Australia, New Zealand: beginning of a love affair Higher studies mean better work options down under
TOP PICK From 40,130 in July 2013 to 60,835 in July 2015, Indian student numbers for Australia are on the rise. New Zealand too is not far behind
Australia has been stepping up efforts to attract international students, including Indians, and retaining global talent among leading study destinations such as the US, UK and Canada. Research data by overseas education experts suggests that Australia has gone through various phases of growth and innovation to remain competitive in attracting international students.
Both Australia and New Zealand continue to strengthen their position as the top choice for Indian students outside of North America. Australia is the second-favourite choice for Indian students after the US, says the Indian Students Mobility - Latest Trends from India and Globally: MMA (2016) report.
OZ POPULAR AMONG INDIANS
According to the Australian Government’s Department of Education and Training, as of July 2016, there are 67,279 Indian students studying in the country. The numbers have increased in the last few years from 40,130 (July 2013), to 50,709 (July 2014) and 60,835 (July 2015). Australia has cemented its position as the number two destination country now. Both these markets (Australia and New Zealand) continued with their strong growth that kicked off in 2014. Indian student numbers grew by 15%, and in New Zealand it was more than 20% since 2014.
“In both cases, these growth rates from India are higher than their overall international student growth rates. AustraliaNew Zealand has emerged as a strong option for Indian students in the past 10 years,” says the students’ mobility report.
There was a time – between 2008 and 2010 – when the number of Indian students going to Australia exceeded those opting for the US. One of the reasons is their PG courses being attractive for Indian students. “As many as 40,561 out of 67,279 students from India as of July 2016 are enrolled in postgraduate programmes in the country. The most popular courses for Indian students are in the field of management and commerce; food, hospitality and personal services; engineering and related technologies; and, information technology,” says an Australian government spokesperson.
Financing too has become easy because of scholarships. Australia Awards are international scholarships and fellowships funded by the Australian government to undertake study, research and professional development. International Postgraduate Research Scholarships enable students to pursue a postgraduate research qualification in the country and gain experience with leading Australian researchers. The 2017 Endeavour Mobility Grants, and Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships have also been announced recently.
The Australian government is also keen that Indian students join programmes in archaeology, earth and marine sciences, mineral and mining engineering, environmental sciences, nursing, pharmacy and pharmacology, and veterinary science, among others. There are plans to get more Indians into technology, digital, robotics, media and entertainment, scientific research, health, future materials and sports management, says the Australian government spokesperson.
Australia has 40 local universities, a number of specialist tertiary institutions, and more than a 100 education centres accredited by the government to deliver specific courses. Across the different university ranking systems, criteria and fields of study, Australian universities rank high for the quality of their education, student satisfaction ratings, and overall global reputation.
“Australian universities are listed in the Top 100 universities in the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. As per the latest QS Rankings, seven Australian universities are among the top 100 in the world, including Australian National University, which is ranked the 19 top university in the world. There are eight Australian universities among the world’s top 50 highest performing young universities,” says the spokesperson.
WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT NEW ZEALAND?
In 2015, New Zealand welcomed more than 29,000 Indian students. The country boasts of impressive academic facilities, wide range of curriculum, and pastoral care for students.
John Laxon, Middle East and acting South Asia regional director at Education New Zealand, says, “New Zealand has an internationally recognised tertiary education system. It is the only country to have all of its universities ranked in the top 3% of The costs of studying in Australia depend on the institution and level of study. The list below is indicative of the range of course costs for different types of qualifications
IF YOU INTEND TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA, YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY FOR THE STUDENT VISA (SUBCLASS 500)
AUSTRALIA In Australia, post-study work arrangements are covered under the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). It has two streams: the graduate work stream and the post-study work stream. The graduate work stream is the same as the Skilled Graduate visa (subclass 485). The post-study work stream offers extended options for working in Australia to eligible graduates with a higher education degree. Under this stream, successful applicants are granted a visa of two, three or four year duration, depending on the highest educational qualification they have obtained. If you intend to study in Australia, you will need to apply for the student visa (subclass 500).
You can apply for the following types of study on this visa: English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students, school – primary or secondary, secondary school exchange programme; vocational education and training (VET) courses – a registered VET course or a registered course for the award of an advanced diploma; higher education courses – a bachelor or associate degree, a graduate certificate or graduate diploma; a master’s degree by coursework or a higher education diploma or advanced diploma; postgraduate research degrees – a master’s degree by research or a doctoral degree; non-award foundation studies courses or components of a course that do not lead to an award and students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Trade or the Department of Defence.
The New Zealand government, in 2013, introduced a package of initiatives to encourage growth in New Zealand’s international education sector. Under these, eligible students are allowed to work during all their scheduled course breaks (rather than just summer), and doctoral and research master’s students are able to work fulltime. Working while studying allows students to gain invaluable industry experience before they graduate, preparing them for the job market.
Eligible international students have the opportunity to apply for a 12-month job search visa after completing their course in New Zealand (applicable for certain level of courses only) and get some international work experience.
There are other important benefits to people studying for a PhD in New Zealand. International students pay domestic fees rather than international fees. Their spouse or partner is eligible for an open work permit valid for the duration of the PhD. Dependent children of an international PhD student receive the same schooling benefits as New Zealand permanent residents until their final year of high school, and no tuition fees are charged in New Zealand’s state schools.
GAURI KOHLI