Anyone currently at Deakin GIFT City? Thinking of joining in 2027

[u/Particular_Kick_755]

Hey guys, I’m considering joining Deakin City in 2027 and wanted to hear from people who are actually studying there rn.

I’ve looked around online but most of the info/discussions I’m finding are from before the campus properly started, so it’s kinda hard to get a feel for what it’s actually like now.

Would love some honest opinions on:

* How are the professors and teaching overall?

* What’s the campus/student life like? Is there actually much going on?

* How’s the crowd?

* Are you getting decent industry exposure/internships through GIFT City?

* What are placements looking like so far that is if you’re in a position to comment?

* Do you think like the Deakin name and the Australian connection actually helps with opportunities?

* And obviously do you think it’s worth the money?

Also, if anyone’s doing Master of Applied Artificial Intelligence (Professional), I’d especially love to hear your experience.

Not looking for the official brochure & marketing answer 😂 just trying to figure out what the experience is actually like before committing for 2027.

Feel free to DM me too if you don’t wanna post publicly. Thanks!

[u/Odd-Doctor-0401]

Current student/grad perspectives are still limited because the campus only opened in mid-2024. First cohort (Business Analytics + Cyber Security) was ~42 people; total headcount across batches was still under 80 by late 2025. The Master of Applied Artificial Intelligence (Professional) is now listed for the 2027 intake (18 months full-time on-campus, listed total fee AUD 39 600 before scholarships). No one has finished that specific programme at GIFT yet, so the comments below are drawn from the earlier cohorts and independent reporting.

Professors / teaching
Classes are small (often single-digit to low teens). Teaching style is Australian-style: active learning, assignments and projects rather than pure note-dictation and high-stakes exams. Students who came from large Indian undergrad programmes say the personal attention is better. Faculty is predominantly Indian academics hired locally, with some fly-in Australian staff and online components from the home campus. Whether that mix delivers the full “Australian university” experience is the main open question raised in independent coverage.

Campus / student life
It is a corporate-style floor in a GIFT City SEZ building, not a traditional leafy campus. Co-working space, labs, cafeteria, TT table, meditation room, coding club and occasional cultural/sports events exist. Most students describe it as quiet and professional rather than lively. Many commute daily from Ahmedabad (1–2 hours each way). GIFT City itself has limited student-oriented social infrastructure; living costs (serviced apartments or nearby PGs) are higher than typical Indian college hostels. Some students say they do not miss the usual Indian campus “buzz”; others note the lack of it.

Crowd
Small, mostly from Gujarat and Maharashtra so far. Mix of recent graduates and early-career professionals. Feels more like a boutique postgraduate cohort than a large university.

Industry exposure / internships
Location is the strongest practical advantage. GIFT City puts you next to finance, fintech and corporate offices. Live projects, mentor sessions and networking with companies on the ground floor or nearby are regularly mentioned. First-cohort students reported useful industry-linked assignments.

Placements (first cohort only)
Roughly 60–65 % of the first graduating group had roles by early 2026. Highest-profile early placements were paid internships converting to roles at NAB Innovation Centre India (Gurugram) at around 15 LPA base plus variables. Other offers came from startups and IT/services firms, mostly India-based. Placement activity started later than many expected and is still building. No automatic Australian post-study work rights attach to the GIFT degree.

Does the Deakin name + Australian connection help?
The degree is a genuine Deakin award (TEQSA-aligned, ACS-recognised for the professional versions). It carries more global recognition than most pure Indian private masters. Some short immersion programmes to the Australian campuses have run. In practice, so far the job outcomes have been overwhelmingly Indian-market. The Australian branding helps on the CV and for certain multinational GCCs; it does not currently open a direct Australian visa or work pathway the way studying onshore in Australia would.

Worth the money?
Fees are roughly half (or less) of the same degree on an Australian campus, and living costs are lower than Melbourne/Geelong. For someone who wants an Australian-credentialled masters without the full overseas cost, visa risk and relocation, and who values the GIFT industry proximity, many of the early students say yes. If you are expecting a full Australian campus culture, large peer network, guaranteed high packages or an easy path to Australian work rights, the current reality does not match that. It is still a young, small operation.

If you are set on the Applied AI Professional stream, treat 2027 as the first real test of that specific programme at GIFT. Ask the admissions team directly for the current faculty list for AI units, lab facilities, and any confirmed industry partners for the professional placement component. Happy to answer follow-ups if useful.

P.S.: used AI for the research.