International
students and the AQF
The AQF has
advantages for international students. It makes course searches much easier as
the qualification titles are the same throughout Australia. This means that you can
focus on finding the best course and university for your needs, without also
having to spend time looking into what each qualification title means. In
addition, international students who complete a qualification within the AQF
will easily be able to understand the entrance requirements for higher
qualifications; for example, from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
The AQF also
contributes to the worldwide recognition of Australian qualifications, as it is
easy for other countries to understand what level of education each Australian
qualification represents.
There are a limited
number of courses that are not part of the AQF but are also available to
international students. These courses, foundation and bridging courses for
example, are designed to help students meet course entry requirements or to
lead to further study resulting in an AQF qualification. See the foundation studies page for more information.
Comparisons
between overseas qualifications and AQF qualifications
To find out if your
home country qualification satisfies entrance requirements for an Australian
course you will need to ask your chosen education provider(s). There is more
information on international qualification recognition at http://aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/QualificationsRecognition .
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Quality
assurance
A number of
regulations and laws are in place to ensure the quality and consistency of Australia’s
international education sector. Australia
has a national quality assurance system that is strictly governed by both
government and industry.
The Education
Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 requires education providers
that offer courses to international students to meet nationally consistent
standards in education quality, facilities and services. The Act therefore
ensures that international students receive the same standard of education as
Australian students.
In addition,
education providers that wish to offer courses to international students must
be registered with the Australian Government under the Commonwealth Register of
Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). Registration with
CRICOS requires institutions to demonstrate that their qualifications meet
Australian standards.
Note: international students
should carefully check the CRICOS website, http://cricos.dest.gov.au , to make sure that courses they
are interested in enrolling in are registered.
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Further
information
Private colleges
that offer higher education must be registered with the AQF as eligible to
offer higher education qualifications. The AQF Register lists all courses and
providers that are currently registered at www.aqf.edu.au/register.htm
.
A listing of all
vocational education qualifications that are recognised by the AQF can be found
on the National Training Information Service website at www.ntis.gov.au
.
Further information
on AQF qualifications, the AQF Register and learning pathways, together with
direct links to other relevant websites, is available on the AQF website at www.aqf.edu.au
.
The information
in the above article is based on the AQF website.
tudent visas
Australia is a great country in which
to study and live. It provides high-quality courses, a fantastic lifestyle and
a welcoming environment for international students. Once you have been accepted
into your Australian course, the next step is to organise your student visa.
Applying for a
student visa
You do not need to
apply for your student visa until you are accepted by your Australian education
provider and have received formal proof of offer or enrolment. You can apply
once you receive either a letter of offer or a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
However, if you submit only a letter of offer your visa cannot be granted until
the CoE has been issued. You will need a student visa for the whole time that
you study in Australia.
You can apply for
your student visa in person at your local Australian embassy (see link below)
or by mail. If you are a citizen of India,
Indonesia, Thailand or The
People’s Republic of China you also have the option of applying online through
a migration agent.
Student visa
requirements
Before you apply
for an Australian course you should contact the Australian embassy in your
country to find out if you will be eligible for a student visa, how to make
your application, and what your document requirements will be. There is a list
of Australian
embassies on this website.
There are different
visa requirements depending on:
What type of
study you are enrolled in
Student visas are
divided into seven subclasses that depend on the type of study you have
enrolled in.
Your country of
origin
When applying for a
student visa, carefully check the country assessment level for your home
country. The visa assessment levels depend on where your passport was issued
and your visa subclass.
General and other
student visa requirements
Regardless of visa
subclass or assessment level, there are a number of general requirements that
international students must meet in order to be eligible for a student visa.
These include requirements relating to:
·
health
·
character
·
health
insurance
·
debts
to the Commonwealth
·
custody,
accommodation and general welfare arrangements for students under 18 years of
age.
Other student visa
requirements may include academic, age and career requirements, English
language and financial requirements.
Parents
of students living in Australia
If you are the
parent or legal guardian of a child under 18 who is moving to Australia to study, you can also apply for
permission to live in Australia
as a student guardian. Student guardians can live in Australia for the duration of their
child's course or until the child turns 18.
In order to be
eligible, parents or legal guardians must meet the requirements listed above,
relating to health, character and financial status. It is especially important
that a guardian shows that he or she is equipped to provide for the welfare of
the student.
The Department of
Immigration and Citizenship can provide more details about eligibility and the
application process for the student guardian visa. Visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
Help with your
visa requirements
The best way to
find out your specific visa requirements is to visit the Department of
Immigration and Citizenship website. You can also contact an education
agent or the international office at your intended Australian education
provider for advice and help with your visa application.
Fees and charges
A non-refundable
visa application charge of A$430 applies to most visa applications, with the
exception of secondary exchange students and students sponsored under
Commonwealth approved programs.
In addition, there
may be other expenses associated with your visa application, such as costs for
medical examinations, police checks, and the translation of documents into
English (if required).
Working
in Australia
Once
you have finished your studies
Migrating
to Australia
