All about Australia

The education in Australia has a history of more than 200 hundred years, which started in New South Wales and then expanded throughout the country. The Public school system began quite later, and the expansion of the secondary area took place in late 19^th century. Universities also came into existence in the 19^th century, and the compulsory study was also enforced during the same time. The education in Australia has come a long way since then. Presently, Australia is one of the most widely preferred study hubs in the world that hosts thousands of international students every year.

 

As mentioned earlier, a lot of International students find it fascinating to pursue their higher studies in Australia. That is the reason why the 25% of the total number of students studying in Australia are from other countries. The total number of students in Australia presently is approximately around 1,313,776, while the total number of International students in April 2017 is 492,964. The most contributing countries in terms of International students in Australia are China, India, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam. Students from these five Asian countries encapsulate 54% of the total population of International students in Australia.

Best programs available in Australia:

When it comes to choosing the course of study, most of the international students prefer one of these following subject areas.

1. Engineering and technology
2. Accounting and Finance
3. Management
4. study
5. Computer science and IT

Average annual tuition fee at Australian Universities:

The average cost of education in Australian universities usually lies between the range of $A9000 - $A15,000 a year for foundation studies like preparatory courses, university entrances and bridging courses. For undergraduates that cost can go up to $A35,500 a year, while the lowest cost is $A14,000 a year. The average cost of pursuing PG courses (Master’s and PhD) can be $A14,000 - $A37,000 a year.

Admission requirements in Australia:

To get admission in an Australian University, a student needs to provide several documents, including

• Application form
• Proof of Nationality
• Transcripts and qualifications from previously attended academic institutions
• Mark sheets of X, XII, Bachelor degree (if he is applying for PG courses)
• Letter of recommendation
• Statement of purpose

The student also needs to appear in the admission test in order to get into an Australian University. However, a student can only apply for the courses and programs in Australia, if he/she has met certain eligibility criteria.

The criteria involve certain cut-off marks in the English language tests like TOEFL or IELTS. If a person clears those cut-off marks, then he/she needs to meet the eligibility criteria of the college or University he/she has applied for. Now the requirements of each institution vary depending on the course and the subject. It is better to contact the administration of the respective college of University to know the detailed information about the admission process and the eligibility criteria.

Scholarships available to international students:

The admission requirements and the average annual costs of studying in Australia can be a reason to worry for a lot of students. However, a student can reduce the expenses if he/she has a scholarship programs. There are a good number of scholarship programs issued by Australian Universities, the government of India and few non-governmental organizations that can help a student to pursue his higher education in Australia. Here are the top few scholarships that are available for students who want to study abroad, especially in Australia.

• University of Adelaide Ashok Khurana Scholarship for Indian Students:

This scholarship is available to the Indian students who are willing to pursue postgraduate study in particular fields at the University of Adelaide.

•  University of Queensland BEL India Scholarship:

If an Indian student wants to study his master's degree within the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Queensland in Australia then he/she can use full-tuition international scholarships. This scholarship doesn't apply for MBA studies.

•  University of Queensland Postgraduate Coursework Scholarship:

There's another set of scholarships that allow students from India to undertake post-graduate study in biology-related subjects in the University of Queensland.

•  Global Leaders Scholarships for Indian Students:

There are ten scholarships allotted for Indian students who want to pursue higher studies in business-related programs or courses.

Student loan facilities:

Bank loans in India generally don't cover for English language programs or TAFE courses in Australia. Apart from these programs, most of the courses in Australia can be covered by bank loans. It is always wiser to go to the bank and ask for the details of a student loan. Every bank has their own sets of rules and regulations, so when the short listing of the banks is done, a person to visit the nearest branch and speak to the manager about the student loan.

Accommodation for internationals students in Australia:

There's a large range of accommodation available for the international students who want to live in Australia while pursuing their higher studies. One can choose from the following options.

• Home stay: here a student can live with an Australian family, and it usually costs between A$110 and A$270 per week.
• Hostel: here students get kitchen and bathroom facilities that they need to share with other students. This accommodation generally costs A$80-A$135 a week.
• Rental property: A student can share a rented property with several housemates, and it can cost around A$100-A$400 per week. Sharing it with few other roommates can tone it down to A$70-A$250 per week.
• Apartments: Some universities provide the international students with apartments close to the university.
• On campus housing: Most of the Australian Universities don’t offer on-campus housing, but those who do generally cost around A$80-A$250 per week.

The visa process:

Getting an Australian Visa is also quite easy. Once the student’s application is accepted, he/she can apply for the visa for Australia. It generally requires the followings:

• Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement
• Financial requirements
• English proficiency requirements
• Health and character requirements

A student needs to pay a small amount of visa fee and needs to appear in an interview to get his/her visa approved.

 Part-time job opportunity while studying in Australia:

The student's visa in Australia allows the student to work for 40 hours in a fortnight. Among the most popular part-time jobs among international students, waiting for the table, working at a retail shop, doing data entry, working at a call center are the few. However, a student is allowed to work part-time only after the beginning of his/her academic session. If the student is pursuing post-graduate research study, he can work as much as he wants.

When it comes to job opportunities and placements, these following things matter the most.

• Communication skills
• Professional skills
• Australian Citizenship and Permanent Residence

The job market in Australia:

Everyone knows that to land on a good job; a person needs to sharpen his/her communication skills as well as professional skills. Apart from that, some companies look for those candidates who have a national citizenship and a PR. Most of the Australian companies don't bother with the university one has passed from. Agriculture, tourism, chemicals, mining, steel, industrial and transportation equipment, and food processing are some of the major industries in Australia that interest most of the freshly graduates. In Australia, people usually work for 38 hours per week.

Australia is a great place to be if one is thinking about a vacation. The natural beauty of the country, the shimmering cities, diverse wildlife and rich culture entice a lot of tourists every year to visit the land of Australia. The weather in the eight different territories in the Country varies immensely, and the climate is vastly different from that of Northern Hemisphere.  Interestingly, December to February is summer in Australia and June to August is winter.

Adding to the interesting weather and natural beauty, the friendly behaviour of the inhabitants and their cultural diversity and high quality of life make Australia a wonderful place. The liberal thinking of the Australians and their passion for outdoor activities can make anyone fall in love with the place.