Why Study in Australia

If you are interested in studying in Australia – you are in the right place. Australia, the sixth largest country in the world, has achieved the distinction of being home to 7 universities in the top 100 of the prestigious QS ranking. Many of the universities have achieved the perfect score in terms of number of international faculty. A strong research- intensive academic culture at these institutions also attracts numerous students to study in Australia.

Australia is hosting unprecedented numbers of international students, who now make up more than a quarter of enrolments at most of the universities. The number of international students in Australia has increased by 12 per cent this year as enrolment numbers continue to rise exponentially. Department of Education figures show that in February, Australian universities, private colleges, English language courses, and schools registered a combined 542,054 enrolments. That compares with 305,534 total enrolments five years ago.

About Australian Education

Australia offers a diverse range of study options for international students, with more than 1,200 institutions and over 22,000 courses to choose from. You can study at all levels of education from primary and secondary school, to vocational education and training (VET), from English language courses to higher education (including universities).

Regardless of what you are studying or how long you are studying for, Australia’s laws promote quality education and protection for international students. Higher education courses can be taken to earn an advanced degree and continue your studies in Australia. There are three main types of higher education which lead to Bachelor, Master and Doctoral Degrees. In Australia it is quite common for students to enrol in a double or combined bachelor’s Degree program which leads to the award of two bach e l o r ’ s Degrees. This is most common in the fields of arts, commerce, law and science.

Australian institutions offer a wide range of courses – from science to management and commerce, humanities to engineering, and law to health sciences. Australian institutions rank among the world’s best by discipline, particularly in engineering and technology, medicine, environmental science, and accounting and finance. There are 43 universities in Australia (40 Australian universities, two international universities, and one private specialty university).

Why Australia is popular

Along with top-class education, the country also offers stable work opportunities and an array of diverse courses for those interested. The island continent has grown to become the dream destination of many students in recent years and interest only continues to increase, with the number of international students who have landed at its shores for higher education rapidly rising year on year.

Australia promotes innovation, creativity and independent thinking throughout its universities. International students who study and live in Australia soon find that their education is challenging, fun, and rewarding. As an international student in Australia, you can expect to live, grow and learn in a young, friendly country full of opportunities. For those international students who successfully complete their degree, they will soon find that they are competitive in today’s international job market.

Great Work Opportunities

One of the benefits of being an international student in Australia is that you have permission to work part- time while completing your degree. Australia, unlike other countries, give those with a student visa automatic permission to work. International students must find a job on their own, but once hired, they will gain hands-on experience. Not only is this a unique opportunity for students to gain real workexperience in Australia, but it also helps students cover their living expenses as well as improves their business English fluency.

International students have the option to temporarily work in Australia after their course. The Temporary Graduate Visa ( subclass 485) facilitates this. This visa allows students from both the Graduate Work Stream as well as the Post Study Work Stream. The Graduate Work Stream Visa, granted for 18 months, is only issued to international students who complete their education in Australia in areas which are in demand in the Australian labour market. For this visa, the aspirant must have completed the course and should have earned a degree, diploma or a trade qualification. The Post Study Work Stream visa is granted for two, three or four years depending on the educational qualifications. The eligibility qualification for this visa is a Bachelor’s, Master’s or a PhD degree. Many students coming to Australia for studies have a dream of retaining in Australia permanently by applying through various skilled migration programmes offered to Australian graduates after studies. International students always get added advantage due to extra points offered for Australian qualificat i o n s, Australian experience, profession study and be sponsored by government state sponsorships offered only to graduates from those respective states in Australia which will help them to be on the top of the leader board on skill migration programme compared to overseas applicants.

Work options are also available for current students. Student visas permit the students to work for 40 hours every two weeks during the course duration and unrestricted hours during course breaks. Students can work in the retail, hospital, tourism, agriculture, sales and telemarketing sectors in clerical roles or engage in tutoring.

Best Student-Friendly Cities

Australia has some of world’s top-ranked student-friendly cities. Six Australian cities feature in the Top 50 student- friendly cities ranked by the QS Rankings 2017. Melbourne has already been among the top cities since 2014. The city also has seven of the Top 500 universities in world including University of Melbourne and Monash University. The other stu- dent-friendly cities and their world rankings are Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth.

Cultural Diversity

Australia is home to students from all over the world. The top five countries which contribute to 53% of international students in Australia are China, India, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam. The number of international students has also increased by 14% in the past year. Apart from international students, Australian universities also encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, further adding to the diversity.

Scholarship Programmes.

The Australian Government and Australian Universities provide a large number of scholarships for international students wanting to study in Australia.

Australia Awards Scholarships, formerly known as Australian Development Scholarships (ADS), are long term development awards administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. They provide opportunities for people from developing countries, particularly those countries located in the Indo- Pacific region, to undertake full time undergraduate or postgraduate study at participating Australian universities and Technical and Further Education ( TAFE) institutions. The scholarship benefits generally include: full tuition fees, return air travel, establishment allowance, contribution to living expenses ( CLE), Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), etc.

The Endeavour Postgraduate Awards provide full financial support for international students to undertake a postgraduate qualification at a master’s or PhD level either by coursework or research in any field of study in Australia. The scholarships include tuition fees, travel allowance, establishment allowance, monthly stipend as well as health and travel insurance.

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) program enables international students to undertake a postgraduate research qualification in Australia and gain experience with leading Australian researchers. The scholarships are available for a period of two years for a master’s by research degree or three years for a Doctorate by research degree. The scholarship covers tuition fees and health cover costs.

Strong Research/Technology

Australian universities have majorly invested in research in almost all fields of science, medicine and technology. The Australian Gove r nment’s Excellence in Research for Australia, or ERA has identified 43 areas of national strength to focus their research on. A five-point scale is used, with ‘ World Standard’, ‘Above World Standard’ and ‘Well above World Standard’ serving as higher indicators in the ratings. With seven universities in the overall Top 100 and 9 in the Top 50 under 50 in the 2017 QS rankings, the Australian government is clearly promoting and undertaking research in several areas, with health and medicine being given special focus.

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