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Call 020 7353 7200
159 - 161 Temple Chambers, 3 - 7 Temple Avenue,
London EC4Y 0DA.
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is the state’s oldest and most prestigious university. Since its establishment in 1911, UWA has earned an international reputation for excellence and enterprise and is characterised by the quality of its education across a broad, balanced range of disciplines in the sciences, arts, and major professions. UWA is the only Western Australian member of the Group Of Eight, the collaboration of top research universities in Australia.
In July 2009, UWA was described as ‘an excellent, high-quality, well-managed university with a bold vision’ by the Australian Universities Quality Agency. In October 2009, it was ranked number 84 in the World University Rankings from The Times Higher Education Supplement.
UWA remains the destination of choice for the highest-achieving students in Western Australia. In 2009, 82% of the top 5% of Western Australian school leavers enrolled at UWA. It has the highest graduate employment rates in the state, and each year matches or exceeds national graduate employment rates.
UWA places enormous emphasis on research and research training and, as a result, attracts researchers of international standing across the whole range of disciplines taught at the University. UWA regularly attracts more than 70 per cent of the competitive research funding awarded in Western Australia by the Commonwealth Government and about 60 per cent of the state’s research funding from all sources. In 2008, research projects at UWA were awarded AU$14.9million in Australian Research Council funding. This was more than 70 per cent of the total amount allocated to the state’s top researchers.
UWA has around 80 research and training centres, including the Crime Research Centre, the Centre for Forensic Science, the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems and the Centre for Water Research. Beyond its focus on excellence in both teaching and research, UWA is committed to developing new initiatives and maintaining its strong links with industry.
UWA courses include:
Architecture, environmental design, landscape
architecture, urban design
Arts, music, law, communication studies, social work, education
Biological sciences, biomedical science, molecular biology and biotechnology, nanotechnology and genetics
Commerce and economics
Computer science, information technology
Engineering, including oil and gas, petroleum, microelectronics, information and communication technology
Physical sciences
Medicine and dentistry, health science, podiatric medicine
Psychology
Natural and agricultural sciences, including conservation biology, conservation management and climate studies, genetics and breeding, wildlife management, and agricultural economics.
Mid-year entry is available in most courses. There’s plenty of study space in the University’s many libraries and the campus has excellent computing services, including the facility for students to remotely access the UWA network.
The campus at UWA is made up of landscaped gardens on the banks of the Swan River, featuring both traditional architecture and state-of-the-art research facilities, lecture theatres and laboratories.
There are five residential colleges and halls, all on the main campus. Accommodation includes a study/bedroom, all meals and amenities, rooms and libraries. There is also private accommodation close to UWA and in nearby suburbs.
UWA offers an extensive support network to all its students to ensure their well-being. A wide range of support services are available, including personal and educational counselling, short courses in areas such as learning research skills and academic writing; a careers centre offering advice and career planning as well as details of short-term and part-time jobs; a Medical Centre, a Housing and Financial Aid office; and a mentoring scheme where new students are matched to a senior student for support and guidance.
“Initially, I fancied studying marine biology and, as I was more willing to picture myself splashing around in the Coral Sea than in the North Sea, I started looking at Australian universities. I ended up changing my mind about what to study and decided to focus on humanities-type subjects, but the change in what I wanted to do didn’t change where I wanted to do it. Studying in Australia, to me, represented the opportunity to experience somewhere different and to really get to appreciate it because I’d be living there for an extended period of time.
“I also looked at UK universities – including St. Andrews, Durham, Cambridge and Edinburgh – as well as two other Australian universities. My decision to go to UWA was based on its overall reputation as an excellent university, and the expertise of its staff. Some of the highlights of my course include being taught English and Latin by people such as the literary critic and creative writer Gail Jones, and Brian Bosworth, who is one of the world’s leading experts on Alexander the Great. I think the presence of such staff gives a real indication of the quality of UWA’s teaching as a whole.
“I think the biggest benefit of studying here in Australia is simply being an international student. Without wanting to sound like a cliché, it’s an experience that gives you much more than a degree. Just by going through the day-to-day in another country, you’re exposed to perspectives that are very different from your own, and that’s probably one of the most useful lessons you can gain in life. Plus, of course, I know that a degree from UWA will be held in high regard by prospective employers.
“Outside of study, I really enjoy living in Perth. Beneath the sleepy, laid-back façade that it presents, it provides a great social life. On top of that, the University has a huge number of social and sports clubs which are administered by the students themselves.”
