Average fees in 2005 were as follows: $9,000 to $14,000 per year for foundation courses (e.g. bridging courses, preparatory courses and university entrance courses); $10,000 to $13,500 per year for undergraduate courses in arts, business, economics and law subjects; and $11,000 to $16,000 per year for laboratory-based courses, e.g. some engineering and science courses.
Various scholarships are available which cover tuition fees and living costs or only tuition fees. These are administered by the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB) and the Department of Education, Science and Training Affairs (DETYA). Information can be obtained from Australian embassies and high commissions overseas and from the website: www.studyinaustralia.gov.au .
Youth Allowance & Austudy Grants
Resident students enrolled on an approved course at an approved educational establishment may be eligible for one of two government grants a Youth Allowance or Austudy grant. A booklet explaining eligibility for Youth Allowance and Austudy grants is sent to all Australian applicants who are offered a place at university. Migrants aren’t eligible for Austudy grants for two years after their arrival in Australia. If you’re following a masters or doctorate course, you aren’t eligible for either grant.
Admissions
Generally, overseas students’ qualifications which would admit them to a university in their own country are taken into consideration. Whatever your qualifications, each application is considered on its merits. All foreign students require a thorough knowledge of English, which is usually examined unless a certificate is provided. Australian universities accept the international baccalaureate (IB) certificate as an entrance qualification, but an American high school diploma isn’t usually sufficient. Contact individual universities for detailed information or, for general information, the Department of Education, Science and Training, PO Box 9880, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Tel. 02-6240 8111, www.dest.gov.au ).
Applications
To apply for a place at university, you should begin by writing to the Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC) in the state of your choice. The common deadline for applications is the end of September. Each state TAC allows you to make one application, on which you list a number of preferences. Acceptance depends on your qualifications and how many places are available. You should make sure that you spread your preferences to include some courses on which you’re almost certain to gain acceptance. It’s possible to change preferences once you know your score, e.g. if you score considerably higher or lower than anticipated. Alternatively, you can re-sit your exams or take a year off and re-apply the following year.
Degrees
A diploma is awarded to students who successfully complete a course of at least two years, either full-time or the equivalent period part-time. The most common degrees awarded in Australia are a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc).
Second (postgraduate) degrees are usually a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MSc), which are awarded to Bachelors for a one-year course in a subject other than their undergraduate subjects. Students who do postgraduate work in the same subject(s) as their undergraduate work usually undertake a three-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) research programme.
Under the Australia Qualifications Framework, a national system for the recognition of qualifications established in 1995, students can move more easily between private colleges, TAFE colleges and universities, and have their studies and experience classified. In addition to the above, qualifications include diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate and graduate diploma.