Academic vs the 'real' world: a profile of undergraduate accounting student circumstances in affording scholarship

Australian universities have large numbers of international student enrolments in accounting courses.

They offer both domestic and international students the same professionally accredited accounting

curriculum, with additional literacy components added where a deficit is identified. However, still

industry need is not met. A survey of undergraduate accounting students from a regional Australian

university was done to ascertain the amount of paid work undertaken by undergraduate accounting

students, the reasons why they seek paid employment and their subsequent pattern of work hours.

Specifically differences in the financial needs and employment opportunities between domestic and

international undergraduate accounting students are examined. This study found that for the majority,

the sources of funding used to support students tertiary accounting studies differed between domestic

and international enrolments. While international students were most dependent upon their families

followed by savings and employment to finance their studies, domestic students were most reliant upon

employment followed by family and savings to fund their studies. Both international and domestic

students indicate their primary reason for undertaking paid work is to cover their educational expenses.