A crucial document needed to pass the Australian immigration authorities and university’s Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria is that of a well-researched and presented Statement of Purpose (SOP) that evidences an informed decision to study in Down Under.
All serious international students will not just reply on friends and intermediaries to counsel them on choices and conditions. StudyinAustralia.gov.au, an official website of the Australian Government for international students, is an excellent resource.
A student can create and register MyAccount https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/Registration/MembershipRegistration.aspx on this website just by providing his/her email address or sign-in via the Facebook account. A personalised account will then be created to obtain UpToDate information about Australian universities, courses, scholarships, visa information or events that the student may be interested in.
A toolbox has been created which gives detailed information about each university, update on the social media activities on each platform (Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Tumblr, Blog), and search for news of one’s home country in the local language through the news feed. Details of all kinds of scholarships, grants and bursaries can be found here. The website also gives the student an access to view all the upcoming educational events/fairs scheduled in each country.
The following information in the website may support the student in framing a good SOP or gathering in-depth knowledge about Australia.
Why choose Australia as study destination:
By studying in Australia, one will receive a qualification that is recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Countries around the world accord recognition to the degree qualification and provides the equivalence to the local qualification.
The policies and procedures followed under Australian educational system ensures that the student receives high quality education. A few include below:
- The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000
- The Tuition Protection Service
- The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA
- The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
A Great Resource for Researching and Writing a Good Study Plan
By choosing to study in Australia, one will join hundreds of thousands of students from all over the world who are discovering new friends and opportunities. The student can work closely with classmates, researchers, instructors, and other faculty – collaboration is a key part of students’ successes. And in many cases, he/she can gain practical and hands-on industrial training.
Education Costs in Australia:
The costs of studying in Australia depend on the institution and the level of study selected.
The list below gives an indication of the range of course costs for different types of qualifications.
- Vocational Education and Training(Certificates I to IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma) – AUD 4,000 to AUD 22,000
- Undergraduate bachelor’s degree– AUD 15,000 to AUD 33,000
- Postgraduate master’s degree– AUD 20,000 to AUD 37,000
Internships in Australia:
Internships are a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the area of study.
There are several student and work visas that allow international students to intern in Australia. Different conditions can apply when it comes to the period of internship, including maximum weekly internship hours and whether the internship will be paid/unpaid. Further information on visa conditions can be found on the Department of Home Affairs (opens in a new window) website.
Universities and Higher Education in Australia:
Higher education courses can be taken to earn an advanced degree and continue further studies in Australia. There are three main levels of higher education qualifications – Bachelor, Master and Doctoral Degrees.
Australian institutions such as ATMC offer a wide range of courses (http://www.atmc.edu.au/courses) – from science to management and commerce, IT, law and engineering. The national regulatory and quality agency for higher education is the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) which assures and monitors academic quality, student satisfaction and graduate employment outcomes.
Application Process:
According to study in Australia, the process to apply to an Australian university or registered training organisation is as follows:
- Apply to study in Australia:
- Choose to study in Australia
- Decide on a course and an institution
- Check entry requirements for the course and visa
- Apply for the course
- Receive offer letter
- GTE/ Financial document approval
- Receive Confirmation of Enrolment
- Apply for your visa
- Plan your arrival
There are further a range of entry requirements that need be satisfied before an Australian visa can be issued. This can include:
- Academic requirements.
- English language requirements.
- Evidence of funds to support your study.
- Overseas student health cover (OSHC).
After Graduation:
study in Australia advises that graduands may be eligible to undertake post-study work to put newly acquired knowledge to gain work experience in Australia under the post-study work stream of Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. To qualify, the graduands must have studied for a Bachelor, Masters or Doctoral degree. Terms and conditions of the sub-class apply.
Accommodation:
The portal provides applicants with useful tips on accommodation search. Depending on needs and budget, the student can opt to rent, stay on campus, or homestay with an Australian family on a short-term basis.
Minimum cost of living
Preparing the SOP will require the student to state that he/she is aware of the minimum annual cost of living in Australia. The financial resources to satisfy the requirement of a student visa and dependent visa for Australia:
- Self– AUD 20,290
- Partner or spouse– AUD 7,100
Work while you study
Study in Australia highlights that international students can work part-time up to 20 hours per week, subject to the individual coping with academic workload. Part-time work may be found in
- Retail– supermarkets, department and clothing stores.
- Hospitality– cafes, bars, and restaurants.
- Tourism– hotels, and motels.
- Agricultural– farming, and fruit-picking.
- Sales and telemarketing.
- Administration or Clerical roles.
- Tutoring.
(ATMC CRICOS CODE: 03013D)