The Australia Education System

• Internationally recognised qualifications
  
  
• Wide range of courses
  
  
• Length of courses
  
  
• Support Services
  
  
• Academic Year
  
  
• Study Methods
  
  
• Assessment methods
  
  
• English Language Requirements
  
  
• Academic Requirements
  

Internationally recognised qualifications

Australian schools, colleges and universities enjoy an international reputation for excellence. Academic staff in universities are recruited internationally, and graduates from Australian colleges and universities are employed all over the world.

All teachers in Australian high schools and colleges are university qualified.

Wide range of courses

You will find you can study almost anything in Australia. Courses include:

accounting, agriculture and horticulture, applied science, architecture, art and design, aviation, automotive studies, beauty therapy, building and construction, business, catering, computing and information technology, cookery and food processing, childcare, dentistry, drafting, economics, education, English language, engineering, environmental education, fashion and design, health sciences, hospitality and hotel management, humanities, languages, law, library studies, mathematics, management, manufacturing studies, marine engineering, maritime studies, marketing, media and communications, medicine, medical laboratory science, music, nursing, secretarial studies, social sciences, science, travel and tourism, transport, visual and performing arts, welfare and personal services, and much more.

Length of courses

The following is a guide only. Each course and each college or university may be slightly different:

Support Services

There are more than 600,000 students studying in Australian universities and over 65,000 of these are international students. The large number of international students means that many university campuses have strong international student associations.

Australian institutions provide international students with extensive support services, including:

• Special information and orientation days
• Study skills support
• English language support
• Academic counselling
• Personal counselling
• Advice on visa issues
• Accommodation and employment assistance
• On-campus medical centres at large institutions or easy access to medical centres
• Airport pickup service on arrival in Australia

Academic Year

The academic year starts in late February and finishes in November. Many universities and colleges also accept enrolments in July. You can start an English Language course at any time.

Study Methods

Students at Australian universities and colleges attend lectures, tutorials, seminars, as well as conducting independent research in libraries or laboratories. You will be encouraged to collect and analyse data by yourself or in teams, to ask questions, to develop an argument in a logical form and to participate in discussion and debate with other students and lecturers.

This means students are active learners in Australia, and don’t just passively listen and rote learn. Most colleges and universities can help you with study skills so you can adapt to the Australian way of learning.

Assessment methods

Each school, college or university has its own assessment methods. You may be assessed by examination, through essays and reports, oral presentations, class participation, practical work and tests. Postgraduate degrees (Masters and PhD) by research are assessed by thesis.

English Language Requirements

Each college or university has its own English Language requirements, and this may be different for particular courses or programs. If you have not completed high school in English, you will need to show proof of your level of English. Australian colleges and universities accept TOEFL and IELTS results as proof.

Academic Requirements

Each college or university has its own academic entry requirements, and this may be different for particular courses or programs. Many universities require students to have a certain grade point average from high school or an undergraduate degree.