University of New South Wales Partnership

Activities and excursions are an important piece of your IFSA experience, designed to pull you into the fabric of the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. That said, at times, circumstances beyond our control—including local government regulations and health protocols—could impact our ability to hold these events as planned.

Know that we’ll make every effort to run the activities, trips, and excursions slated for your program. You’ll see detailed examples of previous outings offered during this program below. Keep in mind that the options could look different for your program, and that we cannot guarantee these activities, trips, and excursions.

Activities are optional, but they are included in your total program fee. They vary each term based on availability, but activities may include:

• Indigenous Australians Cultural Education: Learn about the religious, social, and cultural practices of Australia’s First Nations People from award-winning indigenous Australian educators. Includes opportunity for questions and discussion.
• The Rocks Walking Tour: Explore Sydney’s iconic district, The Rocks, site of the convict settlement in 1788. Learn about its role in national political and social change, the notorious Rocks Gang, the Rum Rebellion, and more.
• Yogalates: Take time for your body and mind with energizing sessions that combine yoga and Pilates, led by qualified IFSA staff and held outdoors or in student housing.
• NACE Competencies Workshop: Mastering the eight U.S. National Association of Colleges and Employers competencies is essential preparation for college graduates. This IFSA staff workshop helps you make meaningful links between your study abroad experience and career readiness.
• Sydney Opera House Show: Did you know that if all the sails of the Opera House were combined, they would create a perfect sphere? Visit the structure that transformed Australia’s cultural image—named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007—for a live show.
• Taronga Zoo: Travel by ferry to meet and learn about more than 350 species, including kangaroos, koalas, and more of Australia’s distinctive wildlife. Don’t miss the free flight bird show, where native birds performing incredible stunts with Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as their backdrop.

IFSA excursions are included in your total program fee and though these are optional, most students choose to participate. They vary each term based on availability, but excursions may include:

• Hunter Valley Tour: This full-day tour takes you a couple of hours north of Sydney, where natural beauty and farmland are home to 300 wineries. Exchange the busy urban environment for rolling green hills and discover the biodiversity of New South Wales. Includes lunch.
• Bike Tour of Sydney: The perfect way to get oriented and see some Sydney’s most famous sites. Includes riding across iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.
• Historical and Indigenous Tour of La Perouse: Following a welcome Smoking and Ochre Ceremony, discover bush tucker and medicine, and learn about the local community of La Perouse—the longest on-going Aboriginal community in Sydney.
• Blue Mountains Visit: An important historical site, the Blue Mountains are a rugged and mountainous region west of Sydney. Soak up dramatic scenery and discover an immense range of flora and fauna, including the famous lyrebird, known to mimic the sound of car alarms, chainsaws, camera shutters, and more.
• Coogee-Bondi Walking Tour: Take in stunning ocean views as you walk the paved path from Coogee to Bondi, tracing shoreline cliffs and beaches. During late October and early November, you might also catch Sculpture by the Sea, Australia’s largest annual outdoor sculpture installation.
• South Coast of NSW Excursion: Widely known for some of the whitest sand beaches in the world, enjoy an overnight excursion to the Jervis Bay Marine Park. Highlights can include dolphin and whale watching tours and campfire chats with Aboriginal elders.
• Taste of Migration Food Tour: This adventure will explore the culinary delights brought to Australia from Greece, Vietnam, and Lebanon, and includes a visit to an Asian supermarket, a Greek deli, and a smokehouse. Learn about the rich multicultural history of Sydney and travel to areas that would not necessarily be intuitive to tourists.