In Australia, tertiary education is provided mostly by public institutions: 40 universities out of 43 are public. Its model was adopted from the British one. Most providers of higher education are recognized either by the State or the Territory legislation.
This system is highly developed in Australia. It offers a great number of opportunities for students. Its exceptional quality is known in many countries. High qualifications acquired in the Australian educational institutions are recognized globally.
Tertiary education in Australia is represented by a wide range of courses and programs. Among them is a Commonwealth program offering Commonwealth Grant Scheme and Higher Education Loan Program. It also offers the Overseas Student Program for international students.
Universities and the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) regulate courses and programs. AQF streamlines tertiary education on different levels including trade certificates and doctorates. However, this authority mainly deals with vocational courses.
Students in Australia are eligible to get degrees:
- Certificate;
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Associate degree.
It takes one or two years to receive a Certificate, Diploma or an Associate degree. TAFEs institutions usually offer these courses. Bachelor’s degree is awarded after 3-4 years of studying.
Why Is Tertiary Education So Popular?
Recognition – qualifications received in Australian universities are recognized in many countries. It’s easy to be employed when having a diploma at one of the Australian educational institutions;
Value – competitive tuition fees and affordable living costs represent value for money;
The high quality of education – Australian education is ranked highly on the world scale;
Flexibility – a wide range of educational institutions offers a great number of various courses with flexible methods of delivery;
Protection – the industry is regulated by the government of Australia to protect students;
Support – there are support networks across Australia to help students in all aspects;
Friendly environment – mild climate, safe environment, stability, friendly people, attractive surrounding make Australia one of the best places to study;
Multicultural – Australia welcomes international students to study there;
Work and travel opportunities – students can work and travel during their studies.
Qualifications Offered
Higher educational institutions offer the following qualifications:
- Undergraduate (preparation for a professional career or postgraduate studies);
- Postgraduate (graduate certificate or diploma, Master’s degree, coursework Master’s, research Master’s, professional Master’s, Doctoral degree, research doctorate, professional doctorate).
Tuition Fees
The tuition fees vary depending on the degree. The higher the degree, the higher the average tuition fees:
- Bachelor’s degree tuition fees vary from 10,000 to 16,000 AUD (Law, Management, Business, Accounting, Arts, etc.);
- Bachelor’s degree based on laboratory courses costs 11,000-20,000 AUD (Science, Engineering);
- Graduate diploma (certificate) costs between 9,000 and 16,000 AUD;
- Master’s and Doctoral degree are the most expensive: 11,000-20,000 AUD.
Admission Season
Higher education in Australia is divided into semesters. As a rule, educational institutions have two semesters each year between February and November. Some universities offer a system of the optional short summer semester, but it’s not common.
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