If you’ve looked up the world map, you’ll find Australia situated remotely between the Indian and Pacific Ocean. Yet, this country has captivated the hearts of many in and outside of Australia with its natural wonders and exotic lifestyle. Thousands of tourists visit the country each year to experience the culture, beaches, the weather, and a lot more. But, this is not where it ends because the living standards transcend beyond its stunning beaches and road trip destinations. It is the hub of some of the most popular courses in Australia. International students from across the world aim to study in Australia due to a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is completing higher education that improves their knowledge and career prospects globally.
In this blog, we’ll take you through some of the main reasons why international students aim to study in Australia, and also the popular courses that are trending.
Why do international students wish to study in Australia?
High-quality education is just one of the factors that greatly contribute to the decision of studying in Australia.
- There is an availability of a variety of scholarships that are offered to international students, to aid them financially.
- While studying, you can also work part-time, which helps you to gain work experience and enter the real-time job market.
- The process to acquire a student visa in Australia is fairly simple compared to the USA and the UK. Our education consultants in Australia can provide the right guidance and assistance while applying for a student visa.
- There are a wide range of study programs to choose from, which gives you the opportunity to select the course that aligns with your career interest. We’re sharing a list below of the popular courses in Australia.
The eight popular courses in Australia that attract students globally
To select a course, a student must first identify their career interest. It’s also essential to know the types of courses that one can take up. Keeping that in mind and the popular courses available, here’s a list that has been attracting students from across the globe to study in Australia.
Nursing
Nursing entails a demanding career that many international students opt for, giving you the opportunity to work rurally or with Aboriginal communities. If you are planning to pursue a career in nursing in Australia, we provide the necessary guidance you need to register and start your practice. You can learn more about your nursing career options on our website.
Social Work
To pursue a social worker career in Australia, you must complete a Bachelor of Social Work. This course involves both theory and clinical social work experiences. If you have had previous tertiary qualifications, you could apply for and complete a two-year Master of Social Work program.
Teacher
Many international students also prefer pursuing a teaching career. The benefits for teachers in Australia also vary from state to state and are dependent on the type of school you choose to teach as a profession. To qualify as a teacher, you must have a four year undergraduate degree like a BA, BSC, Bachelor of Education (BEd), or a 3-year Bachelor degree. This is followed by a one-year post graduate teaching certificate like PGCE, PGDE to teach in Australia, to teach in Australia and apply for a skilled Migration visa.
A popular course for educators is the Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education). This course qualifies you to teach children aged from birth to five years in prior-to-school settings such as childcare centres or preschools. It involves teaching future educators on creating a supportive environment for children that stimulates their curiosity and engagement in learning.
Computer Science and Information Technology
Computer Science and Information Technology are degree courses that many Australian universities offer. Students can develop special advanced skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and complex analytical skills. There is a great need for such skilled professionals in Australia.
Accountancy
Core accountancy and professional accountancy are becoming a popular choice among international students to secure reputed jobs like a Management or Tax Accountant.
Tourism and Hospitality Management
As mentioned earlier, Australia attracts thousands of tourists each year, which means that it has a large tourism industry. This industry offers several employment opportunities to qualified and skilled professionals.
Core Engineering
Core Engineering consists of the major primary branches of chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Students who choose to enter this discipline may get the chance to fulfil their dream of becoming an Engineer.
Psychology
Australia has a demand for educational psychologists, organizational psychologists, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists. This enhances job opportunities for students trained in this field.
Essential requirements for getting admission into an education institute
Different institutes in Australia have specific requirements to enable you to become eligible during admissions. We’ve provided a general list below that you can consider while applying at a particular university. It is important to ensure that you submit all necessary documents as per that institute’s requirements.
The application form may ask for the following requirements, depending from one university to another.
- Course preferences
- The applicant’s personal details
- Details of previous academic qualifications
- Employment experience (if applicable)
- Certified proof of the applicant’s level of English language proficiency
At Expert Education, our counselors are committed to providing assistance with the admission process. We also offer the following:
- Course & career counselling
- University application and enrolment
- Scholarship application assistance
- Visa Application assistance
- English Language Proficiency test preparations (IELTS, PTE)
- Health Insurance (OSHC, OVHC)
- Medical booking assistance for visa application
- Pre-departure briefings
- Accommodation search assistance
Steps to apply for an Australian student visa
Students who wish to study in Australia have to first apply for an Australian student visa. The Australia student visa subclass 500 allows a student to study in:
- Primary and Secondary schools
- Higher education
- Postgraduate research
- Vocational education and training
- Independent English-language intensive courses for overseas students
- International students sponsored by the foreign affairs and defence department
- Non-award courses in Australia
Here’s what you need to do to apply for an Australian student visa:
Step 1: Apply for your visa
If you are outside Australia, then apply for your visa at least six weeks before the commencement of your course.
On the other hand, if you are in Australia, then allow plenty of time to apply for your next visa. Avoid waiting until the last day your current substantive visa expires so that you don’t experience any unexpected complications.
Step 2: Keep your documents ready for submission
Your visa application will state the documents required, for which you may also have to provide evidence. You can use the Document Checklist Tool available in the Australia Home Affairs website for student visa subclass 500. You have to enter the details of your country of passport and education provider to get the accurate information of evidence required from the document checklist. If you have not yet chosen an education provider then you must select the option that says ‘I have not decided on a provider yet’ in the tool. The tool will then help you identify the type of evidence required.
After you have completed this process, you can re-check the document checklist to be sure that you have the most current version of the list. This tool is updated twice a year with new requirements or modification of information.
Step 3: Apply for your visa online
You may apply for the student visa online, whether in or outside Australia.
If you are in Australia:
- You must hold an eligible substantive visa
- You may alternatively apply for a Special Purpose visa, or a dependent Diplomatic (temporary) visa within 28 days of holding a Student visa
- Or, you may apply within 28 days of being notified by the Tribunal that your visa cancellation has been set aside. In this case, you cannot apply online, instead submit an ImmiAccount* technical support form.
*While applying online, you must create an account or log into ImmiAccount; attach the documents mentioned in the checklist, and then pay for the visa application charges. Make sure to pay also for any family members that may be joining you to Australia.
Step 4: Follow the steps after application submission and payment
After you have made your visa application and the payment, there are certain steps to follow. You can regularly check your visa approval status on the same site that you apply for the student visa. You may receive a letter from the home affairs department to submit your biometric information. You may also receive the same request in your ImmiAccount, and be given a period of 14 days to submit your biometric information.
Check your ImmiAccount if you need to send your health examination report. For this, you can check the medical referral letter with your Health Assessment Portal (HAP) ID and see further directions in ImmiAccount.
If you have not submitted all the documents during the visa application process, you must do so at the earliest in your ImmiAccount. You have a limit of attaching up to 60 documents in the ImmiAccount.
Your visa may be processed while you are outside Australia, so you do not have to seek permission to travel outside within that time period.
Make sure that you add all your information, and that required of your family who will be travelling with you.
Step5: Outcome of your visa application
You will receive the outcome of your visa application in writing, wherein, information about your visa grant number, expiry date, and visa conditions will be mentioned. If in the unfortunate event of a visa application rejection, you will be given the same in writing with the reason for rejection where you will have a right to review the decision. Your application charges will not be refunded.
Choosing the right course based on your career interest is a big deal, and therefore, it is important to understand the prospects that lie ahead of you. We hope our blog can help you make a more informed decision as you plan to study in Australia.