Studying abroad has become a common phenomenon among college or A-level students. It is undoubtedly a significant aspect to consider as hundreds of universities all across the globe offer many enticing and lucrative study programs as well as scholarships. Australia is a great option among the many countries and regions that students think about when considering where to study abroad.
Australia is renowned for its top-notch universities and cutting-edge research, as well as its reasonable tuition rates. Many universities in Australia are turning up in World University Ranking, making it a great choice for studying abroad. Choosing the appropriate courses and study tracks to study in Australia can be extremely challenging due to the numerous factors involved. Additionally, it becomes more overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with the Australian educational system. It is also significant to consider the availability of career opportunities upon completion of your degree while selecting courses.
Australia offers more than 22,000 courses to domestic and international students for undergraduate and graduate studies. Among all these potentially lucrative options, making a decision about your choice is a very daunting task. So, how do you decide which course is the right one for you? Let us guide you! In this article, we have discussed the factors to consider and general tips on how you can smoothly decide on the right study track for you in Australia.
Identify Your Objectives of Study
The first and foremost step of selecting your degree is to define your motivation clearly. Figure out why you are considering studying in Australia and what your goals are.
For instance, your goal can be improving your skills so that you can develop expertise in your field of work or studies. Then you have to find courses that suit your motivation and will help you to sharpen your existing skill set. Moreover, you have to select a course related to your field of study or profession if you desire to advance your knowledge in that area.
Again, if you are an undergraduate-level student and are still confused about what your study purpose should be, focus on the fields you have found interesting and engaging till now. After deciding on your field of interest, choosing a degree in that particular field will be less difficult.
Another goal can be the decision of living and settling in Australia's multicultural society. Then you should look for the skilled occupation lists and determine your study program according to the occupation that suits your criteria best. In this way, you can progress professionally in the field of choice, and settling in Australia will be easier.
In brief, no matter what your objective is, you need to clearly define them before taking another step. A clear objective will help you find the right course for your study and will help you fix your career path after the completion of your degree. It will also help you overcome the challenges to study in Australia as an international student.
So, this inquiry can come to your mind: how do you identify what your objective should be? The easier way to determine your goal will be to fix an outcome that you desire. Determining an end goal will smoothen your academic journey. You can sort a few things in this regard:
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Figure out where you want to see yourself after you finish your degree, and what type of occupation instills your interest.
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Find out what you want to achieve in the long run.
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Define your short-term goals.
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Create a rough plan for the next 4 to 10 years of your career.
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Think about at least one backup plan for your career.
Always keep in mind that these goals and plans might change in the future due to many unexpected factors, but you should always be prepared with a clear objective in mind. Take suggestions from seniors, colleagues, and reliable agencies that provide educational counseling and admission consultancy for different perspectives that might help you determine your goals for studying in Australia.
Learn About The Industry and Job Fields
Naturally, everyone expects to build a career in the field of their degree. But the journey might not be easier for everyone. This depends on the job field and industry of the related subject. An overview of the industry and the availability of job opportunities can help you greatly in selecting your course for studying in Australia.
After determining your goals and motivation for studies, conduct thorough research on the industries and job availability of your area of interest and the jobs that are popular among international students. Industries that provide good career prospects will help you greatly to build a strong career path. Therefore, selecting an industry-specific field of academics will aid you to reach your desired career destination and your research on the industry will help you for this purpose. While selecting your course for studying in Australia, you should focus on choosing highly demanding subjects and desirable trade occupations related to the subjects as this gives you safe options for your career.
A question that comes easily to mind in this step is: what if your area of interest does not have enough job opportunities to offer? Well, studying such a field of academics can be considered a gamble; the outcome can be outstanding or the result can be downright disappointing. Industry-specific courses are safe for your career, but if your field of choice does not have a safe amount of job opportunities, it will take strong determination to endure all the ups and downs that might come with it. If you are passionate about your chosen field of study, there are many ways to build strong careers in any field such as entrepreneurship, freelancing, etc. Only perseverance and strong determination will help you throughout the entire process of building your career in less demanding industries, so you have to determine how passionate you are about such a field.
Determine Your Field of Study
So, you have set your goals and conducted research on industries, and now you can finally make a decision about which field of study aligns with your interest. No matter if you are an undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate student, fixing your field of interest is the prior step of selecting a suitable course. Usually, choosing a field that aligns with the studies you have done up to now is the safest decision. But you might not want to continue your studies in the same field or that field might not interest you any longer. So, determining your field of interest for studying in Australia is the first step in choosing a suitable course.
Research Course Contents and Rankings
After you have determined your field of interest, the next step is to make a list of suitable courses. How can you make the list? Well, start by looking at the course rankings.
While selecting a suitable course, it is important to not only look at university rankings but also to look at the specific course rankings as well. It is a common occurrence that a university can be listed as a low-ranked university but specific courses offered by that university might be considered high-ranking in that particular field of study. Search for courses offered in your field of interest in the universities of Australia and form a list according to their rankings. This is applicable to bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and to doctorate as well. Then, go through these few things on the website of the university:
Organize all this information in such a way that you can compare the programs easily. You can organize this information in an Excel or Google sheet for a better overview. This practice will help you to compare all the courses at once and select suitable courses for applying in Australia.
Take Your Budget Into Account
Studying in Australia might not be a piece of cake for all classes of people. It can be quite expensive, especially for students from developing or underdeveloped countries. So, before making any final decision, you must make sure that you have thoroughly assessed your finances. You must ensure you have enough budget for these sectors:
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Tuition fees:
Research and create a list of educational expenses for your suitable courses and the average tuition fees for most universities. Tuition fees might include any additional fees related to application procedures. Make sure you have done the right research on these fees and included them in your budget.
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Living Costs:
Living expenses include accommodation, food, transportation, utilities, and other daily expenses. The average living cost in Australia can be $19,000-$22,000 per year.
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Visa Cost:
You will need to pay a required visa application fee additionally as an international applicant. Moreover, additional charges might be applicable for collecting all the documents mentioned in your visa requirements. You can opt for consulting with reliable agencies for student visa consultancy services that might smoothen all the procedures.
Do not be intimidated already after seeing these criteria. There are several ways to finance if your budget does not cover everything. Australia offers funding and scholarships to international students, and you can search for such specific programs to apply. Student loans or part-time or casual jobs while studying are also a few of these options to finance your cost of education in Australia. Moreover, you can manage your expenses by wisely choosing the accommodation plans available for international students.
Choose A Generalist Degree
You can consider doing a generalist degree if you are not sure about your specific field of study. A generalist degree allows you to study a wide range of fields as it is not focused on a single subject or area. Under the umbrella of a generalist degree, you will be able to undertake several courses from related fields of study until you finally figure out which one is the most suitable for you. Also, doing vocational courses can also help you in this regard. There are lots of education programs available for choosing a generalist degree in Australia. If you are unsure about your choice of the study area in Australia, pick a generalist degree in the first year and pursue it until you understand your field of interest. Then you can completely focus on a particular field from the second year onwards.
Pursue A Double Degree
Many universities in Australia offer dual degrees to international students. You can consider undertaking a double major which means you will get two degrees instead of one simultaneously. This will both save you time and cost and will help to determine which field of study you really want to build your career on. You can combine undergraduate and postgraduate or graduate courses for your dual degree.
English Language Proficiency
If your mother tongue is English, this step might not affect you in any way. But students from non-English-speaking countries are required to take an English language proficiency test as most of the universities of Australia use English as the common language for teaching and communicating. Most universities in Australia require an IELTS or TOEFL/PTE/NAATI test to ensure your proficiency in English.
You have to take one of these tests to prove your proficiency in English i.e. you can read, write, listen and speak English. For this purpose, you can attend specialized English preparation courses for understanding the preparation strategies easily.
Apply For Your Chosen Course
This is the final step of the application process. Now that you have chosen the right universities and the right courses, it's time to apply for the courses. The application process is different for each university and you have to make sure to tick all the boxes of requirements while applying to a particular university in Australia. The basic steps for applying include:
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Check the entry requirements for applying on the university website. Usually, entry requirements include English proficiency test results, transcripts, etc.
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The second step is to submit your application through their website or through a paper application.
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There is usually an application fee required for applying and after completing the previous steps, you have to pay the application fee. Some universities provide free application opportunities and this step is not required for those universities.
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Your application process is almost complete and now you have to wait for your offer letter. Some universities will call for interviews after they send you the acceptance letter.
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After you have received your offer letter, you have to pay the tuition fee transit to accept and avail of the offer.
At A Glance
Studying abroad for undergraduate or, higher education has gained popularity due to the facilities and career opportunities offered by hundreds of universities worldwide. Australia is among that desired locations for international students to study in their field of choice. To determine the suitable courses to study in Australia, many factors are needed to be considered. Firstly, you have to define your objectives for the study and then figure out which industries offer you great career prospects. Then, you have to fix which field you want to choose for your education. After determining the field of interest, conduct thorough research on top universities and top courses according to their rankings and other criteria. Finally, determine what type of course and degree you want to pursue and what your budget allows, and then complete the application process as per requirements.
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F.A.Q.
Does apply for a degree in Australia require any English language proficiency test?
Answer: Yes. As English is the main tongue of communication in most universities in Australia, international students are required to take IELTS/TOEFL test to prove their English proficiency.
Can you bear living expenses in Australia by doing part-time jobs besides your studies?
Answer: Yes, Australia offers a wide range of part-time jobs for students and many self-funded international students bear their living and other expenses by doing part-time jobs.
What are the options available if I am unable to bear my educational expenses in Australia?
Answer: Other than self-funding, many students opt for student loans, part-time jobs, and most scholarship programs for funding their educational expenses in Australia.
How to figure out what field of study is suitable for me?
Answer: You can consult reliable agencies, your mentors, seniors, colleagues, and your family or friends to discuss and figure out what you are really interested in. But if you cannot decide, take a generalist or dual degree to determine which field of study instills interest in you.
