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Luc Briegmann never thought she’d fit in at university. At ACU, she’s found a place to belong.

Originally from Germany, Luc was intimidated by the thought of university study. ACU’s small classes and supportive teachers have shown her she’s got the knowledge and skills to succeed.

You’re studying the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science. What made you choose ACU?

I was in Australia before I started studying, so I’d already heard about how good ACU is for health science and sport science, especially on the Brisbane campus. I’ve found the curriculum really good so far, and it’s also been really good in terms of teaching methods. We also have small classes — I think the biggest one was 24 people, so it’s great to have a more personal relationship with the tutors and lecturers.

You mentioned small class sizes as a benefit of ACU. How does this help with your learning?

Yes, they do. In my degree, there’s a lot of biology and chemistry. I was always interested in that when I was at school, but I was never really good at it. Being able to chat to the tutors and ask questions every week that I’m in class has been so helpful — now, I’m actually doing really well because I’ve been able to get help when I need it.

How else has ACU supported you during your time here?

There are general support services available for every student, but ACU also offers regular seminars for international students. These cover topics like Overseas Student Health Cover, migration pathways, and what you can do with your degree after you graduate. ACU is also a friendly place — the exercise and physio students have a student association, which means we meet up regularly. It’s good to talk to other students in the same or similar degree and just share how we feel and how we’re going with our studies.

What are some of your favourite things about your degree?

I’ve never really had multiple exams on the same day. I think the teaching staff communicate with each other to make sure that assignment due dates are all staggered, so we actually have the opportunity to focus on each unit one at a time. We also do check-in seminars with the course coordinator — we’ve had three or four so far — where there are guest speakers and other presentations and activities to motivate us to keep going. 

Finally, what advice would you give to other international students who are thinking about applying to ACU?

At first I was really scared to go to uni because I thought it would be so hard. But ACU showed me that I belong here. If you actually really care about what you're studying rather than just ticking the boxes to get a degree, then I would really recommend ACU for that. There are so many opportunities to actually learn and dig deep. Originally, I never thought I’d do anything past my bachelor’s degree, but now I'm already thinking about doing a master's or even doing honours and a PhD.

Choose a small university that cares about every student and ranks in the top 100 in the world for sport science. With excellent quality of education, a diverse student body and a welcoming culture, ACU is where you belong. Talk to our international student support team to find out more.