DETAILS ABOUT STUDY IN AUSTRALIA
Formal education in Australia comprises 6 years primary education, 6 years secondary education, and the final of which being the matriculation year. Undergraduate study generally takes 3 to 5 years. Australia’s education system is very flexible and offers a whole range of study options. There are 5 sectors in the education system, namely
· University studies
· Vocational education and training (TAFE)
· Foundation studies
· English language studies
· Primary and secondary education
Australian qualifications available in each education sector:
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School |
Vocational Training |
University |
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Secondary School Certificate
(equivalent to Year 10, SSC or “O” Level) |
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Senior Secondary Certificate
(equivalent to Year 12, HSC, “A” Level or pre-university programs) |
Senior Secondary |
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Certificate |
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Certificate I |
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Certificate II |
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Certificate III |
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Certificate IV |
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Foundation/Diploma |
Foundation/Diploma |
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Advanced Diploma |
Advanced Diploma |
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Bachelor Degree |
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Graduate Certificate |
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Graduate Diploma |
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Master Degree |
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Doctorate Degree |
The Australian Qualifications Framework was set up by the Australian Federal Government to ensure that all the different education sectors link with each other. This makes it easier for students to find their way through the education sectors to reach their desired qualified or level or pathway.
Universities
There are 38 public universities (government funded) and 2 private universities, offering a comprehensive range of courses for international students.
Most Australian universities adopt the Semester system, however some might practice a third semester.
Semesters’ duration:
March – June, July – November
Terms’ duration:
March – May, June – August, September – October
Foundation Studies/Diploma
Foundation studies were developed to prepare international students for undergraduate studies at the universities. Usually, Foundation Studies are conducted at the university the student plan to attend and the university will hold a provisional place for the student in the undergraduate course.
Foundation studies usually take 1 year and are divided into streams, such as business studies or science studies, which offer a variety of compulsory and elective subjects depending on the student’s English language proficiency and academic qualifications.
Classes are very similar to those at university with large group lectures and small group tutorials where students get individual attention.
Vocational Education & Training
Vocational institution offer a wide range of courses including engineering, information technology and business, as well as hands-on courses like design and construction. Courses are mostly very practical and there is less abstract learning then in some university courses. Most courses are develops through consultation with industrial organizations and employers to meet the current needs of the industry and the global market place. They prepare students to work in a recognized trade, industry, enterprise and pre professional career.
Vocational education and training is provided at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes, which are government-owned or at private institutions. TAFE is the largest provider of tertiary education courses in Australia. There are 84 TAFE institutes operating from more than 1,100 locations across Australia. TAFE institutes can be compared to polytechnics, technical institutes and community or industrial training institutes.
Tertiary Education Courses:
· Bachelor Degree
It is the basic requirement for most of the professions such as accounting, economics, engineering and computer technology.
· Graduate Certificate
Designed for more job-specific or vocational areas, and include an intensive study program. Primarily, students pursue for a Graduate Certificate to further develop professional knowledge and skills. It takes 6 months of full-time study.
· Graduate Diploma
Similar to Graduate Certificate but more advanced and it takes 1 year of full-time study to complete.
· Master Degree
Master Degrees can be undertaken by coursework or research. Coursework Master Degrees usually take 12 to 18 months, while Master Degrees through research take about 2 years of full-time study.
· Doctoral Degree
PhDs usually take around 3 years full time. One will have to demonstrate an original contribution to a particular field of study, produce a substantial thesis and usually undertake an original research project.
1.1 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Most of the countries qualifications are generally equal to their Australian counterparts.
· SSC/O-Level/eual year 10 certificate is considered equal to the Australian Secondary School Certificate (Year 10) for the purpose of gaining entry to courses.
· HSC/A-Level/Equal year 12 is approximately equal to the Australian Senior Secondary School Certificate (Year 12). Different courses have different requirements. However, students may need to achieve certain grades in the HSC/A-Level to gain entry to professional courses.
Academic Requirements
Minimum entry qualifications for undergraduate courses are any pre-university qualifications such as HSC, Australian Matriculation, Year 12 of the Australian Senior Secondary Certificate, NSW HSC, A-Levels or equivalent.
Advanced Standing/Credit Transfer
Australian institutions take into account any prior learning or existing skills relevant to the course one wishes to enter. This may reduce the length of one’s study time by anything up to 1 to 1.5 year.
English Language Requirement
A score of six of better in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) conducted by British Council; or
A score of 550 or better in the American TOEFL examination; or
A score of 11 or better in English as a Second Language in the South Australian Matriculation examination; or A/O Levels – a score of “C”
Foundation Studies:
Academic Requirements
A proven record of academic achievements up to Form 5 and forecast SPM results are acceptable.
English Language Requirement
TOEFL 550+ (with no band less than 5.0), or
A score of 5.5 in IELTS (not less than 5.0), or
A score of C or better in GCE “O” Level
TAFE:
SSC with all passes in relevant subjects are required. Besides, students must show financial capacity to meet fees and living/travel expenses, be of good health and character.
Postgraduate Studies:
Often, one’s home country qualification will be considered equal to its Australian counterpart. For example, a Bachelor Degree from many universities will be assessed as comparable to an Australian Bachelor Degree.To qualify for a Masters Degree, a Bachelor Degree (preferably with Honors) plus a qualifying year of study or equivalent professional experience are required.
1.2 EXPENSES:
Tuition:
Below are general guidelines on tuition fees in Australia.
|
Course |
Cost per year (AUD$) |
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Postgraduate Course |
AUD$ 17,000 – AUD$ 30,000 |
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Bachelor Degree (laboratory based) |
AUD$ 16,000 - AUD$ 24,000 |
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Bachelor Degree |
AUD$ 15,000 - AUD$ 21,000 |
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Foundation studies |
AUD$ 16,000 - AUD$ 20,000 |
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Vocational education and training |
AUD$ 4,500 - AUD$ 12,000 |
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ELICOS (usually paid weekly) |
AUD$ 7,000 - AUD$ 10,000 |
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Secondary School |
AUD$ 5,000 - AUD$ 10,000 |
Additional charges of between AUD$100 - AUD$250 a year to cover students association, library and sports facility costs are also required
Living Expenses
A student needs between AUD$12,000 to AUD$ 18,000 a year for living expenses. This covers accommodation, food, transport, clothes, health and entertainment. It does not include air fares. Living costs depend on where and how one lives. Metropolitan city like Sydney and Melbourne will usually be more expensive than rural areas.
Accommodation
Most education institutions have accommodation officers who give advice on housing and expenses and even help students to organize on-campus accommodation, here are some options of where to live while studying in Australia:
· University halls of residence
· University apartments
· Home-stay
· Boarding school
· Rented flats or houses
· Hostels and guests houses
1.3 APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
Students need to apply to the individual institutions they are interested in. Admission is in February each year. Applications generally close in late October each year, however, some institutions also offer enrolment in mid-year (July) for certain courses. PhD students and research Master Degree students may be able to negotiate an alternative starting date with their study supervisors.
1.4 VISA APPLICATION
In December 2010, the Australian government appointed the Hon Michael Knight AO to conduct the first strategic review of the student visa program to help enhance the quality, integrity and competitiveness of the student visa program.Graduates of an Australian Bachelor degree, Masters by coursework degree, Masters by research degree or PhD will have access to the post-study work visa.Graduates who have completed a Bachelor degree or Masters by coursework degree in Australia will be eligible to apply for a two year post-study work visa. Graduates who have completed a Masters by research degree or a PhD in Australia will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa for three or four years respectively.These new arrangements will be ready for students who made their student visa applications after 5 November 2011. These students will begin to graduate from mid 2013 onwards, so the post-study work visa arrangements are designed to be ready for them in 2013. For more information on Knight’s Review, please click the following link:
http://www.immi.gov.au/students/knight/
For more information, please visit the websites below:
| 2.0 ESSENTIAL INFORMATION |
Lifestyle:
Australia is surrounded by three oceans – the Pacific, the Indian and the Southern. There are 7000 officially identified beaches around Australia’s coastline, more than in any other country in the world, and every single one of them is accessible to the general public.What is surprising is that given Australia’s size and landmass, 80% of the Australian population lives within 50 kilometres of the coast, clearly choosing to make the beach a real part of their lives.As a society, Australia has claimed the ‘beach culture’ as its own, and the rest of the world honours the claim. Fashion labels, recreational sports, careers, music, arts and lifestyles revolve around the beach.There is more to university life than studying and that is where the student bodies can help. Tours, sports events, music bands, parties, and entertainment are only some examples. Learn how to surf, meet new people and experience a great Australian tradition at stunning coastal location.
1. Free counseling
Prospectus, videos and complete information for every program from all universities are provided to make comparison. Advices are given from living expenses, visa application, important documents and etc based on student’s qualification and budget.
2. Personal assessment
Procedures are explained from data collection to visa application. We help student to decide the right choices before an admission application is lodged.
3. Admission application
Upon complete data collection will lead to application to related universities. Student will be informed if additional information is required. We keep student up to date on the application status until offer letter received. This process will take normally 1-2 weeks for UG and a month for PG.
4. Deposit of tuition fees
Deposit or payment of tuition fee is made upon accepting an offer letter. Amount required depends on the conditions in offer letter. Payment is made normally by telegraphic transfer or bank draft. Receipt of payment will be sent over to university and a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is requested.
5. Application of accommodation
Upon successful of receiving CoE, student will have to decide his/her accommodation in university and we help you apply for it. Meantime, making a medical examination which is compulsory for visa application can be done at some medical institutions we appointed.
6. Application for Visa
Forms are provided. All we need your documents, valid passport and your complete forms. Leave the rest to us! This process will take some times from a few weeks to a month.
7. Flight arrangement
Once Visa is approved and received, we help you get the cheapest flight to the airport nearest to your university and make sure you arrive before your school starts!
8. Pre-departure briefing
A simple briefing regarding important information, what’s hot and not regarding studying and a short meeting with officers from related universities is vital for your final preparations. Knowing some friends who travel and study along with you made your journey more interesting.
9. Arrival to University
