ELAINE Lai Gar-yiu was introduced to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) at an education exhibition in Wan Chai last year.
Although she had been inquiring about suitable university courses in the United States and Canada, when she heard about RMIT's accelerated Associate Diploma in International Trade she made her decision to go to Australia.
''The accelerated course will help me save half a year, and I am also eligible for exemptions from first year university subjects when I complete the course,'' she said.
''I chose the TAFE course instead of a degree because it is practical and it meets the demands from the industry,'' she said.
She said she chose RMIT, even though the course was more expensive, because ''the it is practical, the costs of education and living are affordable, and I am much nearer to home''.
Ms Lai's 18-month diploma is part of RMIT's multi-level education system, which comprises the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) sector and the Higher Education Sector (HES).
Ms Lai lives 10 minutes away from RMIT at the Royal Women's Hospital dormitory. For her first few months, she stayed with a family in a home stay, which she recommended.