ISLAND students are being invited to consider university courses in Australia and New Zealand rather than the UK.

A representative of the London-based organisation Study Options is currently in the Island giving talks to sixth-formers planning on going to university in the near future.

The company, officially launched last year, already has about 50 students in Australian and New Zealand universities.

The Study Options’ prospectus may look more like an adventure holiday brochure, but company founder Steffan Watts believes there are a number of practical reasons for choosing to study in the southern hemisphere, especially for Channel Islands students.

Mr Watts, who has already visited the Isle of Man, arrived in the Island yesterday.

He believes that as Jersey students currently pay 75% of international fees to UK universities, some of which are subsidised by Education, by enrolling on the courses his company offers, taxpayers could be saved money.