10 September 2026
STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2026
Bigger, brighter and back for its eighth year!
The Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards are back for 2026, and nominations are officially open!
Now in its eighth year, the Awards have become one of the most anticipated celebrations of student achievement on the Gold Coast, recognising the incredible talent, passion and impact of our student community.
Do you know a student doing something extraordinary?
Across eight award categories, we’re celebrating students making their mark through entrepreneurship, research, community leadership, arts and culture, health and wellness, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and global citizenship.
Whether they’re building a business, driving change, creating something remarkable or making a difference in their community, this is their moment to shine.
Shortlisted nominees will take centre stage at the Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards Gala at HOTA on Thursday 12 November, with each category winner receiving a $1,000 prize.
Know someone who deserves to be recognised? Or perhaps that someone is you?
Nominations close Monday 5 October at 9:00am.
QUEENSLAND STRENGTHENS EDUCATION TIES WITH LATIN AMERICA
Queensland has released its new Queensland–Latin America Trade and Investment Strategy 2026–2028, identifying international education and training as a key priority for the region.
And for the Gold Coast, the timing could not be more significant.
Latin America is already one of our strongest international education markets, accounting for more than 30% of international student enrolments. Brazil is the Gold Coast’s largest source market, with almost 6,000 enrolments, while Colombia, Chile and Argentina also rank among our top 10 source markets. Together, these markets represent more than 9,300 enrolments.
The strategy reinforces the importance of building on this momentum, positioning Queensland as a preferred education, training and research partner across Latin America.
Beyond student recruitment, it also highlights opportunities for institutional partnerships, study pathways, short courses and innovative education delivery.
For the Gold Coast, Latin America is already a priority. This new strategy provides a strong platform to take those connections even further.
GIVE YOUR CAREER AN EDGE
Ready to stand out in the Australian job market?
VETASSESS Career Boost helps international students, graduates and early-career professionals better understand how their skills stack up against Australian workplace expectations.
The assessment measures 10 key transferable skills, from communication and collaboration to problem-solving, initiative and digital fluency, giving you valuable insights into your strengths and areas for development.
You’ll receive practical, personalised recommendations to help build your confidence, sharpen your employability and better communicate your capabilities to potential employers.
Whether you’re preparing for your first role, looking to advance your career or simply want a clearer picture of your professional strengths, Career Boost can help you take the next step.
Ready to give your career an edge?
A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR STUDENT LIVING ON THE GOLD COAST
460 new beds. A new home for the next generation of Gold Coast students.
Griffith University has officially opened a major new purpose-built student accommodation tower at its Gold Coast campus, delivering 460 new beds and bringing its total on-campus accommodation capacity to almost 1,000 beds.
This is a significant milestone for the Gold Coast and our growing international education sector. As student numbers continue to grow, expanding high-quality, purpose-built accommodation is essential to ensuring students have greater choice, convenience and certainty when choosing the Gold Coast as their study destination.
More than a place to live, the new tower has been designed to enhance the student experience, with modern apartments and vibrant shared spaces including a swimming pool, gym, yoga studio, cinema and collaborative study areas.
With the G:link right on campus, students are also perfectly connected to everything the Gold Coast has to offer.
WANT TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF STUDENT CAREERS ON THE GOLD COAST?
Your experience. Your ideas. Your future.
Finding a job, gaining local work experience, landing an internship or preparing for life after graduation can all be part of the student journey. But what support do students really need?
We want to hear from you.
Join Experience Gold Coast for an interactive Career Edge Session and share your experiences, challenges and ideas. Your insights will help shape the future of career and employability support for students across the Gold Coast.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026 | 2:00pm–4:00pm
Gold Coast Student Hub | Southport
Enjoy food and refreshments on us, plus a thank-you incentive for participating.
Come along, have your say and help us create career support that works for students, with students.
PARTNER STORY
PACIFIC ENGLISH STUDY
A fantastic achievement for our Gold Coast education community!
Pacific English Study (PES) has been named the 2026 Local Business Awards winner in the Education Services category, recognising the dedication and passion of its team and their commitment to creating positive learning experiences for students.
For international students, education is about much more than what happens in the classroom. The support, connections and experiences provided by education institutions play an important role in helping students feel welcomed and part of the wider Gold Coast community.
This award celebrates the hard work of the entire Pacific English Study team, as well as the students and community who have been part of their journey.
Experience Gold Coast congratulates Pacific English Study on this well-deserved recognition and is proud to have PES as part of our international education community.
Congratulations to the entire team!
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
KKTC EDUCATION
For more than a decade, KKTC Education has built its identity around one clear focus: preparing the next generation of Early Childhood Education and Care professionals.
Founded in 2013, KKTC is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 40636) that has chosen to specialise exclusively in Early Childhood Education and Care rather than offering a broad portfolio of vocational courses. Today, its nationally recognised training focuses on the CHC30125 Certificate III and CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, alongside short courses including Child Protection and First Aid.
What makes KKTC’s story particularly connected to industry is its background in the early childhood sector. Its training model combines flexible learning with practical workplace experience, mentoring and regular support from trainers and assessors who bring industry experience into their teaching.
After expanding its training footprint beyond Queensland, 2019 marked an important milestone when KKTC began welcoming international students to its Gold Coast campus through CRICOS-accredited training. Today, its head office is located in Southport, with international students able to study Early Childhood Education and Care on the Gold Coast.
KKTC’s growth is another example of the diversity of the Gold Coast’s international education sector — connecting specialised education, practical skills, industry experience and career development.
QUICK SNIPPETS
New applications for the capped Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) have been temporarily paused for 24 partner countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Indonesia, Spain and Portugal. The Working Holiday Maker program remains an important contributor to Australia’s visitor economy and workforce, enabling young people to combine travel with short-term work. The Department advises that pauses may be used to manage demand and annual country caps. Read more.
Universities Australia Chair Professor Carolyn Evans has called for a more informed national conversation about international education, urging policymakers to consider the broader effects of changes to international student numbers. She notes that the sector’s contribution extends beyond university revenue, supporting workforce participation, tourism, innovation, classroom diversity and community connections, while building long-term relationships between Australia and partner countries around the world. Read more.
VIEW THE 27 AUGUST 2026 EDUCATION UPDATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.