The Careers Expo is coming to town this month drawing attention of Year 13 students searching for the right career.

The expo runs August 9 and 10 at ASB Arena with exhibits from a range of study providers available to students looking to enter university life.

Busy life: Megan Burton-Brown is working towards a Bachelor in Communication Studies.

Thomas Clout combines cricket with conjoint degrees.

Former Mount Maunganui College student Megan Burton-Brown chose to study at Waikato University and loves it.

'I love Hamilton. The university campus is beautiful. Everything is close and there is always plenty going on.”

Megan is in her second year of a Bachelor in Communication Studies degree, majoring in public relations and marketing, and specialising in event management.

Originally from South Africa, Megan's family came to New Zealand when she was five years old. She went to secondary school at Mount Maunganui College then began considering her options for tertiary study.

It was either going to be Auckland or Waikato, says Megan. Having made the choice, she couldn't be happier.

'Waikato is such a great university for so many reasons. It feels like a big family. And it's really easy to get help from lecturers and tutors because they're so accessible.”

Megan says one of the things she has enjoyed most has been her involvement in the Waikato Management School Students' Association, running events and organising the WMS ball.

'It's a really hands-on course and I love the practical side of it. The papers are relevant to the real world. Being here is about more than just study. It gets you ready for the future because you get in and get involved.”

Megan has received a $2500 WMS International Exchange Scholarship and in mid-August is heading off on an exchange to Maastricht University in the Netherlands to study at their School of Business and Economics.

Other scholarships she has received are the $5000 Vice-Chancellor's Academic Excellence Award and the Brian Smith Memorial Entrance Scholarship of $1800. They all help with study and living costs.

Through his Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship, Bay of Plenty pace bowler Thomas Clout has been able to combine his passion for cricket with study at the University of Waikato.

Thomas is in his second year of a conjoint degree a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Management Studies.

'I decided that just doing one degree wouldn't be enough. I wanted to be busy. If I'm going to be here studying, I may as well get as qualified as possible,” he says.

Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarships provide support for students to achieve high academic standards in a programme of study, excellence in a sporting code or the creative or performing arts, and to develop leadership qualities through a leadership and personal development programme.

'I really rate Waikato University. It provides great opportunities for studies, a good quality campus, everyone is friendly and the sports programmes are fantastic.”

During his first year, the former Tauranga Boys' College deputy head-boy stayed in Bryant Hall, one of the university's halls of residence.

'It's only a five minute walk from class and the food was good,” he says.

With the campus being so centrally located in the North Island, Thomas says it has the added bonus of being easy to get home to Tauranga in the weekends to play for Greerton Cricket Club.

Once he has graduated, Thomas is positive about the opportunities that will exist for him in the future.

'Maybe law, maybe business or maybe even professional cricket.”

Students interested in studying at the University of Waikato can speak to advisers from the University at the Tauranga Careers Expo at ASB Arena on Friday, August 9, from 9am-4pm, or Saturday, August 10, from 9.30am-3.30pm.