also choose to find a place in
the city centre, but I have no idea if this is easy or not. I had heard good stories from former
Exchange students at Macquarie University about the Village so the choice was quite easy for me. I
also liked it to live in a house with other students from the same University and because there are so
many things organized. Furthermore, I wanted to live close to the University. You can apply for a
room via the website from Macquarie University which sends you to the website from the Village.
You can chose if you want to live in the East or West side (West side is a bit cleaner, but further away
from uni and the East side has more parties). Every person has their own room and you have your
own bathroom. You share the livingroom and kitchen with 4 other students.
Living Costs
Living in Australia and especially Sydney is expensive. Most of the money I spend was on groceries,
travelling, housing and drinks in the city. A drink in the city is around 10 AUD = €7,50 or if you want a
cocktail it is 20AUD = €15,-. I saved a bit beforehand and I was happy that we received some money
from Tilburg University. My approximate monthly budget was:
-
-
Housing: 1100 AUD = €800,Food/Drinks: 550AUD = €400,Transport (you can apply for a concession card if you are a student): 40AUD = €30,Travelling: This is really hard to say in a monthly amount, because I travelled most during the
Mid-Session Break and after the semester. These were both trips from around 2200AUD =
€1600,Phone subscription: 30AUD
Wifi in the Village: 30AUD
The visa was around 500AUD and the compulsory Overseas Health Cover insurance was around
300AUD. I did not buy any books. Also, in the beginning you spend a bit more money because you
have to buy all the basics such as linen and towels.
Academic Calendar
I arrived on the 2th of February which was a bit early, because most people only arrived in the
weekend from 14-15 February, so there were not that many people around in the Village.
Fresher’s Fest from the Macquarie University Village started on the 19th of February and University
and O’week officially started on the 26th of February. Although they call this Orientation week, your
lectures and tutorials start in this week. You have six weeks of University and then there is the
‘Break’ where you have two weeks off! After these two weeks University starts again for a period of 7
weeks. My last classes were on the 5th of June.
Exams can take place in a period of 3 weeks from the 9th of June till the 26th of June. I also had 3
midterms in the week after the Mid-session Break.
The International Office
Macquarie University has an International Office where you can always go to or send them an email.
They will help you with your courses or with problems with adjusting. I never went to this
International Office, but you get the information during the orientation at University.
Exchange promotion
An Exchange Fair is held shortly after the mid-session break at University. I spend two hours
promoting Tilburg University on this fair to students from Macquarie University who were interested
in going on exchange!
Social Activities
The University organizes some activities for exchange students during the first two weeks and some
during the year. However, I met most of my friends at the place where I live, the Macquarie
University Village. The village organizes a whole introduction week with activities and parties every
day and everyone attends these activities, so it is not only for exchange students. The village
organizes activities for their students the rest of the semester with at least one event every week.
During my exchange I met some local students who are very friendly and welcoming and they are
very open to exchange students. I noticed this a difference with Tilburg, because for me, in Tilburg, I
do not have any contact with the exchange students at university.
The majority of my friends during my exchange were all exchange students. I met them during the
introduction from the Village, so we all lived in the same place. I saw them every day during my stay.
We went out for dinner and drinks together, studied together and so on. There is always enough to
do at university, at the village or in the city.
Did you travel to other places/countries during your exchange?
In April I was free from University for 2,5 weeks with 2 other friends I met during my exchange flew
to Cairns and travelled down the Eastcoast back to Sydney. This was absolutely amazing!
Furthermore, we did a lot of trips to the Blue Mountains, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hunter Valley.
After my exams ended I went to New-Zealand for 2,5 weeks and then I flew back to The Netherlands.
Culture and Language
I did not really experience a culture shock when I was in Australia since the culture is quite similar to
ours. I just noticed that Australian people are more relaxed than Dutch people, more laidback and
very open and polite/friendly and they always try to help you. Dutch people are always in a hurry
compared to Australians. Australian people always make time for you which is great. Also at
University everything is more relaxed and informal. You can show up and leave the classroom
whenever you want (I often was in a lecture with 2 other people, because the rest just did not show
up and I am used to being in lectures with 300 students in Tilburg). You can call the teachers by their
first name and you never have to send an email with the titles, as what I am used to in Tilburg.
In the beginning it was weird to talk English all the time and I was a bit shy to say something because
I was not confident enough with my language skills, but when you start speaking it constantly it gets
much easier. I did not follow any language courses during my exchange.
Personal Development
I had some troubles adapting during the first weeks and I felt homesick because it was the first time
that I was away from home for so long. Also most new students were arriving later so I had not met
that many students yet. After the first weeks and when you start to get your own group of friends
and a routine in your daily life it starts to get so much fun!! I met so many new friends and people
from different cultures. I learned to be more open minded and be open for other cultures. This
experience was the best!
My best experience was to meet so many new friends from all over the world and the travelling
ofcourse. My worst experience is the cost of living in Australia 
I will never forget all the people I’ve met and the great things we were able to experience together!
III Academic information
Academic level at host university
All courses are offered in English at Macquarie University, except for language courses ofcourse. So
the 4 courses I followed were also all in English. To finish my bachelor I had to follow 2 psychology
courses, 1 elective and 1 one top course. The 2 psychology courses I had chosen were: PSY348
(principles and applications of learning) and PSY354 (clinical and experimental neuroscience). PSY354
was really interesting, but really biological. I really did not like PSY348, I was not interested in the
course at all. This course was all about stimulus control and not really my thing. The elective I chose
was COGS202: brain and language. A really interesting course! My one top course was a course from
the department of linguistics: cultures and language. This course was something else for me and was
more about writing essays and was really interesting.
I think the academic level at Macquarie University is a bit lower than at Tilburg University. However,
you have much more to do during the semester (more essays and assignments). The exams were
really detailed and not really about the big picture, something I had to get used to because in Tilburg
I knew exactly what they certainly would not ask on an exam and here it would have been a
question. It was hard for me to get high grades for my essays since they were really strict in marking
the essays.
The relationship between the students and the teachers is more informal and equal. You can ask
them anything and call them with their first name.
Exams
It really depends on which degree you are doing and what courses you are taking, but for me I had 4
courses and for 3 of them I had midterms in the week after the mid-session Break. For one course
there was no midterm. I had 3 final exams at the end of the semester, one course has no final exam,
but a report.
Other
So many essays and assignments! In Tilburg I am used to have some presentations during the
semester, but no essays and just a big final exam at the end of the semester. At Macquarie University
I had 3 midterms, 3 final exams, and a research essay/report for every course and some in class
quizzes and discussion posts. So much more to do during the semester for me.
The library is on campus and really impressive and big! It has everything you need and public
computers are available here as well.
Description of courses
Course
Description
Principle
s and
Applicati
http://handbook.mq.edu.au/2015/Uni
ts/UGUnit/PSY348
Prerequi
sites
15 ects
from
second
Exam/mi
dterm
1
midterm
and 1
Assignm
ents
Selfcontrol
report/e
ssay
EC
TS
7.5
LEVE
L
Bach
elor
year
3
ons of
Learning
Clinical
and
Experim
ental
Neurosci
ence
http://handbook.mq.edu.au/2015/Uni
ts/UGUnit/PSY354
Brain
and
Languag
e
http://handbook.mq.edu.au/2015/Uni
ts/UGUnit/COGS202
Culture
and
Languag
e
http://handbook.mq.edu.au/2015/Uni
ts/UGUnit/LING332
year
courses
97,5
ects
includin
g a brain
and
behavio
ur
course
30 ects
final
exam
1
midterm
and 1
final
exam
97,5
ects
2
midterms
, no final
exam
1 final
exam
Researc
h paper
7.5
Bach
elor
year
3
Weekly
online
quiz and
discussi
on post,
research
paper
3
discussi
on
posts,
ethnogr
aphic
report
7.5
Bach
elor
year
2
7.5
Bach
elor
year
3
Tips for the future students
I would definitely recommend an exchange period at Macquarie University in Sydney. The University
campus is great and is next to a big shopping centre. Also the Village is a great place to live and
Sydney is absolutely amazing! I would recommend this to everyone, I am so happy I grabbed this
opportunity. This was an unforgettable experience.
Don’t forget that you have to a language test even if you had a 7 or higher on your high school
certificate. I did not know I had to do this so I was very stressed before I had to leave because I did
not arrange it on time.
Also think about travelling before you leave. You may want to travel before and or after the
exchange. I went to New-Zealand at the end of my stay but did not think about the different
temperature so my mother had to send me warm clothes and my winter jacket over. You will regret
it if you are not going to travel while you are here!!
A picture is worth a thousand words