Myles Kreis is a long way from his family's Gayndah beef property.

His hometown, in south-west Queensland, is about 360km north of Brisbane and 145km west of Maryborough. It's about as different as you can get from his current city – Seoul – a metropolis of more than 10 million people.

A University of the Sunshine Coast student, Myles is in South Korea as part of his 2018 New Colombo Plan Scholarship.

He is studying International Business, Management and Korean language at Konkuk University in Seoul.

"I believe coming from a small regional area should never hold you back," Myles said. "The scholarship is an amazing opportunity for my own career and personal goals, but it also sets an example for other regional students that their opportunities are not limited because of where they live."

"My time in Korea has been transformational not only on a professional level, but on a personal level as well. As this is my first time out of Australia, my eyes have been opened to a new way of life and I have become much more culturally aware in the short time that I have been here.

"While there are some similarities between Australia and Korea, there are many differences which I find completely fascinating – the history, language, education system and business environment in particular.

"If there is something that I wish I'd done sooner, it would be to study a second language – Korean in particular. I have made many friends from all over the world and I wish that I could communicate with them in their native language. Because of this, learning language has become one of my favourite hobbies, or possibly an obsession.

"South Korea is Asia's fourth largest economy and one of the world's top exporting nations, and I am excited for this incredible opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of this major international business hub."

Myles will finish his Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Business at USC in 2020.

"Overall, the New Colombo Plan Scholarship has provided me with opportunities and experiences which I would not have been able to access without it," he said.

He encourages his peers to take the opportunity to live, work and study overseas. "It will change your life."