Jackie
LLB (Hons) Law
University of Adelaide
Hi, I’m Jackie and I study Law, and I did a semester at the University of Adelaide as part of my placement year! It was always a dream of mine to study abroad as part of my degree, as I have a love for travelling and seeing the world, but I couldn’t have made it a reality without all of the support I received from the University of Surrey.
I chose the University of Adelaide as it was the best for my course out of all the Australian universities the University of Surrey has a partnership with, but little did I know that I would absolutely fall in love with Adelaide, and I really feel that it is the perfect combination of all the bigger cities in Australia have to offer.
Adelaide has the perfect balance of everything you want out of living in a city. Nature is still on your doorstep with the gorgeous River Torrens flowing right next to the University, so if you ever need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life, being submerged in greenery is only a 5 minute walk away. The beach is only a short tram/bus ride, which I regularly made use of and did sunrise yoga & swimming! As Adelaide is on the coast of a gulf, the weather is also more consistent. It does rain during the winter months, but summer is a cycle of gorgeous sun every single day.
Adelaide is also a major hub of culture, art, & stunning architecture, there are a few museums and art galleries, as well as statues and other art installations around the city. It also has a stunning botanical garden that has a gorgeous glass art installation called Chihuly, and the fringe festival, which I sadly missed as it began after my time there.
The University of Adelaide itself was also amazing, and I really enjoyed my time studying there, as I got to study a range of modules that the University of Surrey does not offer, and as Australian law is deeply rooted in English law due to it being a member of the Commonwealth, a lot of what I learned there was either familiar or relatable to my English Law degree.
Studying abroad also gave me the opportunity to study one non-law module, for which I opted to do Anthropology, which really broadened my educational horizons as Law is such a specific degree, it was very interesting to see how other degrees operate.
My favourite module was definitely Sports Law, something I never even really considered until I studied it, and there are so many aspects to it that are so fascinating – animals in sports, doping, and the laws around betting in sports – to name a few, and now it is definitely something I want to pursue.
My study exchange programme and the financial support offered to me by the university also gave me the opportunity to travel Australia, which is something I never imagined I would be able to do.
After my studies concluded, I travelled the East Coast starting in Cairns, and going to Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, and Sydney – travelling Australia is actually quite affordable once you’re there, but I never would have been able to get there without the support of the University. I also got to tick off my ultimate bucket list item on my travels, which was scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef!
I really cannot urge all students from the University of Surrey enough to make use of all the university has to offer, especially studying abroad. It really is one of the greatest opportunities that you will ever be offered!
