This is not the Australia you know. Towering strangler fig trees and rare animals like the southern cassowary and Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo can be found in these ancient rainforests. Far North Queensland is one of the most biodiverse places in the world, preserving more than 500 million years of evolutionary history. Just off the coast is Earth’s largest living structure – the Great Barrier Reef.
Study Abroad in Australia
Have you ever wanted to live in a cabin surrounded by lush tropical rainforests, fall asleep to the chirping of crickets, and awaken to the morning songs of birds?
Are you ready to walk beneath a canopy of giant tropical conifers and towering fig trees, sample exotic tropical fruits right off the tree, wade in upland waterfalls, and snorkel with sea turtles on the world-famous Great Barrier Reef?
Whether you’re an experienced traveler or looking for your first trip to another country, studying abroad is an important component of your college career. Living abroad gives you the opportunity to explore new places and learn about different cultures, gaining important global perspectives, discovering new things about yourself, and building lifelong friendships.
Our programs in Australia take place in the country’s ancient rainforests, with excursions to the edge of the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef. Courses and fieldwork focus on key environmental issues faced here such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and land use change. Research at our Australia Center focuses on the environmental threats that have caused rainforest fragmentation, species loss, and reef die-off, and we work with the Mandingalbay Yidinji Indigenous people and Tablelands communities on restoration and management projects to help Australia thrive in a time of ecological uncertainty.
Australia
semester
Rainforest to Reef
14
Weeks
16
Credits
Fall 2023
Sep 1 - Dec 4
Closed
Spring 2024
Jan 30 - May 3
Waitlist
EXPLORE MORE
summer session I
Marsupials of Australia
04
Weeks
04
Credits
Summer 2023
Jun 3 - Jul 2
Closed
Summer 2024
Jun 3 - Jul 2
Open
EXPLORE MORE
summer session II
Farming for the Future - Australia & Bali
04
Weeks
04
Credits
Summer 2023
Jul 7 - Aug 6
Closed
Summer 2024
Jul 7 - Aug 6
Open
EXPLORE MORE
semester
14 Weeks
|16 Credits
Fall 2023
Sep 1 - Dec 4
Closed
Spring 2024
Jan 30 - May 3
Waitlist
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition:
$21,000
Room & Board:
$5,500
Total Cost:
$26,500
Sample Itinerary
Sample Itinerary:
semester PROGRAM
Rainforest to Reef
Tropical North Queensland
Immerse yourself in the rich biodiversity of the rainforest and learn about ecological resilience in the face of environmental threats like climate change. Explore the multitude of environments that exist in Northern Queensland and the complex relationships between them – rainforests to dry forests, savannahs to wetlands, and mangroves to coral reefs.
Join large-scale restoration ecology experiments and study sustainable food systems while developing skills in field research and data collection. In the final weeks of the semester, you’ll spend your time out in the field conducting an extensive research project.
Application deadlines:
Spring – November 1
Fall – May 15
Follow SFS Australia on Instagram
Academics
This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia. Read more about the SFS program model. Major academic themes include:
- Rainforest ecology and conservation
- Climate change
- Habitat restoration ecology
- Threatened species conservation
- Aboriginal ecotourism
- Development and settlement in the rainforest
- Rainforest fragmentation and recovery
- Forest ecotones
- Animal behavior
Courses
On the Rainforest to Reef program, you will take three 4-credit disciplinary courses and a 4-credit capstone Directed Research course. Courses are participatory in nature and are designed to foster inquiry and active learning. Each course combines lectures, field exercises, assignments, tests, and research. All courses are taught in English. Click on each course to view a description and download the syllabus
SFS 3021
Environmental Sustainability and Socio-economic Values
4 credits
SFS 3691
Tropical Biome Ecology & Climate Change
4 credits
SFS 3701
Wildlife & Conservation Biology
4 credits
SFS 4910
Directed Research
4 credits
SFS 3021 Environmental Sustainability and Socio-economic Values (4 credits)
This course explores the contemporary environmental and sustainability issues and also touches broadly on the historical, social-cultural, economic and political factors that determine the use of natural resources, with particular emphasis on, but not limited to, the Wet Tropics of Australia. Topics to be covered in this course include; environmentalism, sustainable food production and livelihoods, the impact of human activities on terrestrial and marine biomes, conservation conflicts, resource governance and so on. In addition, students will be introduced to social science research methods, while a visit to a local Aboriginal community will help them gain a better understanding of the first Australian’s enviro-cultural heritage values. Throughout the course students will be introduced to, and are expected to gain hands-on experience on social research techniques. View Syllabus
SFS 3691 Tropical Biome Ecology & Climate Change (4 credits)
In this course, you will obtain a broad appreciation of the diversity and dynamics of tropical terrestrial & marine biomes. You will be introduced to the current and past distributions of tropical rainforests, dry forest, savannas and coastal biomes, their biodiversity, and their relationships with the abiotic environment, human use, present threats, and restoration practices. This course aims to bring together an understanding of the underlying ecological processes that affect different biomes with the role of human society in shaping the present and future rainforests of the Wet Tropics & the coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. The course will take the rainforest Australian Wet Tropics & the coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as case studies to investigate this field, yet many of the skills you learn here can be transferred to other systems. Topics covered will include: biophysical determinants vegetation and coral reef distribution; past, present, and future threats to Wet Tropics rainforests & GBR; and the theory and practice of rainforest and coral restoration. The course also has a practical component. You will be taught field techniques for carrying out field research, data analysis, and communication of results. View Syllabus
SFS 3701 Wildlife & Conservation Biology (4 credits)
This course identifies threats to wildlife populations, how to obtain data on the impact of these threats on wildlife populations and how to select and apply appropriate conservation methods to mitigate these threats. We will look at these aspects in general and then demonstrate them in case studies of species in the Wet Tropics. To formulate a background understanding of habitats of the Wet Tropic’s wildlife, we will explore the origin of the main landscape formations of this part of Australia by looking at geological and biogeographical factors that shaped the landscape and its biota. You will be introduced to Australia’s fauna and the unique species that inhabit the diverse habitats of the Wet Tropics. We then will deal with some basic ecological concepts of biodiversity and why so many species can co-exist in one place. The course is a mixture of class lectures, field lectures, field laboratory courses, workshops, field trips, and readings to complement the material presented in the lectures. A major emphasis is placed on field skills, the collection, management and analyses of data, and skills of writing a scientific paper. View Syllabus
SFS 4910 Directed Research (4 credits)
This course prepares students to distinguish hidden assumptions in scientific approaches and separate fact from interpretation, cause from correlation, and advocacy from objectivity. Students learn specific tools including: experimental design; field techniques; basic descriptive statistics; and parametric and non-parametric quantitative analysis. Emphasis is placed on succinct scientific writing, graphic and tabular presentation of results, and effective delivery of oral presentations. View Syllabus
Core Skills
You will gain practical skills in the field such as: GIS use and applications, species identification and population monitoring, forest survey methods, citizen science protocols, research design and implementation, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and research presentation.
Field Sites
You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary and secondary tropical rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, tropical savanna, wet sclerophyll forests, coastal scrub and mangrove, Melaleuca (paperbark) swamps, Indigenous communities, and local conservation and restoration groups.
summer session I
04 Weeks
|04 Credits
Summer 2023
Jun 3 - Jul 2
Closed
Summer 2024
Jun 3 - Jul 2
Open
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition:
$5,670
Room & Board:
$2,580
Total Cost:
$8,250
Sample Itinerary
Sample Itinerary:
summer session I PROGRAM
Marsupials of Australia
Tropical North Queensland
In a land of strange and fascinating wildlife, spend your summer observing tree-climbing kangaroos, egg-laying mammals, flightless birds, giant lizards, and the many other iconic animals that live in Australia’s ancient rainforests and dry savannas. Learn how each of these species has developed special adaptations to Australia’s unusual habitats and consider the policies and actions needed to preserve these precious ecosystems.
Application deadlines:
Summer 1 – April 1
Follow SFS Australia on Instagram
Academics
This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia. Read more about the SFS program model. Major academic themes include:
- Evolution, biogeography and taxonomy of major wildlife groups of Australia
- Physiology and behavioral ecology of marsupials
- Adaptations of Australia’s wildlife to different environments
- Impact of climate change and human development on Australia’s unique wildlife
- Mitigation and conservation policies
Courses
On the Marsupials of Australia program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English. Click on the course to view a description and download the syllabus
SFS 3272
Marsupials of Australia
4 Credits
SFS 3272 Marsupials of Australia (4 Credits)
In this course you will understand the factors that resulted in the dominance of marsupials on the Australian continent and current factors that jeopardize their survival into the future. You will become familiar with a wide array of marsupial species that inhabit different habitats of Australia today and which threats they are facing. Mitigating these threats requires knowledge of their ecology and behavior, the application of sophisticated and preferably non-invasive field research methods and the introduction of effective conservation policies. This course will introduce you to some of these field research methods that Australian scientists are using to study marsupials and other mammalian species and to the current legislative and community-driven conservation tools.
Core Skills
You will gain practical skills in the field such as: wildlife observation techniques, non-invasive population assessments, habitat and biodiversity assessment, population viability studies, citizen science protocols, and human development impact assessment methods.
Field Sites
You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary and secondary tropical rainforest, savannah habitat, caves, coastal scrub and mangroves, wetlands, and local conservation and restoration groups.
summer session II
04 Weeks
|04 Credits
Summer 2023
Jul 7 - Aug 6
Closed
Summer 2024
Jul 7 - Aug 6
Open
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition:
$5,670
Room & Board:
$2,580
Total Cost:
$8,250
Sample Itinerary
Sample Itinerary:
summer session II PROGRAM
Farming for the Future - Australia & Bali
North Queensland, Australia
The agricultural systems that feed the world lie precariously at the cross section of globalization, industrialization, climate change, cultural and indigenous heritage, and market demand. Spend your summer untangling the complex web of providing food for a global population and discuss ways of implementing sustainable agriculture in the face of environmental change. You’ll explore examples from the agricultural landscapes in both northern Queensland and on the Indonesian island of Bali as you consider matters of soil health, economic livelihoods, ethnobotany, economies of scale, meat production, distribution, and more.
Application deadlines:
Summer 2 – May 15
Follow SFS Australia on Instagram
Academics
This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia. Read more about the SFS program model. Major academic themes include:
- Forest ecosystems
- Natural resource management
- Threatened species conservation
- Human development impacts
- Indigenous knowledge and histories
Courses
On the Rainforests of Australia program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English. Click on the course to view a description and download the syllabus
SFS 3263
Sustainable Food Systems
4 credits
SFS 3263 Sustainable Food Systems (4 credits)
The Sustainable Food Systems course examines food systems broadly and aims to provide students an experiential learning opportunity while we explore tropical natural, cultural, and agricultural landscapes. The course provides an overview of agroecology, economic botany, and associated cultural, environmental and sustainability issues, and touches broadly on the historical, social, cultural, economic and political factors that shape food systems. View Syllabus
Core Skills
You will gain practical skills in the field such as: GIS use and applications, species identification and population monitoring, forest survey methods, and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
Field Sites
You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary/old-growth rainforests, Indigenous protected areas, rainforest restoration projects, fruit farms and other agricultural sites, and an eco-lodge in the rainforest.
What Students Are Saying:
“This landscape is alive, and you are a part of it. Not only for the moment that you’re imagining this, but for an entire semester. You have the opportunity and privilege to learn and experience all there is to learn about the Wet Tropics.”
– Bo, Gonzaga University
“SFS offered the unique opportunity to truly live in the rainforest! This is an incredibly intimate view of an ancient and endangered ecosystem which boasts incredible biodiversity. As a participant of this program, I was not a visitor to the rainforest, but actually living inside it.”
– Guthrie, Brandeis University
“If living in the middle of a rainforest, surrounded by constant beauty and wonder is your idea of a typical study abroad program, then SFS Australia is right for you. You will learn more than you could ever have imagined about the people you live with, the community around you, the natural flora and fauna of Australia, and so much more.”
– Will, Gonzaga University
Where You'll Be Living
At the end of a narrow, winding path, surrounded by lush rainforest, lies this remote field station. Our 153-acre property is surrounded by protected World Heritage forests, and you can observe incredible wildlife from the front steps of your cabin. The nearby towns of Yungaburra, Atherton, and Cairns are just a short drive away.
- Group living in eight-person cabins
- Main building with classroom, lab, and study spaces
- Student lounge with scenic porch views and WiFi
- Covered outdoor dining area, on-site cook, and garden
- On-campus network of trails for rainforest hikes
- Outdoor spaces for volleyball, yoga, and hammocks
Community
Queensland, Australia
SFS is an active member of the Queensland community, where we have been based since the late 1980s.
We have built long-term, collaborative relationships in the communities around the Center, and developed our research plans based on the environmental issues they and the surrounding ecosystems face. Throughout the program, students assist in local restoration projects, host community dinners, attend festivals, and socialize with local conservation groups and at sporting competitions.
At the end of each semester program, we host a Community Research Night where select students will present their research findings to the community. SFS research data is shared with the community, local NGOs, and the Australian government.
