Study in Australia

Australia

Ranked among the favourite study-abroad destinations, Australia is among the top five countries where international students seek to get admission. In the year 2022, Australia recorded a footfall of 5,27,529 international students and out of these, around 1,00,009 were Indian students. It is predicted that in 2023 and the upcoming two years, Australia would witness a 5% increase in its international student population.
More and more international students are studying in Australia because the high number of job openings in sectors of Business, Healthcare, Engineering, Medicine, etc. plus Australia offers good remuneration as well to its workforce. The labour laws in Australia are stringent hence, the place is viable for Indian students to work there after studying.

Education System

Why Study in Australia?
There are numerous other reasons why international students should study in Australia. One of the major attractive factors is Australia’s cost-effective education since over 100,000+ scholarships are available to support education. Other than this there are the following other reasons:
• The qualifications offered in Australia are globally recognised and accepted.
• Most of the courses offered in Australia encourage students to gain experience while studying, hence, giving students professional experience.
• All 38 Australian universities offer internship and full-time job opportunities through their designated job portals.
• In Australia, an international student is allowed to work for more than 40 hours a fortnight part-time and during holidays, full-time work is also allowed.
• Over 64,000+ jobs are added to attract new workforce every six to seven months in Australia. Thus, there is ample job opportunity for international students.
Education System in Australia
The education system in Australia is typically divided into three parts – primary, secondary and tertiary education. Higher education comes under tertiary education like VET courses, English courses, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses. In fact, foundations or commonly known as pathway programs are also a part of tertiary education in Australia. Education in Australia is regulated by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) for all major levels of study starting from Level 1 to Level 10 in tertiary education.

Popular Courses

Top Courses in Australia
Australian universities are ranked for various courses across 51 disciplines of Engineering, Business, Arts & Humanities, Medicine and Sciences. The top-ranking courses in Australia for international students are:
• Nursing
• Computer Science
• Business Analytics
• Cybersecurity
• MBA
• Automotive Engineering
• Architecture
• Aerospace Engineering
• Accountancy
• Social Work
• Law
• Psychology

Student Visa Process

Australia Student Visa
International students who qualify for admission at Australian universities and receive their CoE or confirmation of enrolment have to apply for a student visa. Applications for student visas for studying in Australia are accepted online. International students are required to apply for a subclass 500 visa in Australia if applying for an undergraduate course and a subclass 485 visa if pursuing a graduate course in Australia.
Subclass 500 Visa:
The cost of a subclass 500 visa in Australia is AUD 650 (INR 36,030 approx.). With this visa, students can stay for up to five years in Australia depending upon their course enrolment.
Subclass 485 Visa:
The cost of a subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa in Australia is AUD 680 (INR 36,680 approx.). Applicants with this visa can stay between two to four years.
In both cases, applicants are eligible to request a visa extension in Australia if the need may arise.
Student Visa Requirements for Australia
In order to apply for a student visa in Australia, international students should have a couple of documents ready for submission. There are certain documents required for a student visa application in Australia:
• Offer Letter
• Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
• Proof of English Proficiency
• Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
• Proof of Sufficient Funds
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
• Health Requirement
• Character Certificate

Earning and Spending

Part-Time Work Options for International Students in Australia
International students studying in Australia are permitted to work part-time for 20 hours a week or 40 hours a fortnight. The 40-hour rule was brought in to bridge the unemployment gap in Australia after the pandemic restrictions were lifted and borders were opened. The average hourly pay for part-timers in Australia is between AUD 25 to AUD 33 an hour. Some of the popular part-time jobs in Australia are:
• Tuition teachers
• Retail salespersons
• Administrative or hospitality staff in hotels or restaurants
• Clerical jobs
Post-Study Work Permit in Australia
International students who graduate from Australian universities can apply for the Temporary Graduate 485 (subclass) visa. This visa lets students live and work in Australia temporarily, the duration of stay varies between two to our years. There are certain rules or eligibility criteria that apply for getting this PSW visa in Australia, they are as follows:
• Students must be below the age of 50.
• Applicants should have applied for and been granted their first student visa on or after 5 November 2011.
• Should also have held the student visa in the past six months of applying for the visa.
The Temporary Graduate 485 (subclass) visa in Australia costs AUD 1,730 and the students are allowed to bring along their family members as well, a separate application for which would be required.
Job Prospects in Australia
After graduation students who pursued an undergrad course from an Australian university and wish to work will have to first apply for a Temporary Graduate 485 (subclass) visa. This visa would in turn permit international or Indian students in Australia to look for a job or pursue a post-graduate stay in Australia. There are a couple of jobs in demand in Australia, they are:
• Teachers – early and secondary education
• Architects and designers
• Civil engineers or construction experts
• Miners
• Healthcare professionals
• Financial experts
• Nurses
Cost of Studying in Australia
Studying costs in Australia usually vary with the kind of courses an international student pursues. The cost of studying in Australia varies between AUD 300 a week to AUD 50,000 annually. Following is an approximate cost of studying based on the level of courses pursued in Australia for prospective international and Indian students:
Level of Education in Australia Costs for Indian Students
Undergraduate Bachelor Degree INR 11.07 Lakhs – 24.90 Lakhs
Postgraduate Master’s Degree INR 12.18 Lakhs – 27.68 Lakhs
Doctoral Degree INR 9.96 Lakhs – 23.25 Lakhs
Vocational Education and Training (VET)* INR 2.21 Lakhs – 12.18 Lakhs
English language courses** INR 16,650 (per week)
• *VET courses are offered across TAFE institutes in Australia. These institutes are different from Australian universities.
• **English courses in Australia are referred to as ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students).
• Thus, students must not confuse the cost of studying with the cost of living in Australia. Some universities may or may not include the living costs in studying costs in Australia.