AustraLearn, now in our 19th year of service in education abroad, have sent over 20,000 students overseas. As the Australian, New Zealand, and South Pacific education specialists, we have developed strong relationships with universities both abroad and here in the U.S. and Canada and continue to implement best practices to meet the strong expectations of the international education field such as The Forum’s “Standards of Practice” and NAFSA’s Code of Ethics and Marketing Practices.

The cornerstone of AustraLearn’s program philosophy is cultural integration. We strive to provide students with the highest level of essential services for successful adjustment and integration without adding unnecessary elements that may “Americanize” their experience. We support students throughout the process but also believe they should integrate as much as possible to have a true in-country experience.

In addition, the health and safety of all our participants is of the utmost concern. Our in-country support team of Resident Directors is available 24 hours a day for support of students, parents, and advisors. In addition, the U.S. office of AustraLearn is well equipped with its own 24-hour emergency number, emergency response plan, and provision of adequate health and emergency insurance for all its participants.
                          

AustraLearn was started in 1990 by Cynthia Banks who still serves as the Executive Director and who has raised the organization from a one-person office to a staff of over 45 persons. Cynthia holds a Masters degree and a Bachelors degree from Colorado universities and has years of experience serving NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the field of study abroad through her training and partnerships. Cynthia began the organization while she was living and working in Australia at the University of Queensland in 1989 as a Resident Director to one of the first study abroad groups in the country. After this amazing program between Colorado State University, its leading professor Dr. Robert Allerheiligen, and the host university concluded, a small group of faculty and administrators formed to develop further study abroad opportunities for U.S. students. AustraLearn as a non-profit organization began in early 1990 as a pilot research project to establish whether Australia could be a suitable study abroad destination for U.S. students. It proved successful and the first two AustraLearn students were sent to study abroad at the University of Queensland and Central Queensland University in early 1991.

Interest in studying in Australia increased and more university opportunities were added between 1991 and 1996 with over 24 university direct enrollment program options developed by 1997. AustraLearn added New Zealand university programs in 2001 and has continued to refine and improve its existing list of university partnerships in Australia. Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degree programs became more popular in 2001 and today represents one of the fastest growing areas of interest by students in North America for study in Australia and New Zealand. Internships were fully developed in 1994 and are fully operational in both Australia and New Zealand. Short term programs and custom designed faculty led programs are served well by the extension organization in Australia called the South Pacific Educational Support Centre which is fully owned and supported by AustraLearn in the USA.

Today, AustraLearn, along with AsiaLearn and EuroLearn, are educational programs of an organization called GlobaLinks, a partnership organization managed by the key leaders of AustraLearn. Its key mission is the development of quality educational study abroad programs for diverse student needs and the facilitation of students into the programs with utmost care and concern for student services including health and safety, adequate housing and on-site support and cultural experiences to complement the academic core of the program. GlobaLinks provides scholarships for students studying abroad with the program through its own funding, partnerships with major airlines and its partner universities overseas. GlobaLinks also encourages students to apply for scholarships through other international education scholarship organizations like the Foundation for Asia Pacific Education which is a 501c3 organization that evolved from the work of AustraLearn over the past seventeen years.