How to study graphic design overseas and see the world

Not only will you learn all you need to get your dream job in graphic design, you’ll also meet new people, discover a new culture and get a fresh perspective on life.

You probably already know about Shillington's campuses in London and Manchester, but did you know they have identical graphic design courses in four amazing locations overseas? We're talking Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in Australia, and New York in the USA.

Worried about the cost? While some educational establishments see foreign students as a cash cow, the good news is that you can study at Shillington’s Australian or American campuses, and still pay the exact same tuition fees as local students.

Plus, because Shillington’s three-month courses are short and intensive, you don’t have to waste a lot of money on expensive visas. It means UK students can study in Australia for free, on an eVistor (subclass 651) visa for up to three months, or can pay AUD$440 for a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa, which gives up to four months. In America, meanwhile, you can study for a similar period on an M1 Student Visa - details here.

So where do you want to go? Here are the four incredible destinations where Shillington offers you the chance to study graphic design.

Sydney

The sun-drenched beaches and laid-back attitude of Australia are an obvious lure for rain-battered Brits. And the jewel in the country’s crown is undisputedly the stunning city of Sydney.

Home to world-famous landmarks like the Opera House, Bondi Beach, Harbour Bridge and the Blue Mountains, Sydney is a beautiful and upbeat place that’s effortlessly hip and creative. It’s also home to a diverse mix of international cultures, with all the multicultural dynamism that generates.

And then there’s the weather. Oh yes. Sydney enjoys a sunny, Mediterranean-style climate all year round with more than 340 sunny days per year. That’s the kind of thing that can put a permanent smile on your face, especially when enjoying one of the area’s beautiful white-sand beaches.

Arts and culture, shopping and socialising, bars and beaches… in many ways Sydney is the perfect study destination. And with cheap or free visa requirements for Brits, and short processing times to boot, you’d be a fool not to consider it.

Learn more about Shillington in Australia and your visa options here.

Melbourne

Most Brits know Melbourne best as the home of suburban soap Neighbours. But there’s a lot more to Australia’s second city than that. Indeed, this is in many ways the obvious place to study graphic design, as it’s indisputably the cultural capital of Australia.

Offering an unique mix of historical, old world charm and contemporary cool, Melbourne is also defiantly multicultural, liberal, bohemian and progressive. That manifests itself in many ways, from the cheap (or even free) public transport to the abundance of hipster coffee bars, and young creatives will feel right at home here. Not surprising, then, that it’s home to eight universities, which collectively teach close to 300,000 students.

Known for its arts, fashion and cultural events, its eclectic nightlife and as Australia’s unofficial sporting capital, Melbourne offers a dizzying kaleidoscope of attractions to the visitor. With a temperate climate, it’s often described as having four seasons in one day, but even the coolest temperatures are comfortable by British standards. To learn more about what the city has to offer, check out our Creative’s Guide to Melbourne .

Learn more about Shillington in Australia and your visa options here.

Brisbane

The third most populous city in Australia, with a population of 2.5 million, Brisbane might not be the obvious destination for study abroad. But if it’s good weather you’re after, you really should consider it.

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, which is nicknamed the “Sunshine State” because it boasts Australia’s best all-year weather. With a subtropical climate, it enjoys warm or hot temperature for most of the year, and beautiful blue skies are the norm all year round.

Even in winter, when temperatures drop to 11 - 21°C, you’ll see tourists walking around shorts and T-shirts. During both spring and autumn the city heats up to 15- 25°C, and temperatures climb to a balmy 21 - 29.8°C in summer.

Australia’s second cheapest big city to live in after Adelaide, Brisbane is not just sunny but sophisticated too, with its cool rooftop bars and restaurants; high class museums and art galleries, including Australia’s largest gallery of Modern Art; multidisciplinary cultural centres such as the Brisbane Powerhouse; and unique attractions such as the Epicurious Garden, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Australia's only inner-city, man-made beach at South Bank Parklands.

Learn more about Shillington in Australia and your visa options here.

New York

A city of skyscrapers, startups and star power, New York fizzles with creative energy. If you’re looking for inspiration and opportunities, you’ve come to the right place.

This feverish, constantly changing metropolis is the perfect place to get new ideas, network and be inspired by a thriving community of artists, illustrators, photographers and designers. Plus it’s a pretty cool place to live to boot.

The shops. The restaurants. The shows. The bars. The art. The architecture. The music. The craziness. One day you could be gazing across at the Statue of Liberty from the glittering heights of the Empire State Building, the next checking out an iconic Warhol painting in the Museum of Modern Art. And that’s just the central borough of Manhattan. There are also good and cheap public transport links to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, each of which has its own unique culture and energy.

In short, New York has everything a creative could crave, 24-7. And best of all, the M1 visa allows you to arrive a month before the course begins and stay for a month after, so it’s a great opportunity to absorb all the Big Apple has to offer. (To learn more about what the city has to offer, check out our Creative’s Guide to New York, while you can read two Shillington students’ accounts of their experiences here.

With its humid subtropical climate, spring in New York is warm, with highs of around 25°C in May. June to August are very hot and humid, with highs of 29°C, while locals recommend visiting in autumn, which enjoys mild temperatures, low humidity and sunny skies. Winter is the one time you can’t necessarily expect better weather than the UK, with average lows dropping to -3°C and rain and snow common. But who cares when the lead up to Christmas is so magical there?

Learn more about Shillington in New York and your visa options here.