Get an Australian education

The emphasis is on quality, flexibility and balancing theory with practical skills - Notes brings you a guide to the Australian qualification system.

In the Australian education system, you can move through flexible study pathways to gain the right balance of practical skills and theoretical knowledge for your future career. Education providers have worked together to create a well-established system that helps you move easily from one level of study to the next.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a national system. Unlike in many other countries, the government carefully oversees quality standards, so you can be confident that you will receive the same high quality education no matter which institution you choose in the country. The AQF lets you design the study programme you require for your individual learning and career options.

Australia's education system is very flexible. It assumes that people will continue education throughout their lives. That means students can enter and exit the system at almost any point, and they can re-enter vocational or university courses later in their careers.

The country's formal education system can be divided into the following categories for international students.

Primary and secondary schools

School attendance in Australia is compulsory for all children ages six to 15. Students complete their studies at senior secondary school (around 18, sometimes called year 12, college or matriculation). To enter university, students must sit exams and assessments in years 11 and 12 to receive a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. Australia has a wide range of government-funded public schools, privately funded schools and schools with a religious affiliation. Many schools have boarding facilities for students from regional areas and overseas.

English language studies

English language courses are targeted to serve specific purposes, such as English for Academic Purposes, English for Business and English for Computing.

There are English language colleges across Australia that offer a range of training courses to help you improve your English language skills.

Many Australian universities and vocational institutes also have English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) centres on their campuses.

Foundation studies/bridging courses

If you haven't studied in an Australian senior secondary school or its foreign equivalent, foundation studies also known as bridging courses will help you meet the entry requirements of a diploma, advanced diploma or bachelor degree.

Most courses are designed specifically to prepare international students for the Australian academic environment.

VET qualifications

Certificate I, II, III or IV: The higher the level of certificate, the more responsibility you are likely to be given in the workplace. For example, a Certificate I in Business provides basic skills in a certain field and could lead to work as an office assistant.

A Certificate IV in Business provides a more in-depth understanding and could lead to more senior administrative work such as a senior accounts clerk.

Diploma

Diploma courses combine strong theoretical knowledge with a high level of technical and/or creative skills.

Advanced diploma are a slightly higher level than a diploma and require two or three years of full-time study. Many advanced diplomas have links to bachelor degrees.

University qualifications

Bachelor degree: This is the main undergraduate programme and a basic requirement for most professions. It takes three to five years of full-time study. Students may opt to study an additional honours year. A bachelor degree is essential if you wish to pursue postgraduate studies.

Graduate certificate/postgraduate certificate: These programmes give you a qualification in a chosen field or expand your existing knowledge and experience. It takes around six months of full-time study and is coursework-based.

Graduate diploma/postgraduate diploma: These programmes may help you extend your knowledge or move into a field of expertise different from your undergraduate studies.

They may also fulfill the prerequisites for a masters degree; they take around one year of full-time study to complete.

They are coursework-based.

Masters degree: These programmes allow you to extend your study in a field beyond an undergraduate and honours level.

They take between 18 months and three years to complete.

Masters may be taken as either coursework or research, or a combination of both.

Master of Philosophy: These programmes develop your independent research skills. They take between 18 months and three years to complete, and are research-based.

Doctorate: These programmes are designed for professionals returning to study to improve their professional practice. They take between two and four years of full-time study and are generally coursework-based.

Doctor of Philosophy: These programmes provide you with the opportunity of advanced study in a specialised field of research.

They take between two and four years of full-time study, and are either research-based or a combination of research and coursework.

Vocational education and training

Students can begin vocational education and training after secondary school (year 10) or senior secondary school (year 12). Courses are offered at privately-owned institutions and the government-funded Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. Vocational education and training qualifications are popular in Australia because they are of a high standard, particularly compared to some foreign systems; they give you practical skills and industry experience.

Many vocational institutes have links and agreements with universities. These allow universities to offer up to one year of advanced standing into a bachelor degree as well as guaranteed entry into your course, when you achieve the required grades at your vocational institution.

Universities

Australia has 39 universities that offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes; 37 are government-funded and two are privately funded.

Students have access to a quality education, technologically advanced facilities and expert lecturers. The degrees are widely recognised across the globe, and the graduates are highly employable.

- For more information on the Australian education system, talk to your local IDP counselors

The Australian academic year

It begins in early February for school students and late February/early March for vocational and university students.

There is often an orientation week for new students in mid to late February.

Schools generally have three or four semesters. Most universities and vocational institutes have two semesters with exams at the end of each semester in June and November.

There is a two-to-four-week break between semesters.

The summer break is from November or December to February. Many courses have start dates in either semester.