Study in Australia

Considering which University to go to? Why not widen your horizons and think outside the box? Don’t limit yourself to the UK when you could study in one of the most popular countries in the world to live. You could be amongst the lucky students who get the opportunity to experience sun, surf, sea, sand and study.

Australia is now becoming a popular place amongst students, not least because of its reputation for excellence in higher education. Australia is also one of the youngest and liveliest places to live, making it a hub for students. The cities of Australia are brimming with life; from festivals to major sporting events – it really is a students’ paradise.

Australian Student Visa

Unless you come from New Zealand then you’ll need a visa to study in Australia. The visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your course and also to work for a maximum of 20 hours a week during term time, which may help fund your extra-curriculur activities! There are however strict requirements when applying for an Australian student visa, to read more about getting visas and the requirements that come with it, read our guide to Australian student visas.

Overseas Transfer

If you don’t fancy studying for your entire degree in Australia you can apply to transfer there for a short time, giving you a taster of what life is like across the ocean. Not all British Universities will offer overseas transfers but most of the larger ones will do and you’ll need to approach your individual university to discuss the options with them.

You’ll need to ensure that your chosen university in Australia offers the same degree course that you are studying. You will also need to pay international transfer fees, which could prove costly, but some universities may be able to offer financial packages to help cover the costs.

This option is ideal for those students who quite fancy spending some time abroad without having to commit to the entire length of their study. It’s a great opportunity to find out how universities are run in Australia, how your course is taught over there and to make some new friends. It’s an invaluable experience that won’t be easily forgotten and will ensure that Australia forever has a place in your heart!

Australian Universities

You may decide you want to study full-time at one of Australia’s prestigious universities – well you’d be in good hands if you did. Australian universities are often at the forefront of major technological advances. Eight Nobel Prizes have been awarded to past achievers to date – could you be the one to take that number to nine?

Choice of study courses is just as varied as in the UK and with Australian universities linked to institutions in more than 100 countries you’ll find that your qualification takes you a long way. You can choose to study for Bachelor Degrees, Masters, Doctorate and others in wide-ranging topics from Engineering to Zoology. If you’re a professional wishing to further your career you may even be able to take a suitable course such as a Diploma or Associate Degree.

Australian Universities are high-achieving and whether you choose to study in Sydney or Tasmania, your qualification will be universally recognised and respected. The University of Western Sydney is one of Australia’s largest Universities with over 32,000 students and of them, 2,800 are international students. The Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane had one of the highest MBA Australia rankings in the Financial Times world listings in 2004. The University of Canberra is probably the most popular with international students as it has people studying there from over 80 different countries and has extremely good off-shore programs. These are just some of the excellent universities that Australia has to offer, many more have won awards and acclaims for excellence in higher education and in their own achievements.

The government guide to Australian universities has given out a warning about bogus qualifications offered for sale on the internet. As a general rule, if in doubt – check. Don’t part with your hard-earned cash for a piece of paper that proves to be useless.

Vocational Courses and Training

Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) offers a diverse range of courses such as business and management, horticulture and land management, sport and recreation, design and arts, tourism and hospitality, science and technology, communications, community service and health, and English. Courses are provided by further education colleges and universities and whilst most are government and industry run, there are some private colleges which offer courses. The great thing about these courses is that again, qualifications gained here are recognised worldwide and you also get points towards a degree should you decide that you want to take your studies further. VET qualifications are becoming popular with international students who are keen to take a course related to an occupation on the forthcoming Skilled Occupation List. This boosts their chances of finding work in Australia and applying to live in Australia permanently.

English as a Foreign Language

Many students are now deciding to travel to Australia to learn English. For many countries Australia is the natural choice as it’s geographically closer and offers some of the best English language courses around, amongst a friendly, multi-cultural environment.

Australian colleges and universities offer a range of English courses from the very basic, English conversational skills to more specific and advanced topics such as learning English to work within the tourist sector – a popular occupation that is always on the lookout for multi-lingual applicants.

The essential International English Language Testing System (IELTS) courses are also taught here and you can meet other students, share tips and advice and gain support from the close communities that built up within these courses. The IELTS examination is an essential for many Australian visa applications.

Australian Study Fees

If you do intend to study in Australia you will need to be aware of the fees involved – and these don’t include visa application fees – which can range from $5,500 to $18,000 per year. You’ll need to prove that you have sufficient funds with which to support yourself. However students living in Australia find that cost of living in cheaper compared to other countries. The official study in Australia website state that most international students will spend around $360 per week on accommodation, food, transport and other items. Compared to the United States and the UK this offers excellent value for money.

But if paying tuition fees is going to be a problem for you there is a possible solution at hand.

The Australian government do offer scholarships that cover vocational education and training, exchange programs and undergraduate and postgraduate study, however they are not available for English language courses.

There are three scholarship programs on offer:

• Endeavour Awards – largely for students from Asia-Pacific and Middle-East but also for some native Australians and Europeans.
• Australian Leadership Awards –for postgraduate studies with an emphasis on developing leaders who wish to undertake social and policy reform.
• Australian Development Scholarships – available to Australia’s partner countries to encourage growth and development in those countries.

To find out more about scholarships for Australian universities go to the official study in Australia website.

There are other scholarships available from international and charitable organisations for which the Australian government has done a comprehensive list. See Australian scholarships.

If you want to find out more about studying in Australia, view the extensive list of courses available or find out more about life as a student in Australia then log onto the official government website at studyinaustralia. And so what are you waiting for? Get out there and experience something different, stand out from the crowd and live the Australian dream – for a little while at least!