Australian Education System

Pathway to University

High Schools

Australian schools are known to provide a high standard and quality of education. There are over 15,000 international students enrolled at Australian schools. Overseas students must have a satisfactory level of English language proficiency prior to entry.

Students can enter secondary schools from years 7 to 12. Students in year 7 to 10 (Junior Secondary) study a basic core of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, Human Society and Its Environment, Languages Other Than English (LOTEs), Technological and Applied Studies, Creative Arts and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education.

Most students considering tertiary education continue at school for the Senior Secondary Years: Years 11 and Year 12. Senior Secondary students begin to specialize in four or five subject areas. A satisfactory result in the Year 12 examination (TEE) will enable students to enroll in higher education study at Australian universities and vocational and training institutions. This Senior Secondary Certificate of Education is also recognised for entry into many international universities.

Schools in Australia consist of public and private schools where both types accept international students and receive government funding. Most schools are co-educational with the exception of some private secondary schools. In addition, private secondary schools often have religious affiliation.

There are schools and colleges that cater exclusively for international students. All schools accepting international students must be government-registered and have to meet special requirements under Australian Government legislation ensuring high educational standards, satisfactory premises and financial protection. These schools must also provide, or have access to, specialist English language support.

Australian school terms start from late January or early February and runs through to early December. There are four terms with each term lasting up to 12 weeks. School enrolments may be limited simply because the availability of spaces is at a premium. Therefore, students are encouraged to make your enrolment enquiries as early as possible.

Colleges

Colleges are private post-secondary institutions that offer awards courses such as diplomas and certificates in a wide range of fields of study such as computing, design, pilot training, business management, hospitality and tourism, marketing and secretarial studies. Some of the larger private providers also offer English language training and are approved ELICOS colleges.

The private colleges offer Private vocational institutions vary in size, ranging from a full-time student population of 50 up to 500 students. Classes tend to be small. The average teacher to student ratio is 1:20.

Admission requirements, courses and the duration of courses vary according to colleges. Business colleges have both certificate and diploma courses. Diploma courses are usually over 40 weeks and certificate courses range from 12 to 30 weeks. In addition, private colleges may offer bridging courses to some tertiary courses.

English Language Schools

Overseas students from over 50 countries come to Australia every year to pursue English language courses. Australia has long been recognised as an international provider of first-rate English language education.

The English language courses offered may take one of the many forms:

In short, students have the option to learn English in Australia as part of a formal course that prepares them for accredited levels English language recognised by education and immigration authorities or simply do a short course to improve their English language skills while visiting Australia as part of a holiday.

Some government and many private institutions throughout Australia offer full-time English language courses for overseas students. These are called ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) institutions. Most institutions provide modern language laboratories, libraries and qualified instructors.

English language courses have flexible commencement dates and are usually offered throughout the year. Full-time course duration may run from 4 to 48 weeks, with at least 25 hours of study each week. An average of 20 hours is spent in the classroom and the rest is supervised self-access study.

Homestay is a popular option for accommodation in Australia, especially for students undertaking English language training. Living with the host family provides a chance to engage in real life and practical situation in an English-speaking environment.

TAFE

The Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system is a government owned and nationally operated system of colleges. It has more than 200 colleges located across the country. With more than 100 years of experience in providing quality programs, TAFE qualifications are internationally recognized.

TAFE provides practical courses which are more job-focused than higher education courses. They teach practical skills needed for specific jobs in industry with less theoretical content compared to university courses. Business and industry are directly involved in the design of courses so that TAFE provides the skills and knowledge employers want. Many TAFE courses lead on to university courses, some with credit transfer and advanced standing for one and sometimes two years.

Courses available include vocational and further education studies in:

TAFE also provides a range of courses in English for Speakers of Other Languages.
The public vocational education and training, or TAFE Institutes, year runs from February to December. TAFE courses vary from short half-day courses to full-time courses lasting three years. Most courses begin at the start of the academic year. However, there are some courses that have a mid-year intake.

Universities

There are 39 universities in Australia, all listed on the registers of Australian Qualifications Framework. These large institutions offer a broad range of courses including agriculture, architecture, arts, business, computer science / technology, dentistry, economics, education, engineering, health sciences, law, medicine, music, nursing, science and veterinary science. Most institutions accept degrees from others for credits towards another degree or as a prerequisite for a higher degree.

More than 84,000 international students from over 80 countries are studying at Australian universities.
Australian University courses run from early March to late November, usually divided into two semesters. Some institutions offer a trimester system and/or run summer schools from December to February while others have July intakes. Most undergraduate courses involve 3 years of studies with exception for Engineering, Architecture and Medicine courses. Engineering in Australia is 4 years, whilst Architecture is at least 5 years with Medicine being either 5 or 6 depending on the university.

Postgraduate studies included award courses leading to Graduate certificates, Graduate Diplomas, Masters degrees and Doctoral degrees. Postgraduate students may commence their studies during the February or July intake. Masters by coursework takes 12 to 18 months to complete, while research masters degrees takes about 2 years of full-time study. PhD students may be able to negotiate an alternative starting date with their study supervisors and normally takes three years to complete.

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