If you have not been to Australia, or have not done your research – when you think of Australia, you will think of outback bushes, kangaroos, blue beaches, and more. Australia has so much to offer to the people that come to live and study here. For years, many international students have picked Australia as their top-choice to pursue higher studies and this is for a variety of reason as below;
Reasons for choosing Australia to pursue higher studies
- Emergent Destination – As Australia is the 2nd most popular destination for higher education, and YOY growth just fallen behind Canada only as per the ICEF monitor (https://monitor.icef.com/2018/08/up-and-down-the-table-growth-trends-across-major-international-study-destinations/). This brings families and other relatives as well thus increasing cultural diversity and developing higher education further.
- Global Recognition – Australian universities now have other locations in various countries such as Malaysia and Sri Lanka as well. Graduates of these universities are very reputable due to the highly regulated education system.
- Cost of Living – As opposed to other choices for higher studies such as the United States and the United Kingdom, Australia visibly has lower living expenses and tuition costs. The survey conducted by Student.com found out Sydney (Australia!) is the cheapest destination for international students in terms of living cost comparison to New York and London. To live in New York costs 402$, London 339$, and Sydney is 305$ per week statistics. The standard of living in Australia is known to be one of the highest in the world. This is mainly because international students have the chance to work whilst studying and also apply for scholarships which can offset costs.
- Technology – In the modern era, it is important to keep up with the times. Australia emphasizes the use of scientific research. They are at the frontline for the development of new technology, and new innovations. Students who pursue higher education in Australia can also easily access this technology.
- Work Opportunities – International students can work up to 20 hours a week whilst studying. Most other countries do not allow international students to work this long or at all, whilst studying thus making it difficult to offset expenses. These opportunities also open doors for work experience in their field of interest.
Quality of education in Australia
Some of the world’s top universities are located in Australia as per the Times Higher Education ranking (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-australia). They are spread out throughout the country and have six universities that are in the top 100 in the world. The quality of education is that high.
Highest ranking universities in Australia
University of Melbourne
The best university in Australia is the University of Melbourne (https://www.unimelb.edu.au/), which was founded in 1853. It is the second oldest university in Australia which holds over 50,000 students and over 300,000 alumni all over the world. There are some very reputable teachers and researches at the University of Melbourne inclusive of Peter Doherty, a Nobel Prize winner and Royal Society Fellows; David Solomon and David Boger.
Australian National University
Followed by that, is the Australian National University (https://www.anu.edu.au/). It was actually originally meant to be a postgraduate research university. In the faculty and alumni itself, there are six Nobel Prizewinners. The university is even run but a Nobel laureate! Apart from this, the Australian National University has several partnerships with other reputable educational institutes such as Yale University, University of Oxford, the National University of Singapore, and more.
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (https://www.sydney.edu.au/) is the oldest university in Australia. With over 45,000 students from over 134 countries – the university holds a very cultural and interesting environment. Sydney is also said to be a wonderful university city for students to experience their university and working years in.
Aside from this, the University of Queensland and UNSW Sydney are also amongst the top universities in Australia!
Post Study VISA options in Australia for international students
As mentioned above, international students can work for up to 20 hours a week whilst study in Australia. The opportunities are endless and it is great if you are looking to gain further experience in your field of study or interest.
485 Post-study VISA Australia
The Australian Government offers a Post-Study Workstream visa under the 485 sub-class for international students (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485/post-study-work) that have recently graduated and held a degree from an Australian university. The visa allows students to stay in Australia between two to four years to work, study, and live – this depends on the qualification. The cost of the post-study work stream visa is AUD 1,650 and takes around four to five months. However, we advise checking the new changes to international student VISA regularly. This visa is recommended to those who are looking to stay in Australia permanently or want to stay for long after their studies are complete.
International student privileges under the Post-study VISA scheme
Since this visa provides full working and studying rights, you can also travel back and forth from Australia in the validity period. Students with a PhD, the validity is four years. For students with a Masters by Research, it is three years. For students with Masters by Coursework or a Bachelor’s Degree, it is two years. It must be taken into account that you are only eligible for this visa if you have been granted your first student visa after 5 November 2011.
The study requirements are as follows;
- You have to had completed a course in Australia that took at least two academic years.
- Only studies at the Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate level count.
- The studies have to be registered under CRICOS, for at least 92 weeks.
- Any exemptions you may have from overseas studies, may not count in the 92 week requirement.
- You can count more than one course as long as it meets the requirements.
- Breaks in between studies are allows.
To gain this visa, you also need to have several English Language Requirements, you can showcase this in ways such as;
- Holding a passport from the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada or New Zealand.
- An overall average of 5 or 6 in an IELTS test.
- A B Pass in the Occupational English Test.
- An overall 50 average in the Pearson (PTE Academic).
- A total score of 64 in the TOEFL IBT test.
- An overall average of 169 in Cambridge Academic Examinations.
Immigration opportunities after study
Migrating to Australia is a very popular option for many people, from international students to families and always advisable to get professional advice from a registered migration agent for Australia. People from all over the world migrate to both study and work. If you are a student and considering converting student VISA to PR, Australia is one of the easiest places to get a student visa for. The visa is not discriminatory on gender, ethnicity, religion, race, or anything else. There are also several visa options available, you can find what works for you. There are several pathways that one can take – this will also be determined by your qualifications, English language ability, employment history, and more.
To summarize…
With this in mind, many people also look to get Permanent Residence in Australia. PR in Australia allows people to have similar rights as a citizen however if a citizen with PR travels outside of Australia, they need to have a permanent visa with travel authority. PR Citizens are not eligible to vote in the government elections either.
