Congratulations to Student Z from Lingyu on receiving the visa! Z will enroll at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), a Top 20 university worldwide, in 2026.

The Australian visa application was submitted on October 1st, and the visa approval email arrived on November 8th (Saturday), taking just over 5 weeks. The parents were thrilled with the news and immediately started booking accommodation without delay.

Hailing from Shanghai, Z is a graduate of the Chinese national high school system.

Initially, Z and their parents considered studying in Hong Kong. It is geographically close, offers a distinct cultural environment, and with the country vigorously promoting the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, numerous opportunities lie ahead. However, the undergraduate admission thresholds for Hong Kong institutions are well-known to be high. Even for universities with relatively less competitive world rankings, academic requirements have been steadily rising, and spots in popular majors are extremely scarce.

Z’s college entrance examination (Gaokao) score was average, with significant academic imbalance. Focusing solely on Hong Kong would likely lead to unsatisfactory application outcomes, so we recommended the family consider other regions as well.

Firstly, for future career development in China, top domestic employers and enterprises have high standards for a university’s world ranking and academic credentials. A combination of an undergraduate degree from a high-ranking English-speaking university plus a master’s degree from a prestigious Hong Kong institution is more advantageous.

Secondly, the world is vast, and we encourage young people to explore it. Studying and living in a country vastly different from their long-term home will become a valuable life experience.

Z’s family accepted our suggestion and chose Australia among various English-speaking countries. Thanks to excellent English proficiency—with a near-perfect TOEFL score—Z quickly received unconditional full offers from leading Australian universities: the Australian National University (ANU), the University of Sydney (USYD), and the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

The final decision to attend UNSW was driven by its flexible undergraduate double-degree program. This allows Z to study two areas of interest simultaneously: Economics and Computer Science, through the Bachelor of Economics / Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) program. In just 4 years, Z will earn two degrees.

With ample time left before the February intake next year, Z can arrange subsequent matters with peace of mind and even experience the Chinese Spring Festival in Australia. The Spring Festival atmosphere in Chinatowns is now livelier than in major Chinese cities, featuring many traditional Chinese New Year activities.

Wishing Z all the best for their studies and life in Australia! Lingyu will always stand behind Z and their family, providing comprehensive support throughout the study abroad journey.