The Education System in Australia
The education system in Australia has been ranked 3rd in the world for 2020, and continues to develop its educational standards to improve its quality of education with consideration for what students will gain.
Tertiary Education in Australia
Is an education system that students undertake in order to develop their knowledge and skills for their future career. The type of school can be categorized into 1 of 2 categories:
- Higher Education and Universities
- Vocational Education and Training / VET
With the quality of education and way of living in Australia, international students are looked after well with measures supported by Australian law. The law is composed of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS) and National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2017 (National Code).
For international students travelling to Australia to study, they will be enrolled in an internationally accredited quality education program, whereby organisations such as the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) supervise, control and inspect educational institutions to ensure its quality.
📙 Higher Education and Universities
There are 43 universities in Australia, with 40 of them being Australian universities, 2 of them international and 1 specialized private university.
There are 5 levels of study at higher education and university level: Associate Diploma, Bachelor’s Degree, Post Graduate Diplomas / Graduate Diplomas, Master’s Degree and (Doctoral Degree.
- Associate Diploma
Is a course designed to enhance the student’s knowledge over 2 years and can be used to apply for a bachelor’s degree upon graduation. This allows students to enroll directly into the 2nd or 3rd year of university, dependent on the requirements of each university.
- Bachelor’s Degree / Undergraduate
The bachelor’s degree can take 3-4 years or 5-6 years for medical programs to be completed, with courses varying from Accounting, Engineering, Business and IT. Students enrolled in an undergraduate course can legally work part-time whilst studying for up to 40 hours per fortnight, as stated on their visa, starting from the date it is issued by the embassy.
- (Post Graduate Diplomas / Graduate Diplomas
A post graduate diploma is suitable for those who have gained some work experience upon graduating from a bachelor’s degree and wish to expand their knowledge base and professional skills in specific fields further. It can also be used as part of an application to a master’s degree, so long as the grade requirements asked by the university are met. There are many subjects to choose from, for instance MBA, Management, Landscape Architecture, Applied Statistics and Psychology etc.
- Master’s Degree / Graduate
Studying a master’s degree in Australia will take 1-2 years to complete. There are 3 course formats that can occur: Coursework (seminars, examinations and a thesis), Thesis (no seminars as it focuses on research) and Coursework + Thesis. Whilst studying, students can also legally work part-time.
- PhD/Doctorate
In general, a PhD program takes at least 3 years to complete depending on the field of study and the students themselves. In Australia, PhD’s focus mainly on research and upon graduation the student can live and work in Australia for a further 4 years.
📙 Vocational Education and Training / VET
Vocational education focuses on practical training, with cooperation from the government and industries to promote the learning of specific trade skills, operated by a state run educational institution, known as Technical and Further Education (TAFE).
Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Queensland is an institution that is supported by the government, private colleges and other universities. Thus the institute is able to offer and teach a vocational curriculum that meets the needs of students at over 230 vocational institutions nationwide.
Students who have completed grade 5 in high school in Thailand and meet the requirements of the institution can choose to study a vocational education and training (VET) program, as well as go on to study in the 2nd year of a bachelor’s degree at an Australian university. Popular programs include Business, Tourism, Marketing, Computing and Hospitality etc.
This course can be divided into the following levels:
- Certificates I, II, III and IV: Learn all of the basic skills and gain specialized knowledge and experience within 6 months to 2 years.
- Diplomas: Gain expert knowledge and more specialized skills, as well as learn from work experience over 1-2 years of study.
- Advanced Diplomas: Develop expert knowledge and practice specific skills in a environment that allows for advance learning, over a 1.5-2 year period.
