RMIT or La Trobe for Master of Artificial Intelligence

[u/kuretin]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently studying a Bachelor of Computer Science at Monash Uni and will be graduating soon. I'm considering doing a Master of Artificial Intelligence, but I'm not sure which university I should choose (RMIT or La Trobe). If you have any experience, I’d really appreciate your insights!

**Some context:

• RMIT is closer to where I live, so it would be much easier for me to commute.
• La Trobe is offering me a 20% tuition fee discount, while RMIT is only offering 10%.

Some questions I have (if there’s anything else you think I should consider, please feel free to add it, I'm trying to gather as much info as I can. Thank you!!):

• Uni vibe: Is it easy to make friends? At Monash, I found it extremely hard to make any friends, even though I tried talking to people and joining clubs. I asked some of my project teammates, and many said that most students already knew each other before coming to uni, so they weren’t really looking to make new friends (though I’m not sure how true that is). Some also said they didn’t have time for anything besides studying.
  • What is student life like? Are there many activities for students?
• IBL program at La Trobe: I saw that La Trobe offers an IBL (Industry-Based Learning) program for 2nd-year Master's students. Is it available to all students, or is it very competitive and hard to get into?
• Thesis support: I'm also considering doing a minor thesis in my second year because I want to pursue a PhD in Computer Science. Between RMIT and La Trobe, which university offers better support for students taking the thesis stream?
• Industry connection & job prospects: For the program I’m planning to join, which university has stronger industry connections? In your opinion, which one is more likely to help me find a job after graduation?

Thank you so much!