Study In Australia

You will be surprised to know that Australia holds the 3rd ranking in having highest number of the international students with population of minimal 23 million. It will be obvious for you when you will get to know that Australia has 7 top ranking universities in the world out of 100 top universities. Statistics declare that with around 22,000 courses across 1,100 institutions, Australia sits above the likes of Germany, the Netherlands and Japan, ranking eighth in the “Universities 2012 U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems”.

One should also know that every day over 1 billion people around the world rely on Australian discoveries and innovations – including penicillin, IVF, ultrasound, Wi-Fi, the Bionic Ear, cervical cancer vaccine and Black Box Flight Recorders – to make their lives as card as the life of others, better.

The Australian education system is a production house of many great scientists, designers, educators, entrepreneurs, artists and humanitarians who have changed the world, winning awards from Oscars to Nobel prizes. There has been a survey in 2012 by the Australian government in collaboration with peak education bodies and state/territory government education departments on international students to get their feedback about their experience staying in Australia as a student and the response was like :

1. 87% of international student respondents are ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their overall experience in Australia.
2. 86% of international student respondents are ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their study experience in Australia.
3. 88% of international student respondents are ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with living in Australia.

The world 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 and a part of Australia. So one should definitely consider Australia as a center for their further education for all the above mentioned reliable facts about Australia.

Being eligible for a particular course is the foremost thing which one should look at very start before creating mindset of getting admitted into any of the institutes in Australia. Here is some general guidance on entry requirements for the different levels of study:

1. English language - Entry requirements vary between institutions, and according to the level of English language course you want to study.
2. Schools - Entry requirements vary between schools depending on the state or territory you will be studying in. Academic performance and ability is considered during the application process.
3. Vocational education and training - In most cases there are no entrance exams for VET institutions. However, some courses may have specific pre-requisite subjects or work experience requirements.
4. Higher Education Undergraduate - To gain entry into an Australian undergraduate course you will need to have an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12), or the overseas equivalent. Some undergraduate courses may also have specific pre-requisite subjects.
5. Higher Education Postgraduate - As card as the satisfactory completion of at least one degree at undergraduate level, your institution may take research ability or relevant work experience into consideration.

The very unique thing about the education system in Australia is its Australian Qualifications Framework. This body basically governs the secondary (high school) and tertiary (undergraduate and post graduate) levels of education. Australia’s education system is divided into 10 different levels.

Level from 1 to 4 are determined as the certificate baseline education steps of 6 months to 1 year tenure depending on the type of course you avail. Level 3 to 4 are considered as vocational courses in certain specialized fields such as welding, machinery, and basic IT skills. Level 5 is the paraprofessional step(first step towards professionalism).

It takes nearly 2 years to acquire this diploma. Level 6 is advance diploma plans or associate degrees. This may take from 2-3 years to be acquired. Advanced diplomas are given to those students who are pursuing any vocational or training courses while associate degrees are more of academic interest.

These degrees are very useful in finding employment in Australian and your native place. Level 7 is recognized in the world wide as “Undergraduate Degree” which takes 3-4 years depending on the university and the course availed. Here is a long list of the programs that one could end up with for earning a bachelor’s degree in Australia:

1. Anthropology and Archaeology
2. Classical history
3. Social sciences (sociology, psychology, etc)
4. Computer Science
5. Business (economics, management)
6. Law
7. Medical fields/pre-medical fields
8. Music and arts
9. Philosophy and other similar disciplines
10. English (Literature, etc)
11. Theology and Religion
12. STEM majors (Sciences (earth sciences, biology, chemistry), Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

Level 8 to 10 are more focused on the post graduate plans which we will telling you about in our post graduate section of the article.
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We have already covered the 1 to 7 level of AQF, the governing body of education system in Australia. Level 8 comes both under the graduate and undergraduate plans. It grabs you with either a graduate diploma or graduate degree though there is no difference in any but it completely depends on the school you take up for it. It may take from 1-2 years to gain a graduate diploma or graduate degree but only after you have a bachelor’s for it. After you gain a graduate diploma or graduate degree, you will be able to get a advanced position in your job portfolio.

Level 9 is the “Master’s degree” which is basically focused on a particular field as a subject of research and not of job advancement. It takes nearly 2 years after your bachelor’s to earn a master’s degree. Many people go for it to take up an employment in research department or to go for level 10 i.e., a Doctorate’s degree.

Now comes the last but of course not the least one, level 10, the Doctorate’s degree. After acquiring this degree, you will considered to be the expertise of your filed. This is the highest degree one can get in a specific field.

Money is the only prime concern which one should consider before making up the mind to step out of his/her native country. The cost of living and basic needs are something which needed to be fulfilled in any case. The areas in the northern part of the country will have the low accommodation cost while the areas near the ACT and Sydney are expensive. The certain things which you might need to avail along with the price:

1. Gas and electric: $50-$100/month.
2. Phone and internet (usually bundled together): $150-$200 a month.
3. Water/Sewer/Trash: $50/month
4. Groceries average approximately $200/month, depending on what you’re eating.
5. Fitness club – $70/month
6. Monthly transportation pass: $120 (certain public transportation offers student rates for less)
7. Gasoline: $1.50/liter
8. Taxi: $2.04/km
9. Meal out: $16 to $75 dollars, depending on how fancy the restaurant is. $16-20 for a meal at a casual dining establishment is relatively average.
10. Beer, half a liter: $6 ( Though you can neglect it)
11. Flavored coffee: $4 for an average-sized cup
12. Combo meal at a fast food restaurant (McDonald’s, Burger King): $8.

Life style of students studying in Australia is very happening. The very important thing in life no matter where you study is that you should take out time to explore your personal interest as card. And if you have got an opportunity to go out for studying, make sure that you learn all their cultures and customs because studying is undoubtedly the priority but experiencing new things is something which will last forever. Australian universities have got a wide range of student clubs and organizations on campus. The motive of these groups may vary university to university and region you are in. If you enjoy a particular activity or sport, there are many clubs available for you. List of the clubs available are:

1. Study groups
2. Outdoor activities (surfing, row-fluiding, cycling, hiking)
3. Sports of various types (amateur to competitive levels)
4. Book or movie clubs
5. Religious organizations
6. Gaming (board, video, card)
7. Sexuality (LGBT awareness, etc)
8. Groups associated with your field of study
9. Student Government
10. Political Party Affiliation
11. International Students Organization

Apart from all these clubs, universities organize b bus trips to many places to make international students aware about the place. Sunday is the time which some students may take as a day to sit back and relax while some may take it as a day to plan the coming week or some may go out and comfort themselves at beaches. So you see here are lot many choices available for you to enjoy yourself.

Studying abroad is a big issue when it comes to money. Many students do not get the opportunity to study abroad because they lag financially. But if you are considering Australia as an option for your future destination then be assured that there are n numbers of scholarships and awards available for students. The good news is, Australia offers a lot of money to international students – upwards of $500 million AUD per year. Here are some of them:

1. The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
2. The Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research, and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE)
3. The Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACAIR)

The Australian government invested over $300 million (AUD) in the Australia Awards in 2012. Apart from all this, there are various special funds available for students who are pursing there post graduate programs.