International pathways

ADRIAN BLADES, CAREERS EDUCATOR

At The Geelong College, the journey doesn’t end at graduation – it expands across borders and oceans. Our students are encouraged and supported to think big, dream globally, and seize the wealth of opportunities available across Australia and beyond. From Canberra to California, Adelaide to London, TGC graduates are making their mark on the world stage.

Each year, several College students will move interstate for university, and in recent years students have started tertiary study across Australia with many of them moving to study in Canberra, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.

Universities such as Adelaide, the Australian National University, Bond University, and Griffith University on the Gold Coast have provided exciting and varied opportunities for our students amongst many others.

In 2023, 15 interstate universities, in addition to all nine Victorian universities made offers to our students which represents more than half of the universities in Australia.

This is all part of students taking a broad and global approach to their study opportunities and many look internationally as well. Some students are excited by the international exchange programs which is standard in Australian universities and many relish that experience. Other students are keen to move internationally, and the school is supportive of making those opportunities available, accessible and achievable.

The biggest growth in interest is in the United States, particularly for athletes where scholarships are part of the admission and recruitment process and the experience. Since 2016 around 40 students from The Geelong College have moved to the US as athletes. Each have obtained scholarships and studed in varied areas of interest such as Commerce, Health, Science and Engineering.

An independent US College recruitment agency – Study and Play USA who has worked closely with and supported the careers department stated that The Geelong College is the biggest destination school for US College sports. This is an achievement that the students and the school community should be proud of.

All of that in just eight years.

With the introduction of co-curricular scholarships, dedicated and outstanding sports performance staff, and the opening of Belleren, the capacity for growth is significant and very exciting for students into the future.

We are seeing growth, too, in the variety of sports that students are excelling in here, and then the US College system.

Rowing formed the initial foundation of US College pathways.

Now we have talented students performing in track-and-field, crosscountry, basketball, soccer, tennis, and golf, all having amazing experiencs and giving so much to the Colleges that recruit them.

Each year at least five to ten students apply to the US Colleges who assess students based on their results across Years 9 to 12, their performance in the US College Entrance Test, the SATs and their ongoing performance as an athlete.

The US College system is a userpays model and without scholarships the fees are $55,000 to $70,000 US per annum for four years. However, the scholarships process which is about fee reduction, is built into the recruitment process. Scholarships are offered based on all the factors listed above and after interviews with coaches, whose role it is to recruit the best athletes and people into their programs.

The Careers department has put significant resources into supporting and promoting international pathways.

With the US Colleges, The Geelong College has provided a venue for students to complete their US College entrance examination, the SAT, with sittings held on a Saturday morning.

With the profile of US College sports pathways growing, students with an academic and creative arts interest are starting to look to the United States, United Kingdom and Europe for those opportunities.

There is a significant appeal to students in studying and learning in large Colleges and Universities, as well as in well-known performing and creative arts places such as New York, California, London, and Paris. Our students should be encouraged to dream big and explore the opportunities as widely as possible with a sense of hope, optimism, and support.

The overseas interests also go well beyond sports and performing arts, to areas ranging from Fashion to Engineering. In the United States, scholarships seem less available for prospective students looking to opportunities outside of sport and in the UK and Canada, out of pocket costs can also be high with limited scholarships.

Those students often look to Europe which have courses that teach in English, and that are supported by their governments even for international students. Countries that are part of the European Union enable international students to study at a similar rate to domestic students in those countries.

The growth in interest and reputation of United States College sports is providing exciting opportunities for TGC students.

The possibilities for growth and exploration in international pathways is significant, varied and exciting.