As Australia continues to strengthen its position as a preferred destination for undergraduate education among Indian students, demand for direct engagement with universities is growing, with students seeking greater clarity on admissions, scholarships, academic pathways and career opportunities. Responding to this need, College Board, in collaboration with Australia’s Group of Eight (Go8) universities and supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), concluded a multi-city outreach initiative across Hyderabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi, connecting nearly 25,000 students with representatives from Australia’s leading research-intensive universities.
The initiative brought together representatives from The University of Melbourne, Monash University, The University of Sydney, UNSW Sydney, The University of Queensland, Australian National University, The University of Western Australia and Adelaide University, creating opportunities for students, parents and school counsellors to engage directly with admissions teams. Through city events and school visits, participants gained first-hand insights into undergraduate programmes, admissions requirements, scholarships, campus life and career opportunities, enabling them to make informed decisions about pursuing higher education in Australia.
A key highlight of the outreach was the “Roadmap to Australia” session, which provided students with a practical understanding of the undergraduate application journey from selecting universities and understanding entry requirements to exploring scholarships and preparing competitive applications. Dedicated interaction sessions also enabled students to engage directly with university representatives, helping them better understand institution-specific opportunities and academic pathways.
Speaking about the initiative, Meenakshi Kachroo Chatta, Senior Director and Regional Head, South and Central Asia, College Board, said:“Indian students today are making more informed and research-driven decisions about their higher education journeys. They are looking beyond university rankings to understand academic pathways, admissions processes and long-term career opportunities. Through this collaboration with Australia’s Group of Eight universities, we wanted to create meaningful opportunities for students to interact directly with university representatives, gain authentic insights and better understand how globally recognised qualifications such as the SAT and Advanced Placement can support their aspirations to study at leading institutions.”
The outreach comes at a time of deepening education engagement between India and Australia. India is Australia’s second-largest source of international students, reflecting the growing demand among Indian students for high-quality international education and the expanding collaboration between the two countries in higher education, research and student mobility.
The programme also highlighted the role of internationally recognised qualifications such as the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) in undergraduate admissions at participating universities. Students were introduced to how these qualifications are considered within admissions processes and how they can strengthen applications to leading Australian universities.
