From High School

One-on-One Counselling

Since 2002, OzTREKK has been committed to helping students pursue their educational dreams. We have assisted more than 5,000 students attend university in Australia. We represent the best in Australian higher education, and the universities trust OzTREKK to provide unparalleled service to their future students.

• We help students determine which program / university is right for them
• We advise students about their eligibility / competitiveness
• We host exclusive, program-specific webinars and in-person information sessions
• Our close relationships with admissions and faculty mean you always have the most up-to-date information and allow us to connect students with faculty members, academics, and students for additional support
• Provide admissions stats and guidance you won’t find anywhere else
• OzTREKK Student Ambassadors connect with prospective students on social media  and webinars

We have established relationships with our university admissions teams. This means we can help bring clarity and reassurance during the admissions process. We have years of expertise helping students and their parents find the program that suits their interests and needs.

Contact Us

Have a particular program in mind? Just click on your study area to find your program-specific admissions officer who will be able to answer all your questions.

Have general questions about studying in Australia, or would you like a presentation or just some more information about the study options available? Please contact our Outreach Team:

• Anna Southall-Millward Eastern Canada, West of Toronto
• Sarah O’Shea Eastern Canada, East of Toronto & Ottawa Area

How it works

OzTREKK assists students at every stage—from their first questions to their return to Canada—so they are fully prepared for their Australian educational experience! Because we are funded by the universities, our services are free to students.

• Students can fill out our comprehensive all-in-one online application
• Only one copy of transcripts is required
• We provide timely application updates and reminders
• Most of our universities waive their application fee for OzTREKK students
• We assist our universities with interview coordination, logistics, and scheduling
• We guide students through the Australian offer season and assist them with the acceptance process
• Unsuccessful outcome support, including second options, increasing competitiveness, and offer appeals, where warranted

Predeparture Prep

• Detailed guidance regarding financing, student visas, housing, travel arrangements, and more
• In-person OzTREKK Meet-ups and exclusive Facebook groups
• Predeparture guides and online resources
• OzTREKK Meet-ups in Australia: OzTREKK team members / current students greet your students in Australia to help them to settle in

All OzTREKK students receive exclusive access to the OzTREKK Boarding Pass, which outlines detailed predeparture info, access to our predeparture webinars, and much more!

Jilsy: Choosing to study medicine in Australia was one of the best decisions I have made! The structure of my program at Griffith University—a 2-year Bachelor of Medical Science degree with direct entry into Doctor of Medicine—was very appealing to me. Studying through this route in Australia would save me 2 years, which I plan on using to further diversify my medical experience. The training pathway here allows doctors to get a greater depth of experience in different specialties before choosing one, unlike in North America where you have to have one chosen by third or fourth year of medical school. Moreover, I loved the idea of venturing out into a new country to do my schooling.

Australia’s beautiful weather, kindhearted people, and its overall vibes all seemed very attractive to me and I couldn’t wait to embark on a journey to grow independently as a person and academic.

My first year in Australia was terrifying and exciting at the same time. Having been straight out of high school and away from my family for the first time were quite challenging initially. Learning how to cook, getting used to the humidity, and navigating my way around the Gold Coast were definitely trials I had to overcome, but I don’t regret any of it.

In my first year, I had also travelled to Melbourne and Sydney, both of which were overall amazing vacations. From seeing kangaroos, to attempting to interpret the “Aussie slang,” to witnessing my first huntsman spider were quite interesting experiences to say the least. One of the best parts about Australia are my amazing roommates (both Australian and Canadian) who have supported me and helped turn Australia into my second home.

Nadia: It’s not often you’ll be able to graduate as a doctor by the time you’re 24! The accelerated bachelor’s program and direct entry into the Doctor of Medicine was certainly intriguing, as programs like this aren’t offered in North America and similar programs in the UK are MBBS degrees (personally, it was important to me that I was enrolling in an MD program).

Moving out from home and living so far away is definitely a big step, but what helped me get through it was knowing that “away is away.” Whether I was studying away from home on the other side of Canada or on the other side of the Pacific Ocean in Australia, either scenario saw me living on my own and returning home only during long breaks. But, one of the biggest factors that helped me feel not as homesick was choosing where to live wisely and bringing things from home to give it that homey feel! For me, things like kitchen tools and bed sheets from home were the little things that mattered. Having rented an unfurnished apartment, my “home away from home” is now filled with the memories of my mom and I shopping for furniture together and building it all ourselves.

The Australian accent is super cool, but I promise you that an accent barrier does exist at times and the abundance of Aussie slang will have you scratching your head! Of course, with time, it’s something you get used to and you might even find yourself adopting a few new mannerism and accents on certain words! The laid-back Australian lifestyle, which seemed to be exacerbated on the Gold Coast (probably because it’s a popular holiday spot) was also very different from the busy, on-the-go city life I was familiar with in Vancouver.

Finally, you’ll find that majority of the students in this program are interstate and living away from home similarly to you. I found that the combination of shared experiences from living away from home at a young age coupled with the intensity of this degree allowed me to form meaningful friendships with equally motivated and genuinely fun people!

My name is Chrysten and I come from Hamilton, Ontario. I am currently in my first year at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia for my Bachelor of Dental Surgery after applying straight out of high school in 2019.

I chose to study in Australia because I loved how the dental programs have a more hands-on approach, and personally I am a hands-on learner. I knew this would be a good fit for me compared to the theory-based learning in Canada. Also, the universities—especially JCU—have us go out to help rural and remote communities and to promote good oral hygiene. This helped my choice to study here because one of my goals after I graduate is to go assist rural and remote communities around the world, so the program will be giving me a glimpse into what that is all about!

I’m looking forward to continuing my studies here in Australia and facing any challenges or wonderful experiences along the way!

I primarily considered studying medicine at an Australian university because certain universities, such as Monash, offered undergraduate medical programs. I knew the level of education I would be receiving in Australia would be world-class and internationally recognized, meaning that my degree would undoubtedly be recognized if I wished to practice in Canada.

I was always keen on studying medicine after high school but doing so after an undergraduate degree in Canada inevitably makes the process quite long (typically a minimum duration of seven years). Thus, the idea of an undergraduate medical program appealed to me as it would allow me to begin working as a physician sooner.

Naturally, I was drawn to Monash University’s five-year undergraduate program in this aspect as it is one of the shortest medical programs in Australia; however, this was just a fraction of Monash’s appeal for me. As a member of the M8 Alliance, an international academic network of institutions focused on global health, and The Group of Eight (Go8), Monash University is internationally recognized for its research and teaching excellence, especially in the medical sciences.

Our names are Cristina and Francesco Galloro. We are siblings from Toronto, Ontario and are currently embarking on our fourth and third year in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program at James Cook University, respectively. We applied to JCU and were accepted into the BDS program as “high school leavers.”

JCU Dentistry is a small, close-knit program with exceptional professors and staff and state-of-the-art facilities. One of the things that really influenced our decision to attend JCU was the amount of clinical experience available to students. In first year, we are brought into the simulation clinic to begin developing our skills. In second year, we are given the opportunity to assist fourth-year students at JCU Dental Clinic, while skill development continues in the simulation clinic. In third and fourth years, we become the clinicians of JCU Dental under the directive of supervisors in an 8:1 ratio. Finally, in fifth year, clinical experience continues in placements across Australia and overseas.

While preparing to study and live abroad presented its challenges, we can truly say it is the best decision we’ve ever made.

Universities & Programs

“I really love how James Cook University create event especially for international students, mainly the weekly Café International where everyone can have a chat and play board games while having free coffee! The Bachelor of Pharmacy program is really unique as it offers teaching to smaller classes and the teaching quality is amazing!” John, JCU Pharmacy

“I love Griffith University and program; I love having the balance of studying and fun in the Gold Coast. My dental program provides state-of-the-art facilities and the professors have been very helpful through the transition.” Fatima, Griffith Dentistry

“I like that there are Canadian profs and Canadian law courses in my law program at Griffith.” Justine, Griffith Law

“The program is fantastic; too many likes to list. The early clinical exposure, the teaching staff, international student support were fantastic, just to name a few.” Radin, UQ Dentistry

“I like the opportunities I have with animals I wouldn’t normally get a chance to work with….” Alex, Sydney Vet

Multicultural cities

“I enjoy how it is similar enough to Canada that the cultural adjustment is not large, yet there are so many new and exciting opportunities around the corner. The people are also wonderfully friendly here.”

“The weather in Townsville is always wonderful and the people are friendly and are always willing to help you out—they also love Canadians. It was not a huge culture shock; Townsville is very much like a town in Canada.”

“The people are so nice! From the bus drivers to people working in stores, I feel very safe and comfortable, even when I’m lost! The city also reminds me a bit of home (Vancouver) so I’m not homesick at all, and when I want to take a weekend trip in the country there are so many new places to explore.”

“I love that there are many things to do in Sydney (and in other places in Australia) outside of school. There are places you can travel to on your breaks, and even during school there its lots to do in Sydney. It is great to experience a different culture, even though there are many similarities to North America. Having multiple beaches only a short bus ride away isn’t too shabby either!”

 Location

“Cairns is absolutely incredible! I feel like I am living in a tropical paradise. I really enjoy the sunny, warm weather that I typically don’t get to see much of back in Toronto. The beaches are stunning, so I would have to say that I like the beaches and weather the best about Australia (thus far!).”

“The country is amazing and I only wish I had more time to go exploring! The landscapes are stunning and there are so many incredible sights to see.”

“The location is beautiful! We are surrounded by lush green mountains and beaches. If you like outdoor sports, there is a lot to do. I find a lot of good road cycling around here. Beaches are a five-minute drive and the infrastructure is designed to enjoy them. There are BBQs, washrooms, lifeguards and stinger nets to make sure you have a good time.

“Australia is a very beautiful country, the people are generally very friendly, the public transport is quite organized.”

“Sometimes I almost forget that I am actually in Australia, but then I remind myself of where I am! Australia is a beautiful country with lots of amazing scenery and plenty of things to do. Being here for only 6 months, I’ve had the opportunity to travel around a bit and love the uniqueness of each city/place that I have been to. Just when you think you have seen or done it all, there’s something new to do! The weather is wonderful, and I cannot believe that I have the pleasure to go to the beach when I want to! It’s no longer a luxury!”

Student-friendly

“SWIM is great (supporting women in medicine). The name is kind of misleading. It’s really just a great group that does weekly free yoga and clinical exam help for every module and networking events. I’m also part of the refugee tutoring club which is exactly what it sounds like. Join a journal club in something you’re interested in. I joined the aerospace and medicine group; it’s fun to nerd out and talk about space medicine. Join the Facebook group for your cohort and you will be up to date on everything that is going on. UQ Incision will put out a sign-up sheet on the group for extra anatomy tutorials; that was helpful for me.” Katharine, UQ Medicine

“James Cook University Pharmacy Student Association (JCUPSA) for the Bachelor of Pharmacy as you will have discount for books, first aid and CPR training, and events such as Pharmacy Ball, Congress Week and many more!” John, JCU Pharmacy

“Doing intramural sports within your program of study is a great way to get involved and meet other people, even if you’re shy. Here I’ve been a part of co-ed volleyball and basketball teams and it’s a great way to blow off steam, have a laugh, and get to know other people.” John, Griffith Medicine

“I joined the Yoga club recently and I think it helps me deal with everyday stresses of being a student.” Malsha, UQ Pharmacy “Early on in my first semester I was struggling with anxiety about school work and the Counselling and Psychological services (CAPs) at school were really beneficial to me.” Caitlin, Sydney Health