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Australia is a popular destination with students wishing to complete their higher education (university) overseas. More and more students each year choose Australia as their destination for university study, and Australia is fast becoming more popular than other destinations, such as the UK or US. This is not surprising when you consider Australia’s reputation for innovative, high-quality and internationally recognised courses, and the fact that many courses are comparatively cheaper than in other countries.

Qualifications and entrance requirements

Australia has a national set of qualifications that are endorsed by the Australian Government. This means that there is national and international recognition of each qualification and the level of education it represents.

Entry into most higher education (university) courses in Australia is highly competitive and a high standard of English language is required for both undergraduate and postgraduate study. Each education provider will have different entrance requirements so it’s important to contact individual providers to check.

The main types of qualifications offered by most higher education institutions include:

Undergraduate

Bachelor degree: provides initial preparation for professional careers and postgraduate study, and involves a minimum of six semester's full-time study. Entrance typically requires completion of an Australian secondary school certificate of education (Year 12) or the overseas equivalent, or a diploma or advanced diploma from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

Bachelor degree (honours): may require an optional, additional year of study following the degree, or it may be awarded for academic achievement in degrees of four or more years.

Postgraduate

Graduate certificate/diploma’s are designed for specific vocational purposes: either the broadening of skills and knowledge already gained in an undergraduate program, or the development of vocational skills and knowledge in a new professional area. The typical requirement is six months of full-time study for the graduate certificate and twelve months of full-time study for the graduate diploma. Entrance usually requires a bachelor degree or advanced diploma.

Masters degree: provides a mastery or high-order overview of a relevant field of study or area of professional practice. Typically they involve two years of study after a bachelor degree, or one year of study after a bachelor degree (honours). The masters degree may be offered in three formats:

• Coursework masters: consists of coursework, project work and research in varying combinations. Entry typically requires prior completion of a bachelor degree, a bachelor degree (honours) or a graduate diploma.
• Research masters: consists of at least two-thirds research with a substantial thesis, which is often externally assessed. Entry normally requires a bachelor degree (honours) or masters preliminary year, a research-based graduate diploma or equivalent research experience.
• Professional masters: may consist of a work-based project. Entry requires a relevant qualification and professional experience, or extensive relevant professional experience.

Doctoral degree: recognises a considerable original contribution to a given field in the form of new knowledge or the adaptation, application and interpretation of existing knowledge. The doctoral degree may be offered in two formats:

• Research doctorate: consists mainly of supervised research. Entry requires a research or part-research masters degree or a bachelor degree (honours).
• Professional doctorate: consists of varying combinations of coursework and research. Entry typically requires a combined research and coursework masters degree or a bachelor degree (honours). In addition, considerable professional practice experience is required either before or during the course.

Find out more about these qualifications by making an enquiry to a university. Universities can inform you of specific entry requirements and application information. View a list of Australian universities and follow their links to request more information.