We are in the 21st century yet people believe that Down Under is a land of kangaroos, poisonous snakes, and giant spiders but that is not entirely true. Where else can you visit a new beach, every day for an entire year? Most of Australia’s exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere in the world. But that’s not all, Australia is the third choice of the international students in the world for their higher education, way ahead of many other developed nations in the world.
It is always challenging to select a University especially when you are coming from overseas and in a new land, embarking a new journey. Here, at Englishfirm we made it a little easier for students and gave a few perspectives while selecting a University in land down under. Australia is known for its high education standard and good infrastructure but there are few things to consider when planning to study in Australia. Also, it is very important to keep your end goal in mind while selecting courses and educational institutes as the courses that you want to study will also play a big role while selecting a university.
Top Australian University List
Australia mainland is the world’s largest island which is a continent in itself. Australia is divided into six different states and two territories. Australia is made up of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Australia also have some external territories under that includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (or Keeling) Islands, the Jervis Bay Territory, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory (covering 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent) as external territories.
Top Universities of Australia that are present in different states are commonly known as G8 (Group of eight) and come under top 100 World Ranking. These universities are as following:
- Australian National University– Ranked first in Australia and 29 in the world.
- University of Melbourne– Ranked 2 in Australia and 38 in the world.
- University of Sydney– Ranked 3 in Australia and 42 in the world.
- University of New South Wales– Ranked 4 in Australia and 43 in the world.
- University of Queensland– Ranked 5 in Australia and 47 in the world.
- Monash University– Ranked 6 in Australia and 58 in the world.
- University of Western Australia– Ranked 7 in Australia and 86 in the world.
- University of Adelaide– Ranked 8 in Australia and 106 in the world.
Top 6 Reasons why students prefer to study in Australia
| All English Testing System Accepted | Australian universities accept IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL. Unlike Canada where only IELTS is accepted in some universities while the U.S.A requires English test as well as GRE making it difficult to get in. For Language training please check , PTE classes |
| Career Opportunities |
Career options are plenty in Australia and it welcomes skilled workers with open arms. There are tons of easy ways to get Australian Permanent Residency in coming years. |
| Vast Career Options | That time of the year when you are unsure about the future or confused, to say the least! But don’t worry. All is not lost. Australian Universities have a plethora of programs ranging from, cookery to nursing, art to music, health service to IT computing, linguistic to management, engineering to business, economics to science for you to choose from. |
| Globally Recognized Degree |
Australia has top 8 universities among top 100 universities worldwide. Most of its universities have state of the art facilities. |
| Living Arrangements | For many of us, our major concern is expenses. Studying in Australia is affordable as Australia is one of the countries that allows students to work part time while studying. Also, Melbourne was declared as the most liveable city for the sixth time in a row with other Australian cities not far behind. And there is a bonus temporary residency you can apply for after your studies. |
| Climate Condition | Climate in Australia is overall pleasant throughout the year. In comparison to other countries like Canada which are snow covered for most of the year, Australia experiences pleasant weather conditions with numerous beaches and greenery all around. On top of that Australia’s food products are of top quality with best and organic ingredients. |
Spending money for higher studies in Australia – Good/Bad Investment ?
As Australia being such a large country mainly depends on immigration for work which entails that there are huge opportunities of work for people dedicated to finding work. Having said that, Australian education is also considered one of the most expensive ones in the world. Students need to show their complete fee plan while applying for a VISA and on top of that one needs $20,000 as living expenses in their bank account. That means although getting accepted by university does not guarantee Student Visa and one needs to be financially strong in order to fulfil Australian VISA requirements
| Work part time | One of the biggest advantages of studying in Australia is that the Australian government allows it’s students to work part time while studying. On an average, a student can work up to 20 hours a week. This will give them ~1600 AUD per month (Hourly ~20 AUD, highest working minimum wages in the world). If the students can share accomodation and food , which are the main expenses, they can roughly save ~500-1000 AUD. So even in the worst case scenario, they can earn a decent amount and does not need to depend on family for their living in Australia. So by the time you graduate, you could reduce your student loan by some percentage. |
| Opportunities after graduation | Some of the majors that are in huge demand in Australia and can easily secure good jobs are IT, Engineering, Health, Food industry and Trade sector. These are in critical shortage in Australia and can secure jobs with firms helping them to get their permanent residency without much hassle. |
| Permanent Residency Opportunities | As the world knows that Australia was on a strict lockdown throughout the covid period with its international border being closed completely in 2020 and 2021 which meant critical shortage of workers. This news is a boon for people applying for permanent residency and especially for aspirants who are already present in Australia. Recently the Australian government opened up many seats for aspirants and New South Wales increased the priority sector from 49 to 99. Many states like New South Wales have been inviting students to apply for regional VISA 491 in which people working in critical sectors have gotten invitations for as low as 70 points. Not only this but also people are getting invitations for 190 (State sponsored VISA) as well. This all shows that in the upcoming time Australia is going to have an upsurge in invitation due to shortage in inflow of immigration for the last two years |
Easy methods to get PR
The best way to get maximum points for your permanent residency is to go for PTE exams. It is the easiest way to secure 20 points in your application and which increases your chance many fold to get an invitation. English Firm can help you with guided and customised courses so that you can get your desired result in the first attempt itself. Also, one can prepare for NAATI CCL exam as it guarantees 5 extra points in your application and at present scenario it is boon for students. Earlier people living in Australia could have only applied for NAATi exam, however, as NAATO has been converted to online for people from any part of the world to apply. Hence, this is the right time if you dream of living in Australia to go for the NAATI exam, otherwise one needs to be physically present in Australia to apply for it. NAATi CCL exam can be done in different languages and Englishfirm help you with one-on-one coaching for that. One can refer previous English Firm articles on PTE and NAATi to clarify their doubts.
4 major things to consider while selecting Australian University
| Budget | Australian universities differ in prices according to their ranking and location. Universities in cities are usually costlier in comparison to universities in regional areas. Also, the cost changes based on university, college or TAFE institutes that provide diplomas. Another thing one needs to consider while selecting a university is Student VISA because the Australian government provides student VISA easily if one is applying for university in comparison to TAFE colleges. |
| Life at Uni |
Australian uni life is pretty much the same if you go for any university. You will be given numerous assignments and exams. There are various restaurants and bars inside the universities with festivals mostly taking place every now and then. Most Australian Universities have their own accommodation where you can meet people from different cultures and countries. However, uni accommodation is usually expensive in comparison to renting a place on your own. Also, classes are according to the one you select. You can always make your own time table, attendance is not compulsory unless it is a practical class. One of the best things about Australian Universities are the Uni holidays which you get between every semester and you have ample of time to enjoy life apart from studying for University only. It is the best mix of work and play.
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| Life in Australia | Australia has the most beautiful and pristine beaches at every corner. Nature is most calming and soothing. You can find numerous themed restaurants and there are always places to go during weekends. Melbourne and Sydney are constantly ranked as most liveable cities making life in Australia full of adventures and excitement. Different states in Australia are known for different things like Tasmania is known for its sunsets and Queensland for its pristine beaches. Bondi beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world located in Sydney. |
| Course |
Always select a course that you can justify in your Statement of Purpose while applying for Student VISA because if you are unable to do so the chances of the Australian government rejecting your application increases. Also, make sure your course is listed in CRICOS and is a part of the SOL list. Always attempt to apply for a 2 years course so that you can get another 2 years VISA after graduation. Doing your course in regional areas gives you an extra 5 points and an extra 1 year of VISA after graduation. So, never blindly opt for cities as doing the same course in a regional area might be better suited for you in future. |
3 mistakes to avoid while selecting Australian Universities
| Choose Courses not places | While selecting any university to study, avoid selecting the ones that you think have more fun places around because everything in Australia is quite far so one can reach different places throughout. Try to go to universities that offer the course that you are interested in |
| Avoid courses/skills that offers less PR opportunities | Top courses in Australia to get guaranteed permanent residency are your Civil Engineering, Healthcare and IT sectors. Also, always check if the course that you want to study is in the SOL list and always match the course code with CRICOS. If your course is not on CRICOS list you won’t be able to get guaranteed 2 years Graduate VISA after your study. |
| Avoid opting for courses that are < 2 years duration | It is important if you plan to apply for permanent residency, always opt for 2 years University courses as then only you will be able to get your graduate VISA, if you got for 1 or 1.5 years university courses then you won’t be able to stay back another 2 years in Australia on Graduate VISA. |
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