It is not easy to learn on an empty stomach. That is why good meals are very important when studying in Australia. It should taste good, of course, and be as nutritious, healthy and varied as possible. How good that there is a wide range of foods and dishes in Australia. Students have the opportunity to eat both on and off campus.
Catering on campus in Australia
There is no classic cafeteria as we know it from Germany in Australia. Instead, students will find the following catering providers on campus in Australia:
Restaurants
Cafes
Takeaways
The catering options can be located at a central food court or spread across different locations on campus.
The offer is very varied and includes a wide variety of national kitchens. Those who like to eat burgers or sandwiches or salads will often find what they are looking for as well as fans of Asian dishes. Depending on the university, restaurants can be found on campus that comply with religious dietary regulations or offer vegan or gluten-free dishes, for example. In addition, there is sometimes a university bar on campus in Australia. Here the students can not only relax with a drink, but often also eat something. As a rule, alcoholic beverages are also served here. On campus, students often have different options between courses or to have a cozy coffee during study breaks or to have a coffee to take away.
Many universities have a list of the various food options on their website, along with information about the foods that can be purchased there. The larger the campus, the greater the selection of different restaurants, cafes and snack bars. The opening times of the localities are different. Some of them are closed during the semester break. Some restaurants support sustainability initiatives on their campus.
At some universities, students have the opportunity to warm up food they have brought with them on campus in microwaves that are provided for this purpose. Sometimes they can even completely cook it up in a kitchen outside of the dorm.
Boarding in a student residence in Australia
The student residences themselves often offer cooking facilities, mostly in communal kitchens. Some of the universities in Australia have supermarkets on campus. Students who want to use the wooden spoon in their dormitory do not even have to leave the campus to go shopping. In some cases, students who do not want to cook themselves can book a meal package for the room in the dormitory. Some universities in Australia even require students who live on-campus to purchase a so-called dining plan that allows them to eat in the restaurants, cafes and take-aways on campus. The costs are included in the rent for the student residence.
Off-campus meals in Australia
Students who do not or do not always want to use the on-campus catering facilities during their studies in Australia also have the option of catering off-campus.
They can cook for themselves in their accommodation away from campus or prepare sandwiches for university.
Students who live with a host family are usually also fed by them. The costs for this are usually included in the rental price. However, self-catering is also possible in the homestay.
The shopping opportunities in Australia do not differ in principle from those in Germany. In addition to the large Australian supermarket chains, there are also comparatively inexpensive discounters in some cities where students can do their weekly shopping. It is of course also possible to shop at the market, as well as at the bakery, butcher or delicatessen dealer. The goods are usually fresh and of good quality, so that students can prepare a tasty meal for themselves.
If you don’t always like to cook yourself, you can of course also go out to eat. The gastronomic offer in Australia is diverse and just as multicultural as the country itself. Restaurants, cafes and snack bars offer dishes from different regions of the world. The scope and variety of the gastronomic offer naturally also depend on the surroundings. Students in major Australian cities usually have more choices than in small towns.
Food costs in Australia
The cost of living in Australia is generally higher than in Germany. Therefore, students also have to dig deeper into their pockets for food while studying in Australia.
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If meals are not included in the rental price, as is sometimes the case in dormitories or host families, students should expect around AUD 320-800 per month for groceries and eating out. The actual amount depends, among other things, on the location of the university. Life in Sydney or Melbourne is usually more expensive than in Lismore, for example. Your own eating habits also have an impact on costs. In Australia, on-campus meals are usually more expensive than cooking in the dormitory or in the apartment. Eating out is not cheap in Australia either. Dining in a cheap restaurant costs around AUD 18, so meals are with a host family and self-catering for students is usually the cheapest option.
