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He Came for the Language.
He Came for the Language.
He Left in the Top 3%
John Song
He arrived from Hong Kong in 2019 with a four-month prep course and a lot to learn. He left with an ATAR in the top 3% in Queensland, on his way to Mathematics and Engineering at the University of Queensland. This is the story of John Song.
2019
Arrived From Hong Kong
Top 3%
ATAR Result in Queensland
Maths + Eng
Dual Degree, With Honours
UQ
University of Queensland
The Journey Begins
One Term of English — Then Straight Into Year 10
John came all the way from Hong Kong to Australia in 2019. He didn’t start in a mainstream classroom — he started with a High School Preparation course at John Paul International College, building the English he would need before stepping into the John Paul College curriculum.
It took just one term. In the same year, John moved into mainstream Year 10 — a fast, well-supported bridge from a new language into a full Australian secondary education.
“I did my High School Preparation course for around four months, to equip myself with all the language skills — and then it allowed me to get into the John Paul mainstream curriculum in the same year, for Year 10.”
John Song · Class of 2021
Senior study · supported every step
Resilience
Finishing School in a Global Pandemic
John sat his final years during COVID-19 — not what any international student pictures when they picture studying abroad. Yet the support never stopped. Teachers moved online but stayed close: checking in, keeping students on track, and solving hard problems face to face in a virtual room.
That care mattered most in the run-up to his external exams, when the content was toughest and the pressure highest. It is a big part of why John finished so strongly.
“I’m grateful to say I was well supported during the online continuous learning — teachers would have online conferences checking whether you’re alright, whether you’re on track, even solving problems face to face in a virtual way.”
John Song · on senior study during COVID-19
Two Sides of One Student
Where Mathematics Meets Music
John is an engineer and a mathematician — and a musician. A love of numbers and of how things work carried him to an ATAR in the top 3% in Queensland and a place in a Mathematics + Engineering degree. But alongside the equations, there was always music.
Private lessons on a range of instruments with professional musicians, ensembles with fellow players, and the College’s big Chicago production — where John worked the sound desk and watched his two worlds meet.
“The Chicago musical was a great opportunity to work with sound engineers and see how acoustics and engineering were done in such a big music production.”
John Song · on Performing Arts at John Paul College
A Home Away From Home
Living With an Australian Family
John came to Australia ahead of his family, so he joined the homestay program — living with a local family. It immersed him in the everyday: the food, the culture, and the small practical skills that make a new country feel like home.
“It got me through a lot of language barriers — how to go to the bus stop, how to go to the city — that kind of support homestay provided.” John Song · on homestay accommodation
Food & Culture
A whole new food culture and way of life John had never experienced — shared around the family table.
Real-World Confidence
From catching the bus to finding his way into the city — the practical independence that comes with it.
One Rising Arc
John’s Journey at John Paul College
From a four-month prep course to a top-3% ATAR and university — follow the arc that took John from Hong Kong to the University of Queensland, each step supported by teachers who knew his name.
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2019
Prep Course
Arrives from Hong Kong and starts a four-month High School Preparation course to build his English.
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2019
Year 10
Moves into the mainstream JPC curriculum the same year — a fast, supported bridge.
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Senior
Maths & Music
Excels in mathematics while pursuing music — ensembles and the big Chicago production.
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2020–21
Through COVID
Finishes senior school online and on track, backed by teachers through his external exams.
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2021
Top 3% ATAR
Graduates with an ATAR in the top 3% in Queensland — a standout result.
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Now
Maths + Eng at UQ
Studies Mathematics and Engineering (Honours) at the University of Queensland.
In His Own Words
Watch John’s Story
Filmed on campus at the University of Queensland, John reflects on his years at John Paul College — and what comes next.
On his first semester at UQ
- Packed & funa huge campus to explore and navigate
- Globalpeople from all around the world, shared interests
- Collaborate“to collaborate and innovate”
What’s Next
Engineer, or Researcher?
John is midway through his degree and weighing two futures he loves: postgraduate study toward professional engineering, or deeper research in mathematics. Either way, the university pathway he began at JPC — with the right senior subjects, chosen alongside his teachers — opened both doors.
Professional Engineering
Postgraduate study toward work as an engineer — turning a love of how things work into a career.
Mathematics Research
Or a deeper path into mathematical research — a decision John plans to make by the time he graduates.
A World of Options
From a four-month prep course to two university futures — the reward of a strong start, well supported.
Don’t be afraid of anything — you are surrounded by support. Be active, and always ask questions when you have doubt.
John Song · Class of 2021 · his advice to new international students
Your Child’s Journey Can Start Here Too
John arrived with a four-month prep course and a lot to learn, and leaves for university in the top 3% of the state, studying Mathematics and Engineering. From the first day to the final exam, John Paul College supports international students at every step.