Education System

Australia offers more than 1,200 institutions and over 22,000 courses, a truly diverse range of study options for its International students. All universities and colleges in Australia that accept international students must be CRICOS registered, to meet the requirements set out in the National Code of Practice which was set up to protect the interests of international students studying on Australian soil.

That is why, as an international student on a student visa, you must study with an institution and in a course that is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). CRICOS registration guarantees that the course and the institution at which you study meet the high standards expected by international students.

Australia provides protection to international students via many consumer protection and support services available for international students. This includes services provided directly by institutions as well as those provided by a range of state, territory and federal government departments.

Regardless of what you are studying or how long you are studying for, Australia’s laws promote quality education and protection for international students. (Read more: Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007).

Along with the ESOS Act and National Code, other regulatory and quality assurance organisations for higher education and VET institutions are responsible for registration/re-registration of institutions and accreditation/re-accreditation of courses. These organisations are:

• Higher Education - Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
• VET - Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)

Education System Contains:

Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian education system is distinguished from many other countries by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF was established in 1995 and is a national policy that covers qualifications from the tertiary education sector (higher education and vocational education and training) in addition to the school-leaving certificate; the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education.

The AQF has 10 levels and links school, vocational and university education qualifications into one national system. This allows you to move easily from one level of study to th-e next, and from one institution to another, as long as you satisfy student visa requirements. It allows for choice and flexibility in career planning. All qualifications in the AQF help prepare you for both further study and your working life.AQF levels:

Living in Australia

Generally, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection requires $18,610 as the minimum cost of living to issue a student visa. Your living expenses in Australia will depend highly on which region you plan to live in. For example, more urbanized areas will have higher costs for accommodation. The type of accommodation is also important. Hostels and guesthouses range from $80 to $135 a week, while shared rentals and on-campus accommodation will cost $70 to $250. More expensive options are homestay ($110 to $270 per week) and rental ($100 to $400 per week).

Aside from accommodation, your weekly expenses will most likely include groceries or eating out ($80 to $200), gas and electricity ($60 to $100), phone and internet ($20 to $50), public transport ($10 to $50) and entertainment ($50 to $100).

Working while you study in Australia can help complement your study and living experience. Most student visas allow you to work for up to 40 hours every two weeks while your course is in session, and unrestricted hours during any scheduled course break, but before you undertake any paid work you need to make sure your visa allows you to work. (Read more Department of Immigration and Border Protection) You will also need to get a tax file number to work in Australia. Visit the Australian Taxation Office website to find out more information on getting a tax file number, as well as information about paying taxes in Australia.

Test Requirements

International Studenst will need to meet the English language requirement to apply for a student visa. Some student visa applicants may need to provide the results of an English language test with their visa application.

English Language Recognition

If you have completed a qualification where English was the primary language of instruction, you may be eligible for an English language exemption. Check our Guide to English Language Requirements (PDF, 123 KB) to find out if you qualify for an exemption

If you fall into one of the following student categories, you are exempt from providing evidence of English language proficiency requirements with your visa application:

• students enrolled in fulltime school studies as a principal course, including secondary exchange programmes; postgraduate research courses; standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS); and Foreign Affairs or Defence sponsored students
• students who have completed at least five years’ study in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland
• citizens and passport holders of one of the following English speaking countries: UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland
• students who have successfully completed in Australia in the English language either the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or studies at the Certificate IV or higher level, in the two years before applying for the student visa.

Packaging English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) There is no limitation on the maximum duration of ELICOS study that can be undertaken. Genuine students are able to undertake as much ELICOS study as either a standalone course or prior to their principal course, as required.

Student Visa Guidance

There are several classes of student visas for Australia - the one you need depends on the type of study (eg: English language course, graduate degree, vocational training,higher education, etc.) you are planning to undertake.

Student visa options.

Student visa (subclass 500) If you intend to study in Australia, you will need to apply for the Student visa (subclass 500).

• English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
• school – primary or secondary
• secondary school exchange program
• 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 masters degree by coursework or a higher education diploma or advanced diploma
• postgraduate Research degrees –a masters degree by research or a doctoral degree
• non-award courses – non-award foundation studies courses or components of a course that do not lead to an award
• students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Trade or the Department of Defence.

Visa requirements

The student visa you need depends on your chosen course of study. As a guide, the typical key requirements you will need to meet are:

• Issued an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) certificate.
• Meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement. Read more about this on the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (opens in a new window) website.
• Sufficient funds for airfares, course fees and living costs.
• English language proficiency.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Acceptable Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Cost Of Study

Australia uses Australian Dollar or AUD as its currency.

As it is a very popular study destination, applying for scholarships in Australia is highly competitive. If you are planning to finance your studies yourself, you should be aware of the costs associated with studying and living in this destination.

As with most other countries, the cost of education in Australia is dependent on the type and duration of your studies.

The list below gives you an indication of the range of course costs for different types of qualifications.

• School - $7,800 to $30,000
• English language studies - Around $300 per week depending on course length
• Vocational Education and Training (Certificates I to IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma) - $4,000 to $22,000
• Undergraduate Bachelor Degree - $15,000 to $33,000*
• Postgraduate Masters Degree - $20,000 to $37,000*
• Doctoral Degree - $14,000 to $37,000*

Note: This does not include high value courses such as veterinary and medical. Please visit institution websites directly to see costs for these courses.

Scholarship information

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

Australia Awards Scholarships

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.

See also Australia Awards Fellowships

Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship Awards

The Endeavour Postgraduate Awards provide full financial support for international students to undertake a postgraduate qualification at a Masters 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.

See also Endeavour Executive Fellowships

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) The 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 Masters by research degree or three years for a Doctorate by research degree. The scholarship covers tuition fees and health cover costs.

Australian University Scholarships

University of Sydney International Research Scholarships The University of Sydney invites candidates who are eligible to undertake a Postgraduate Research Degree or Master’s by Research program at this University to apply for the University of Sydney International Research Scholarship (USydIS). The USydIS will cover tuition fees and living allowance for up to three years with a possibility of one semester’s extension for PhD students.

Macquarie University International Scholarships

The Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship provides a partial tuition fee scholarship for outstanding students to study an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Macquarie University North Ryde campus. The scholarship amount is varied up to AUD$10,000.

Melbourne Research Scholarships

The Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) was established by the University of Melbourne and is awarded to high achieving domestic and international research students. The benefits of the Melbourne Research Scholarship vary depending on your circumstance and may include one or more of the following: fortnightly living allowance, relocation allowance, paid sick, maternity and parenting leave, full fee remission (international students only) and Overseas Student Health Cover (international students only).

Adelaide Scholarships International

The University of Adelaide offers the Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI) program to attract high quality international postgraduate students to areas of research strength in the University of Adelaide to support its research effort. The scholarships includes course tuition fees, annual living allowance, and health insurance.

La Trobe Academic Excellence Scholarships for International Students

La Trobe’s Academic Excellence Scholarships (AES) are targeted towards high achieving international students from all countries across all of La Trobe’s undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs. The scholarship is worth between $10,000 and $20,000 and goes towards tuition fees.

Monash University International Merit Scholarships

Monash University is offering a number of scholarship programs including the Monash University International Merit Scholarships for outstanding international students who wish to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Monash University. The scholarship is valued at $10,000 for a full time study load, paid per year.

See also Monash University International Leadership Scholarships and Monash International Scholarships for Excellence.

Flinders International Postgraduate Scholarships

Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (FIPRS) are awarded to suitably qualified applicants to pursue a full-time research higher degree at Flinders University – up to two years for a Research Masters degree and up to three years for a Research Doctorate degree. The scholarship covers the international student tuition fees, living allowance, establishment allowance, relocation costs and airfares.