What You Know About the Education System in Australia?

Education System in Australia:- If you are planning to study abroad, then you might be on the hunt for the best study-abroad destination. There are plenty of choices to choose a country but you must choose what is the best for you. Many international students each year choose Australia as their study-abroad destination. 

Australia is ranked third in the world for the most chosen study-abroad destination. The high quality of education in Australia and the chances of settling after the completion of studies are the major reasons why students choose Australia. 

The Education system in Australia has been designed intricately to deliver the best education which can give you a high-paying job. However, to move to Australia, you must have a clear idea about their education system. Different types of degrees and certificates have been given assigned levels for clear differentiation. 

In this blog, we will clear all your doubts and concepts regarding the Education system in Australia.

Australian Qualification Framework (AQF)

The AQF is the reason why the Education system in Australia is so popular. The AQF assigns different certificates and degrees to a specific level. According to the AQF education system, various degrees are ranked below:

Diploma (Level 5)

If you complete a diploma in Australia then you will have a Level 5 education. A diploma is a degree in which students learn skills essential for professional work which can be directly used in employment. Mostly it takes 1 year to complete a Diploma.

Advanced Diploma (Level 6)

If you wish to gain specialized professional skills and some more knowledge in the field then you should opt for an Advanced Diploma. The duration of this type of diploma is mostly 1.5-2 years. 

Bachelor (Level 7)

A general bachelor’s degree takes 3-4 years to complete in Australia. A bachelor’s degree will give you a broad and detailed understanding of a particular subject. You can then pursue a master’s degree in the same field for more knowledge.

Bachelors Honors (Level 8)

A bachelor’s honours program is a high level of the general bachelor program. Mostly it takes an additional year after the general bachelor’s to complete honours. This is for students who want to pursue research or develop more understanding of their subject. 

Masters (Level 9)

A master’s degree is 1-2 years. It aims to provide a specific and deeper understanding of the subject of bachelor’s. Many universities offer teaching and research master’s programs. However, both are considered of the same level. 

Doctorate (Level 10)

The last level or the highest level of education that you can have in the Education system in Australia is a Ph.D. or a doctorate. This takes 3-5 years to complete and is based on research on a specific topic under a supervisor. 

Education System in Australia

In the above section, we gave a broad idea of how a degree is taken into account in Australia. Now let us understand this system in detail. The Education system in Australia is divided into 3 parts- Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary education.

Primary and secondary education come under School education. This means that a student who has completed his/her schooling will have a secondary level of education in Australia. The tertiary level of education system refers to the university level education after schooling. Vocational training and a diploma also come under tertiary education. 

Now, let us first understand the school education system in Australia in detail, after which we will move to Tertiary or University level education.

School Education in Australia

The schooling in Australia is further divided into 3 sub-levels. The primary, secondary, and senior secondary levels. 

• Primary School: This includes classes from Kindergarten to 6th standard. That makes the primary school 6-7 years. 
• Secondary school: This includes the classes from 7th to 10th std. This makes secondary schooling 4 years.
• Senior Secondary School: This is for 2 years in which students completed their 11th and 12th. 

Vocational Education and Training

This is the next level of the Australian education system. Although it is not a mandatory level, many students opt for Vocational training and education. Vocational training refers to education based on practical knowledge which helps you to develop professional skills. 

There is little to no theory involved in this type of program. All the focus is on practical education. If you are more interested in getting a job sooner then you should think about vocational education. Remember that vocational training gives a chance for early employment, but the job position may not be too high or it may not pay you as well as a graduate.

In several institutions, they involve job training in which they allow students to take a job as a trainee and learn practical work in the field which can develop their skills. After completion of a vocational course, you will receive a certificate. Based on the duration and the skills acquired during the program the certificate will be assigned a level. There are four levels for VET certificates. 

Generally Vocation Education and Training (VET) is not provided by top universities, rather there are specific institutes in Australia that just provide VET courses. These institutes can be Registered Training Organizations (RTO) which are private. There are also government-funded institutions known as Technical and further education institutions (TAFE). 

Technical and Further Education Institutes (TAFE)

TAFE is one of the best parts of the education system in Australia. TAFE are large institutions that host and provide training to a large number of students. Sometimes, the number of students in a university is lower than the number of students admitted into TAFE. These are run by the government which makes their fees low. A VET certificate from a TAFE also provides a much higher chance of employability. 

Other Places for VET

Along with institutes like TAFE which are designed for VET, private universities and schools also provide these kinds of certificates and training. In private universities, the number of courses is 2-3 and they are related to a specific field. A student can also pursue a VET course during his/her senior secondary year in School. 

Read More: Education System in Canada

Higher Education in Australia

We have so far discussed the primary and secondary education systems of Australia. Now we come to tertiary education which refers to university-level education. This is where most international students come into the role. 

All the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs include tertiary education. Tertiary education is provided by Higher education institutes (HEIs) or universities. 

There are 41 universities in Australia.

All of these universities are government funded. However, this does not mean they are free or have fewer tuition fees for international students. The benefit of all the universities being government funded is that after completing your degree you will be more employable as the quality of education is highly regulated by the government. 

The major focus of the university is to hone your theoretical, practical, and research skills. This is done through examinations and practical skills development. In some universities, you may get an option where you can choose a dual degree in which you can opt for a general bachelor’s along with the VET course for that specific program. You will have to choose a ‘Major’ subject in your course which will be your specialization.

Why is the Education System in Australia World Recognized?

After this detailed understanding of the Australian education system, a question may come to your mind: why is this system so recognized? Here are the reasons:

• Group of 8: Australia hosts 8 universities which are referred to as Group of 8 (Go8). This group includes the top 8 universities in Australia. These are grouped separately as they are the best in the nation. Seven of these 8 are among the top 100 universities in the world according to the QS University world rankings. Studying in one of these universities will earn you a degree that is world recognized and will give you the job you want. 
• Inclusive for International Students: Australia has always been the nation that welcomes international students wholeheartedly. Many international student groups can help you to find your way in the new country. You will also get multicultural exposure as there are students from all around the world in Australia. This inclusivity of the education system in Australia is another reason for its popularity.
• Easy Visa: Getting a student visa also sometimes hinders the education of many international students in a country. The Australian student visa of course requires you to fulfil its eligibility criteria, still getting an Australian student visa is easy as compared to the USA, Canada, or the UK. 
• Research Hub: Along with providing vocational training the government is also focused on providing students with various research facilities in the universities. Australia is home to many highly qualified researchers. If you wish to pursue a course that is research-based then Australia might be the best place for you. 

Conclusion

The education system in Australia is recognized and admired by the world. One of the main reasons is the AFQ which regulates the education system. The different levels assigned to the degree and certificate programs help the students to identify what is best for them. 

You can identify what kind of employment you are seeking and based on that you can decide easily whether you want to go for VET or a degree program. All the best for the future! For more future details visit our website Course Mentor.

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