Diverse, cultured and charming, Adelaide has a surprisingly calm atmosphere despite it being the capital city of South Australia and with no less than five University campuses, it is also home to a largely young and vibrant population. Entertainment, nature, food and history – as far as reasons go, there are more than enough here to suggest that the Economist Intelligence Unit is accurate when describing Adelaide as one of the most liveable cities in the world, not to mention in Australia alone.

Originally inhabited by the Aboriginal peoples, a long history precedes the arrival of Europeans settlers to what was once a barren landscape but a very modern civilisation has since taken its place. Yes, there are remnants of old to uncover at every turn, most notably ancient churches for some reason, but then there is also a strangely prominent entertainment scene which is best witnessed in the large number of adult entertainment stores lining the streets downtown. Bars,night-clubs and trendy café’s may be an unwanted distraction from studies at times but let’s face it, we all need somewhere to play hard after dark having being stuck in mind bending lectures all week.

In fact, there’s an awful lot more to be experienced outside of lectures and arguably the biggest selling point for Adelaide in particular is how close and accessible everything is to the city centre, so much so that Adelaide has been dubbed the “20 minutes city” From the international airport to the botanical gardens, the beautiful boulevards to long sandy beaches, almost every landmark or point of interest is within 20 minutes travel time, not to mention the diversity of each attraction – I mean where else can you finish studying for the day and then unwind on a sandy beach with your friends? Yes, moving to easy access Adelaide is at the very least a choice which will make every other decision an easy one thereafter.

Adelaide is also known for an endless number of festivals which lay siege to the city every year yet it still somehow manages to retain a reputation for being one of the more relaxed cities in Australia. Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Guitar Festival, Feast, Canevale and Glendi – there is simply no end to the annual events which create a genuine buzz around the city and these are largely the reason why South Australia is best known as the “Festival State”. 

Many prospective students will understandably lean toward the more famous Australian cities such as Melbourne or Sydney, but when you take into account that these places are sometimes best visited for a weekend or extended break, Adelaide holds a genuine case for anyone deciding on the best place to study in the longer term. In fact, when a Mediterranean climate is thrown into the mix with all of the above, you can probably understand why Adelaide is such a popular choice for students all over the country and with one of the highest standards of Universities anywhere in the world, who are we to argue with such statistics.