Why Study in Australia

Australia is more affordable than most other destinations and offers quality education, excellent living conditions and a tolerant multicultural society. Australian Institutions rank among the world’s best and the quality of education they offer is correspondingly high.  It is a leading global powerhouse with some of the world’s best facilities and educators providing international students with a wide range of quality study options.

• It is the 3^rd most popular study destination in the world for international students.
• 8 out of the top 100 Universities in the world are Australian.
• The climate in Australia is on the sunny side for most part of the year and not as cold as countries such as US and Canada.
• Australia has 5 of the 30 best cities in the world for students based on student mix, affordability, quality of life, and employer activity – all important elements for students when choosing the best study destination.
• Each year, the Australian government offers more than A$200 million in International scholarships.
• 1100 institutions offer over 22,000 courses in Australia, thereby giving students a huge choice of courses. Australia has at least one university in the top 50 worldwide across the study areas of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Life & Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Medicine & Pharmacy, and Physics.
• Higher education in Australia provides value for money by offering shorter and more intensive courses that quickly incorporate latest innovations in science & technology, modern trends in marketing & management in their diploma/degree programs, hence Australian education is more practical and responsive to the needs of Trade & Industry.
• Australia allows students with 15 years of education to apply to its educational institutions unlike the US, thereby favoring Indian students. Most post-graduate programs accept a three year undergraduate degree.
• Australia offers degree courses that can be completed in 3 years or less. Also a number of MBA programs in Australia, that do not require work experience can be completed in 18 months.
• Students are allowed to work part time for 20 hours a week during the study term and full time during holidays. Students can expect to earn anything between A$15-A$18 per hour.
• Australia also provides 2-4 years post study work visa after graduation depending on the program and the level of education.
• Generous scholarships of up to 50% are available for international students

Quality Assurance:

Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 ensures that Institutions enrolling international students are registered with Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). This is done to safeguard the interest of the students and making sure that the educational institutions meet stringent standards for marketing activities, education, facilities and student support services. In Australia every course offered in a university has a CRICOS Code which is given by Australian Government reflecting that the education system is fully controlled by the Government in Australia.

• The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) allows students to easily move through the education system there and provides an easy way for countries around the world to recognize an Australian qualification, and issue the comparable qualifications for local use. The AQF links 15 school, vocational and university education qualifications into one national system. This allows you to move towards the next level of study easily and gives you the flexibility to change your Institution as well.

The Australian government has taken a number of measures to ensure that International students receive the best quality education. These are:

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, which sets out the legal framework governing delivery of education to overseas students studying in Australia on a student visa.

The Tuition Protection Service, which helps you find an alternative course or refund your unspent tuition fees in the rare case that your institution (education provider) can’t continue to offer your course.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) is the national regulator for Australia’s vocational education and training sector. ASQA regulates courses and training providers to ensure nationally approved quality standards are met.

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), regulates and assures the quality of Australia’s higher education sector. It undertakes both compliance assessments and quality assessments.

High Focus On Research:

Australia is a research intensive country with about 50,000 people in higher education organizations involved in R&D. The famous Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the biggest government R&D agency in Australia, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse research institutions. It’s is involved in more than 740 research activities with scientific organizations and agencies in more than 80 countries, undertaking research in the fields of health, agribusiness, information technology, manufacturing, sustainable energy, mining and natural resources.

Education System in Australia

• Australia’s education system reflects quality, excellence and innovation. Its universities offer excellent infrastructure and facilities to students, both domestic and overseas. There are a wide range of specialist institutions, and the most popular study programs include Business, Information Technology, Engineering and Hospitality.
• As an international student on a student visa, you must study with an institution and in a course that is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). CRICOS registration guarantees that the course and the institution at which you study meet the high standards expected by international students.
• The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007 (National Code) provide nationally consistent standards for providers of education and training for international students.

1100 institutions offer over 22,000 courses in Australia, thereby giving students a huge choice of courses. There are 41 universities ranging in size from around 3,000 students to 50,000 students – 39 of these are government run. Australian universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in traditional and modern subject areas such as innovative courses in IT, electronic business and science. Australian academics have won prestigious awards, including several Nobel Prizes, and are involved in revolutionary research. Most of the Australian universities are self-accredited running under a state level legislation. The content for the different programs offered at these universities is set by the universities themselves without intervention from any government bodies. This gives the universities the freedom and the leeway to keep their curriculum updated.

There are several levels of study in Australia at the undergraduate and postgraduate level such as:

• Level 1 to 7 are for undergraduate studies
• Level 8 is between undergraduate and postgraduate
• Level 9 and level 10 are for the postgraduate level

The Australian education system provides primary, secondary and tertiary education.

School education (Primary and Secondary)

School education is similar across all of Australia with only minor variations between states and territories.

Tertiary education

Tertiary education includes both higher education (including universities) and vocational education and training (VET).

Available Courses:

Awarded courses vary considerably with the higher education sector in the form of entry requirements, duration and method of assessment. The following degrees and diplomas are offered by Australian Universities:

• Master Degree
• Graduate Diploma / Graduate Certificate
• Bachelor Degree
• TAFE Certificate III & IV
• Undergraduate Diploma / Advanced Diploma and
• Associate Degree
• Doctoral Degree

Vocational Education & Training (VET):

Australia’s VET sector is based on a partnership between governments and industry. VET qualifications are provided by government institutions known as Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, as well as private institutions. Australian governments (federal and state) provide funding, develop policies, and contribute to regulation and quality assurance of the sector. Industry contributes to the training policies and priorities, and helps in designing courses and curriculum that will deliver skills to the workforce.  Many of the VET courses are combined with a period of on-site learning, meaning you don’t just learn in a classroom but also get priceless industry experience in a genuine work environment. It’s real-world industry experience ensures that your qualifications fully prepare you for employment in your chosen industry.

Courses are taught within an array of industries, including: administration, retail, tourism and hospitality, construction, utilities, community services and health, transport, mining, manufacturing, and technology. VET qualifications are outcome-based and focus on the occupational skills and competencies gained. The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognizes prior learning or current competence in the industry. This makes credit transfer easier and offers students flexible learning pathways.

Types of Degrees in Australia

There are numerous courses available to study in Australia at the undergraduate and at the postgraduate level.  Levels 1 to 7 are for undergraduate studies, level 8 is between undergraduate and postgraduate, levels 9 and 10 are for the postgraduate level.

At the Undergraduate Level:

Certificate Courses: These courses can belong to any level from level 1 to level 7. These certificates take somewhere between six months to one year to complete. Level 1 & 2 certificates are for jobs that require roughly no formal training. Level 3 & 4 certificates teach more technical in nature and offer different specializations.

Diploma Courses: The diploma courses belong to level 5 and can take anywhere between 6 months to 2 years to complete. They teach higher cognitive and technical knowledge in the selected field of study.

Advanced Diploma and Associate Degree: These belong to Level 6 and can take anywhere between 2 to 3 years to complete. It counts for approximately 3 to 4 semesters of bachelor’s work. Advanced diplomas are bestowed upon students learning technical or vocational fields, while associate degrees are awarded for more academic fields of study.

Bachelor’s Degrees: The bachelor’s degrees belong to Level 7 and require anywhere between 3 to 4 years to complete.

Bachelor Honors Degrees: The honors degree at the bachelor degree level belongs to level 8. You can obtain an honors degree either by taking an extra year of bachelor studies (for a 3-year bachelor’s) or by finishing your bachelor studies with very high grades (for 4-year bachelors).

Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas: These belong to level 8 and are usually taken up post finishing your Bachelor degree. The graduate certificates vary in duration from anywhere between 6 months to 1 year and the graduate diplomas between 1 to 2 years.

At the Postgraduate level:

Master’s Degrees: The Master’s degrees belong to level 9 which is one of the highest levels of study in Australia. You can pursue a Master’s degree in a number of fields such as: business, sciences, media, public administration, health, nursing, engineering, architecture, fine arts, psychology and many more. Master’s degrees are usually concentrated on advancing the academics and the course duration is anywhere between 1 to 2 years.

Doctorate/ PhD: A doctorate belongs to level 10 which is the highest level of study in the Australian education system. PhD students have a logical and a critical understanding of a certain complex field of research. Doctoral degrees take anywhere between 3 – 6 years to complete.  Australia’s AQF includes PhD’s, M.D.’s, DPT’s as well as law degrees.

Application Procedure for Australia

The application procedure for AUSTRALIA requires the following steps:

Step 1 – Research: The students should do their research on the universities or their colleges that they wish to apply to along with the programs that they are interested in applying for. Each university is known for a certain specialization in which they rank high. So the university selection will depend on the course that the student is interested in.

We at AM Consulting counsel you to understand your careers goals and aspirations and accordingly design a custom roadmap for you. We will then help you in shortlisting of the courses and the universities that you should apply to, based on a number of factors.

Step 2 – Taking the Required Tests: The most basic test requirement for admission to Australian universities is the IELTS test. Make sure that you score well on this test. Australia allow you to apply to Universities before taking the IELTS exam and the universities there will issue you conditional offer letters. These letters will be made on the premise that you will get the minimum required IELTS score later and report it to the University. The Test Report form of the IELTS exam needs to be sent to the university first. Later on the university might ask you to get your scores sent directly to them via the IELTS testing agency (British Council or IDP). There is a certain fee for reporting the IELTS score to each university.

Step 3 – Preparing the Documents:  Next the students need to put together the following documents for the application process:

Transcripts & Degree Certificate: Transcripts are mark sheets presented in a certain format. A student will need to apply at their respective schools or colleges for getting their transcripts issued. Each transcript will be stamped & signed, and then sealed in an envelope which also needs to be stamped and signed.

Statement of Purpose/Essays: Each university will need the student to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) as part of the application packet. The SOP is a life story of a student in around 800 words which allows the admission committee to separate the best applications from the average ones. An SOP will contain answers to questions such as what have you studied till now and why? Why are you interested in the particular course that you are applying for? What have you chosen that university? What are you short and long term goals? And so on.  All the students applying for a Bachelor’s degree as well as a Master’s degree will need to submit their Statement of Purpose specific to each university. MBA applicants will have to answer 3-4 university specific essay questions. An SOP can make or break a student’s application and is one of the most important parts of the application process, especially when a student is targeting the top 10-15 universities. A crisp and well-crafted SOP can make up for a low GRE or GMAT score or even low academics.

AM Consulting specializes in drafting solid SOP’s which have helped our students secure admits into some of the top universities in Canada.  You can contact us here to know about our SOP packages.

Letters of Recommendation: Universities require you to submit a minimum of two letters of recommendation (LOR) as a part of your application. One is a professional one and the other is an academic one. You need to nominate your manager at your workplace and a professor at your college for writing these letters for you. These LORs are also one of the most important parts of your application wherein your referees make a case for your selection to that particular university. You need to nominate referees who know your well and under whom you have grown professionally or academically.

We at AM Consulting provide assistance in writing LOR’s for our students. You can contact us here to know more about our LOR packages.

Resume: The students need to prepare a professional looking resume which is no more than 2 pages, as part of their application. The resume should contain the student’s academic as well as professional information.

Proof of Work Experience/Internships/Social Work: In order to strengthen the application, a student can submit additional documents such as an offer letter, internship experience letter or a certificate for completion of social work done at a local non-governmental organization (NGO).

Other Documents:  A student will also need to submit their passport copies, 2-3 photos and the university application form.

Step 4 – Application submission: The application needs to be submitted by filing in the application forms and submitting the documents along with paying the university application fees.

Step 5 – Test Score Reporting: After applying to the universities, the student will need to report his or her GRE/GMAT and the IELTS/TOEFL scores to the various universities that they have applied to. The universities ask for the scores to be directly sent to them via the testing authorities. Reporting to each university will require a certain fee to be paid to the testing authorities.

Step 6 – Finalizing the University:  After receiving admits from universities, finalize one university and the required deposit there thereby confirming your place.

Step 7 – Australian Visa Application: The University will send the Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) after you make your deposit payment which needs to be updated with the Australian embassy. Next up book an appointment and apply for the visa. We will help you finalize your documents, check if they are in order and guide you in making the visa appointment. It is always better to apply for the visa at least two months in advance to your course start date

Intakes:

Australia generally has two intakes i.e. February and July, with few Universities offering multiple intakes in September & November too. It is suggested that you should start making applications ideally 8 to 9 months prior to the intakes. Ideally you should apply start applications by January of the preceding year as will allow you to apply for many scholarships that Australian universities offer. You can however apply until May start for the July intake. Remember, the admission decisions may take up to 4 – 6 weeks and the student visa process for Australia takes between 4 to 6 weeks.

Document Checklist:

• Resume
• Passport Copies (The first and last pages)
• Degree Mark sheets & Transcripts
• Degree certificate or provisional degree certificate (if you are currently studying in your final year, then you can submit this later)
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Portfolio, if design related course
• IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) – you can submit this at a later date. We can try for a waiver for you for admissions but it is mandatory for the Australian visa application.
• Extra-curricular activity certificates

Contact Us Today to APPLY TO TOP AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES

Tests Required

You will need to take the IELTS exam for Studying in Australia.

IELTS: (International English Language Testing System): The IELTS is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council and IDP in India. There are two types of IELTS exams.

IELTS Academic: This is taken by students who wish to apply for higher education in countries all around the world.  IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and by various professional organizations across the world. No minimum score is required to pass the test. The IELTS Test Report Form is issued to all test takers with a score from “band 1” (“non-user”) to “band 9” (“expert user”) and each institution sets a different threshold. The test is administered by the British Council and IDP in India. The cost of taking the exam is Rs 12,650. It can be taken in either the computer delivered or the paper delivered format depending on your city.

The IELTS is available in two formats:

• Paper Based – The results for this test arrive 13 days after the exam.
• Computer Based – The results for this test arrive within 5 to 7 days after the exam.

The minimum IELTS score required:

Undergraduate: A minimum score of 6.0 with no band less than 5.5.

Graduate: A minimum score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0

You can register for the exam either through the British council website (https://www.britishcouncil.in/exam/ielts) or the IDP website. (https://www.ieltsidpindia.com/)

Costs

Costs of studying in Australia can be divided in to following:

• Tuition Fees
• Living Expenses
• Insurance, travel and other costs

Tuition Fees for Studying in Australia

• Undergraduate – A$15,000 to A$35,000* per year
• Postgraduate – A$20,000 to A$40,000* per year

Postgraduate – MBA Degree – A$30,000 to A$75,000* for the full program. We believe the most students end up selecting MBA courses that cost anywhere between A$30,000 to A$55,000

Doctoral – PhD Degree – AUD $15,000 to $40,000* per year

*These are approximate figures and can vary depending on the university and the course selected.

Living Expenses while Studying in Australia

The living cost in Australia can be anywhere between A$12,000 – A$21,000 per year including your accommodation, food, travel, books etc. depending on the city you will be living in (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, other), your type of accommodation and of course your life style.

Types of student accommodation available in Australia:

• Hostels and Guesthouses – $80 to $135 per week
• Shared Rental – $70 to $250 per week (least expensive option)
• On campus accommodation – $80 to $250 per week
• Homestay – $110 to $270 per week (most expensive option)
• Rental – $100 to $400 per week

Other Expenses:

• Groceries and eating out– $80 to $200 per week
• Gas, electricity– $60 to $100 per week
• Phone and Internet – $20 to $50 per week
• Public transport – $10 to $50 per week
• Car (after purchase) – $150 to $250 per week
• Entertainment – $50 to $100 per week

Note: The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has financial requirements towards your living cost that you must meet in order to receive a student visa. Below is a guide on the requirements you must meet to study in Australia:

The above mentioned costs are approximate and are mentioned for your knowledge. These will differ with the lifestyle of each student.

Insurance Costs: Insurance and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

All overseas students need to take the OSHC. You need to maintain it while your student visa is valid. You will also be responsible for your own accident and property insurance.

Scholarships in Australia

Each year the Australian government hands out A$200 million in scholarships to International students. This is done in order to attract the student population to Australia. A number of universities in Australia offer generous scholarships of up to 50% of the tuition fee to International students.

Post Study Work Visa for Australia

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) allows graduates to work in Australia temporarily after they finish their studies. It has two streams: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.

The Graduate Work stream is for international students who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation considered in demand in the Australian labor market, as indicated in the list of eligible skilled occupations. A visa in this stream is generally granted for 18 months.

The Post-Study Work visa offers extended options for working in Australia to eligible graduates of a higher education degree. Under this stream, successful applicants are granted a visa with a visa period of two, three or four years’ duration, depending on the highest educational qualification they have obtained.

Work during study in Australia:

Students can work up to 20 hours part time per week during course of study and full time during vacations.

Work after study in Australia:

Post completing a 2 year Masters’ program, you will be eligible to apply for a 2 year work permit. The minimum duration of your study period must be at least 24 months

Bachelors and Masters’ degree holders are eligible to apply for a 2 year post study work visa in Australia

Masters by research and Doctoral/PhD degree holders are eligible to apply for a 3 and 4 years post study work visa in Australia respectively.

Students must have at least two years of academic study in Australia in order to be eligible for a post study work visa.

Job Opportunities in Australia

Australian has plenty of jobs available in various fields such as Accounting, financial services, data and business analytics, banking, IT and computer science. It is a home to a number of multinational companies who are eager to hire graduates from various Australian universities.

List of Universities in Australia

List of Universities & Vocational Institutes in Australia:

• Academies Australasia Polytechnic
• ASTHM
• Australian Institute of Higher Education
• Australian National University- International Study Centre
• Basair Aviation College
• Bradford College
• Box Hill Institute
• Bond University
• Browns Professional/ Browns English Language School
• Brisbane North Institute of TAFE
• Canterbury Education Group
• Cambridge International College (Melbourne, Western Australia, Adelaide)
• Cambridge International College
• Canberra Institute of Technology
• Carrick
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Central Queensland University (Rockhampton)
• Central Queensland University Sydney
• Central Queensland University Melbourne
• Central Queensland University (Brisbane)
• Colleges (ACE, ATTC & ACL, CELUSA, PIBT IEC)
• Charles Sturt University
• Charles Darwin University
• Chishoim Institute of TAFE
• Charles Darwin University Melbourne
• Curtin College (Navitas)/ Curtin University Sydney
• Curtin University of Technology
• Deakin University
• Dental Nursing Australia
• Department forEducation and Child Development
• Edith Cowan University
• Education Queensland International
• ELS Universal English College
• Education Training & Employment Australia Pty Ltd
• Federation University
• Federation University Australia
• Flinders International Study Centre
• Gold Coast Institute of TAFE
• Griffith University
• Holmes Institute
• International Education Services Limited
• Imperial College of Technology & Management
• IIBIT (InfoTech Professionals Pty Ltd)
• ISBT Melbourne
• JMC Academy
• Insearch
• James Cook University
• James Cook of Townsville/ Cairns
• Kangan Institute
• Kaplan Business School
• King’s Own Institute
• King’s International College
• Kingston International Colege
• Lexis English
• La Trobe University
• La Trobe University Sydney Campus
• La Trobe Melbourne
• Lloyds International College
• Le Cordon Bleu Paris (Hong Kong) Ltd.
• MIBT
• MIT
• Macquarie University
• Menzies Institute of Technology
• Murdoch University
• Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE
• Martin College
• Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE
• Navitas English
• Perth Institute of Business & Technology
• Phoenix Academy
• Performance Education
• Queensland Institute of Business and Technology
• Queensland University of Technology
• Queensland International Business Academy
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
• Sarina Russo Schools Australia Pty Ltd.
• Sydney Institute of Business & Technology
• Southbank Institute of Technology
• SAE Institute
• Sydney Film School
• Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE
• Stanley College
• Southern Cross University- Sydney
• Sydney Institute of Business & Commerce
• Southern Cross University
• Southern Cross University
• South Australian Institute of Business & Technology
• Swinburne University of Technology
• TAFE South Australia
• Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE
• Think Education
• The William Light Institute
• Taylors College
• The University of New Castle
• TAFE Queensland
• TAFE NSW
• The University of Western Australia
• University of South Australia
• University of Canberra
• University of Canberra College
• Union Institute of Language
• University of Technology Sydney
• University of Queensland
• University of Western Sydney
• UWS College
• University of Tasmania
• University of New England
• University of the Sunshine Coast
• University of Wollongong
• University of Southern Queensland
• Victoria University
• Viva College
• Wide Bay Institute of TAFE
• University of Adelaide
• RMIT University
• Flinders University
• Western Sydney University
• Australia Catholic University
• CQ University Australia
• Torrens University
• University of Southern Queensland Sydney Education Centre
• TAFE International Western Australia
• UTS Insearch
• Deakin College
• Edith Cowan College
• Griffith College
• Eynesbury College
• Newcastle International College
• Western Sydney University Sydney City Campus
• Australian College of Applied Psychology
• Australian National University College
• The University of Sydney Foundation Program
• Melbourne Institute of Technology
• Australian Technical & Management College
• University of Adelaide College
• International Institute of Business & Information Technology
• Zenith Business Academy
• Asia Pacific International College
• Strathfield College
• English Language School in Sydney
• International College of Management Sydney
• Education Access Australia
• Engineering Institute of Technology
• New England College of Technology
• MEGA College
• Canterbury Business College
• Canterbury Technical Institute
• Canterbury Language Academy
• Excelsia College