Australia is a huge country, the sixth-largest to be precise. The weather cycle is just the opposite of India’s.
Of the 30 best citiesin the world list, Australia features five of them. Acountry is a wonderful place for students as is it is a mix of affordability, job opportunity, the standard of living, and many more.
It is said that if you visit two beaches everyday, it will take you over 18 years to visit all the beaches in the country. Here isthe practical reason why you should strongly consider studying in Australia.
Australia, of all the English-speaking countries, is the third most popular place among international students. It is right behind the United Kingdom and the United States of America. This is, infact, the priority for the students seeking a friendly, diverse destination with a top-quality education.
Australian colleges and universities have something for everyone. The ranges of their courses are very wide. International students with niche interests will find reputed colleges teaching their course of choice. The students can not only grow in their respective fields in Australia, but they can also explore, which will help them expand their network and reach.
One of the most important aspects of studying in Australia is that there are ample allowed working hours. In a week, international students can work 20 hours. This is very generous as it helps the students to save money for college, they can travel, and they also get the experience of working in a different country at such an early age.
Australian culture is completely different from the American pop culture students are general accustomed to. At first, the students might find it a wee bit intimidating, but once they find their place in it, Australia unfolds differently for them. The experience is unique; it enables the students to get out of their comfort zone, embrace a different culture, and gain knowledge.
Getting a student visa for Australia is nothing like getting a student visa for the USA. It is very easy. If you go through the guidelines, you will be able to follow them without any difficulty whatsoever.
If you want to study in Australia, you need to have adequate funds. It could be personal funds, grants, or even scholarships. Regardless of how you arrange it, the funds are important. Also, medical checks and health insurance cannot be avoided. The student can’t just be good at English; theyhave to be proficient; it is one of the most important requirements.
For higher studies like undergrad or postgrad students, lots of options are available to choose from. Often, the agency looking after the student finds a college or a university they consider to be right for the students.
As we discussed above, Australia is the third most popular destination among international students. The country is right behind the United States and the United Kingdom. Out of 100 top universities in the world, seven are situated in Australia. The education system of the country is a rigorous one. With its unique structure backed with quality Australian training and framework set up by the government, the students will have a productive time.
The majority of the best colleges are located in metropolitan cities like Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne. As of 2019 (pre-pandemic data), over one lakh students were studying in Australia on various courses like health care, accounting, business, hotel management, IT, and many more. These are few universities that must be on almost every student’s dream list-
The University of New South Wales, The Australian National University, The University of Western Sydney, The University of Melbourne, and Monash University.
Australian people are known for their sense of humour. On the contrary to popular belief, the people in the country can be very helpful and also friendly. At the same time, it is the land of the most competitive people on earth. This is not limited to just sports but also academic and professional life.
The language is English, but it is certainly not similar to the one that we speak or write here. The Australian English will not be similar to US or UK, or any English you have heard before. It relies heavily on slags and usesthem very often.
The people over their love sports, this include both watching it and playing it. You will always find people playing in their backyard!
As of 2019, there were well over six lakhs Indian immigrants living in the country. After China, which represents the largest group of immigrants, India is on the second spot. One interesting fact to notice is that 30% of the immigrant population from India lives in Victoria.
Before anything, you first need to decide where you want to stay. Whether you want to stay in the university hostel or you want to take a private option. Even in the university hostel, you get the options to choose from catered or self-catering. If you already know where you want to live, it will be easier for you to calculate the clear living expense and manage your funds accordingly.
Regardless of where you live, we suggest that you should read about the basic contractual right that you will have in Australia. Also, read the agreement carefully before signing and ask for changes to be made if you find anything tentative in the document without any hesitation.
It is very important for international students, so make sure that you do not miss this at any cost, or else you will feel that you lack behind your peers. Because in these sessions the students are given knowledge about the university and its services.
Please make sure that you read the guidebook provided by the college – as it explains everything you possibly want to know in the first few days.
Australia is second to none when it comes to sports. Be it cricket or football, rugby or hockey or even tennis; they are a tough competitor in each sport. The big reason for that is that sports are very prevalent at all levels, in school as well as in college. Other than sports, you will encounter a range of other activities you can try your hands at, like surfing, music, science, drama and many more. There is no limit to what you can do outdoors in Australia.
It is very important to know the details about the deadline, application process, as well as intakes. It will help you plan your process better. You can focus on one thing at a time and create an impeccable application.
Use the below list as a checklist to check what all documents do you need to start the process –
You need to take care of the following documents –
College charge a basic application fee. The amount of this application varies from college to college. The more college you apply for, the more chance you have to make it into at least one of them. The students must make a priority list – which college they want to get in. You know what they say – prepare for the best and be ready for the worst.
Essay:The majority of the students find this part being the most dreaded stage of the application. And rightly so, the pressure of getting every word right to impress the admission officer is a little overwhelming. But all you need to do is be yourself in the essay because that is your best shot. Do not try being anything you are not.
Each university requires different kinds of essays. It is a crucial part of admission. Your essays will be judged based on skill, weakness, career aspiration, last but the most important one – your reason to pick that college over dozen other colleges.
SOP:Introducing yourself to the admission officer in an 800-1000 word letter could make you a little nervous. You might think it is too little to explain everything you want to tell, but no! It is enough to tell them what they want to hear. Make it clear, and do overdo it.
The SOP has to be written in the first form. It should be casual but not too relaxed. You must strike the right balance.
LOR:This letter is not written by the student; it is written either by the professor or the employer. This letter should have information about students’ personalities, capabilities, and qualities. The very purpose of this letter is to tell the officer that you have certain qualities, and the letter is proof from anauthentic source.
The majority of the Australian universities have two seasons in which they accept the student, i.e. February and July. Few universities accept September and November as well. So ideally, the student should start preparation six months before the deadline. While most of the universities have more than one deadline for each intake, the students must aim for one and all of their attention to it. The first three months should be dedicated to the English and aptitude test, and the last three months should be spent filling out the application and checking them thoroughly for any mistakes.
It is essential to ensure that the ‘complete application process’ along with appearing for interviews and visa application procedures should be complete by Nov-Dec for the February intake.
It is important to get done with the application by November if you are applying for the February intake.
Top 10 Scholarships in Australia
The purpose of this examination is to let the officials know that you have a stronghold on the language and you areat good reasoning. All the tests like Pearson Test of English (PTE), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) consist of different structures, formats, and result bands. These tests are different in not one, but many ways, and generally, colleges need you to attempt just one of them. It depends on the university you are applying for and the course you want to take.
Repetition of exams:PTE can be taken unlimited times. All you need to do is to wait for the previous test results. Same with IELTS and TOEFL, it does not have a cap on how many times you can attempt it.
Note – One rule that applies to each of the tests is that you will have to wait for the test to apply for a retest.
Fee:The standard fee for all these exams is between 13000-14000 INR.
Time to apply:The college and university have rules about which test they accept. At times, they also give you an option; in that case, the result of the test you want to submit depends on you. Preparing for these tests takes somewhere between two to four months.
Is IELTS enough to study in Australia? The answer is no, here is the list of exams required for different courses.
GMAT – Theis exam is taken by the MBA aspirant or the students who want to study management or business courses in Australia. This test evaluates English, reason skills, and also maths.
GRE – This test is taken by the students who want to pursue MS or MA. In recent times, business schools have started to accept the score of this test.
The university you will be applying to will mention which exam results will apply to the course of your choice. But if they give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you.
Repetition and Fee:GMAT does have any cap on the retests, but it cannot be more than five times a year. Thirty days gap must be taken before the retests. GMAT retest price in 1800 INR, GRE is INR 14,965.
Average Scores:The average GMAT accepted across universities is 520. The average GRE score is 145 for Verbal, 160 for Quantitative, and 4.0 for Writing…
Needless to say different depending on different universities, courses, and the city, the tuition fees vary. At the same time, the expenses in Australia for tuition fees could be up to 14.35 Lacs year annum for abachelor’s course. But if you are a PG student, course fees would be a tad bit expensive. The amount for the tuition could add up to 17.30 Lacs for a year.
The students must understand that the amount of fees you are paying does not translate into the quality of education you will be getting. Australia has amazing universities at lower rates as well.
Australian Department of Immigration requires you to meets a financial slab to get the visa. The amount is ten lakhs and 30 thousand for the first year.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory. The students will not be eligible to apply for the visa before they buy the recommended policy, which is decided by the host university. It covers doctor’s visits, treatment at the hospital, medicines as well as ambulance cover. The students must maintain OSHC throughout the tenure they live in the country.
These basic elements make up for the cost of living in Australia, check them out –
The miscellaneous expense which could alter the cost of living would be:
Based on the merit and different criteria – fees are waived for the international student. Students having good academic scores and exceptional extracurricular recordsare given preference for the waiver. To avail of this, you will need to send all the documents with a letter.
Depending on how good your academic scores – the fee is waived. The students how have managed consistent performance are picked over other students because they show promise. To avail of the scholarship, you must prepare these documents alongside a letter.
Australia: Mandatory documents for the scholarship
Eligibility criteria: This is the criteriato check whether or not you make the cut for getting the loan –
Loan amount:Assumingthe fee is 20 lakhs; the bank will allow only 80% of the amount. The remaining costis meant to be paid by the student. This 20% of the sum, in banking terms, is known as the margin amount. The widely accepted amount for a loan is 25 lakhs, but a lot depends on the reputation of the college. Banks charge 1% as the processing fees that will be paid by the student.
Documentation required:In order to get your loan clear, you need to showthe bank the letter of acceptance by the college administration. The letter must have all the details related to fees and financial breakdowns.
Different bankshave different sorts of formality.
Repayment: You can only begin the process of repayment after the course is completed.You can start to repay them after the course ends. Regardless of you have a job or not, the loan must be paid in five to seven years. Banks are allowed to make an exception in some cases – they are extending the time limit to 10 years.
Students attending college in-country will need to have a student visa. These documents will be mandatory –
Additional document – Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended
Pre-departure list
Make sure you have copies of the following documents –
You are likely to miss your home, like all students who come from a different country. It hits the hardest in the first couple of weeks. You need to be patient for two weeks or so. The feeling will sink in, you will soak the environment, and soon you will start enjoying the new place.
Do anything but do not lock yourself in the room; it will only make things worse. If the feeling does not go away in two weeks, you could ask for a counsellor for homesickness. The expert on this matter says that long phone calls make it harder for the students. They feel more homesick after the call ends than before starting it. Try and limit the call to once a week.
The first few days are the busiest for every international student. They get to learn about the campus, make friends, and attend classes. Take your time, is what we suggest, absorb everything going on around you. Make sure to time out of your busy schedule and learn about the university.
Going abroad to study is a dream of every Indian student. But only a few fortunate students who have the gift of intelligence and grit to work hard make it to foreign universities. Despite having both of these two qualities, some students fail to fulfil their dream. One of the biggest reasons is the complicated process of shortlisting the university, filling in the important details, submitting the right documents, doing the paperwork, writing essays and SOPs, and many other formalities.
That’s where OneWindows come in. We have seen thousands of students to their dream universities. You could be the next.
Take our free consultation to get started as your first step in your journey of thousand miles.