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Education System Australia

Education Systems in Australia

Education Levels
Kindergarten or Pre-School
      In Australia, pre-school or kindergarten is not regulated and is not compulsory.  Students from an early age generally between 3 to 5 years would enter pre school education.  By attending pre-school at an early age will give students the opportunity to develop the body, mind, explores their talents and develop their academic and social relations with other children and adults.  These can be achieved through playtime and other activities involve while student attending pre-school.   Students will chance to learn and develop their potential skills in a steadily pace.

Primary School   
          Australia has a range of both pubic (government funded) and private (non-government) schools. There are boarding schools, Day schools, religious schools and schools for boys only, girls only or both together (co-education school).

Government Primary Schools are mostly under a type of co-education with no boarding, where students can stay with homestay or relatives. Whereas a private school may offer both co-education and non-coeducation, where boys and girls school are being separated. Apart from this, private school does offer choices of boarding and non-boarding that student can choose from depending on their conveniences and purpose. Usually local students will choose not board with school and can travel from home, however international students usually choose to board

Categories of school in Australia can be summarized as followed:

     Public secondary schools
     Private secondary schools
     Boarding schools
     Day schools (i.e. non-boarding; students stay with homestay or relatives)
     Boys schools
     Girls schools
     Co-ed schools

Secondary School
          There are 2 levels at the secondary education, secondary level (Year 7-10), which is compulsory up till Year 10, most students, will be 15 years of age, and students will study the main subjects, which are English literature, Math, Science and Health and Physical Education.

          Most schools have many selective courses for students to choose according to their expertise, like Computer, International Languages, Music, Art, History, Geography, Social Study, Business, where some of these subjects will become a compulsory subject for entering into high school or continuing into a carrier path. High school (Year 11-12), students who wish to continue to university will choose to study Year 11-12 to prepare for high school certificate exam. There will be a certificate for each individual state and, due to the fact that Australia does not have an entrance exam, university entry will depend upon the grades accumulated in the last two years, considering from UAI: University Assessment…which is a calculation system for all states.  

School Academic year
          The school year is divided into four terms: February, April, July and October. There are usually 2-3 weeks break between terms. Generally school hours vary only slightly but generally school day run from 9.00am to about 3.30 pm. 

Higher Education
    University
          Australian government has put a lot of emphasis on higher education when compared to the population of 19 million. There are at present 39 universities as a whole, there are 600,000 students studying full-time, part-time and distance learning combined, and 100,000 international students studying higher education. Most Australian university receives income support from the government, there are little private universities at present time; Bond University, University of Notre Dame and University of Sunshine Coast.

         At present universities had improved their educational potential and preparation course for students in bachelor and masters degree, by establishing colleges of the university and/or improvement collaboration with private sector for continuing their education effectively.

Institute of Technical and Further Education
          Technical institution and continuing education of the government or known as “TAFE”, is a course emphasizing on carrier training. An organization that is responsible for skill training in specific areas necessary like, industry, building, cars, and commerce, technician in all areas, and service, hotels, travels including art specializing in all carrier paths being able to enter the labor market. Studying TAFE focus on training rather then theories and there are close co-operations between TAFE institutions and the government. This is to train carries according to the needs for a modification in the labor market.

Private College
          Private college is a course for continuing studies and carrier, set up in all big cities, where the course is somewhat like the government’s TAFE, but will emphasize on business carrier and labor market demanding work like; Accounting, Marketing, Organizers, Computer, Information, Secretary, Travel, Hotels, Designers, Beauty, etc. Private college that accepts international students must be registered and under the standard and education control from the government and institutions involved.

          Moreover, several private colleges have a linked education course at bachelor level in state-funded university. This will enable students to have a choice in studying for a certificate in private college and wish to continue into bachelor degree.

English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students: ELICOS
          English language Institution or ELICOS (English Language Intensive Course for Overseas students) is registered throughout Australia and guarantee to provide quality standard of education. ELICOS provide for those who desire to improve their English language skills such as speaking; writing; and reading, in order to meet the English language proficiency requirements of their desired course of study.

          Currently there are more than 100 institutions located in Australia. Some of these institutions are privately run colleges; to large private and public own University and TAFE that offers English Courses.

          ELICOS Institution teaches English for all levels and able to match students purposes of study. Generally, Students can enroll throughout the year and these institutions are generally flexible in terms of commencement dates. Students are able to enroll into the course either full time or part-time. Full-time course duration generally ranges from 2 to 48 weeks. English language courses comprise at least 20 hours of study each week. And a part-time study duration comprises of 1 to 6 weeks.

English language is taught at different levels :

Beginner
                        Lower Intermediate
                                                Intermediate
                                                              Higher Intermediate
                                                                                     Advanced

Choice of English course Description ;
General English/English for works or Travels/and Conversational English.
English for Academic Purposes (provide for those who intended to undertake further studies in University and TAFE.
English for Business purposes.

Doctoral Degree
          The Doctoral Degree is the highest award offered by Australian universities.  Generally, this degree is a research base, but some programs may have a course work component. Course work base duration of studies period is normally 3 to 5 years.  For Students to be eligible to apply for Doctoral degrees students must have already hold Master degrees qualification and it must be relevant or equivalent to the field of study that intended to study at Doctoral level.   Admission to the Doctoral Degrees admission must be satisfied by the Research Degrees Committee and it will also depend on your Research topics (Research Proposal).

  Master Degree
          The Masters Degree involves enhancing specific professional or vocational skills. The Masters Degree is usually gained by research or coursework or a combination. Study involves acquiring in-depth understanding of a specific area of knowledge usually by independent research.   Master degrees Coursework usually will take 1 to 2 years to complete a degree   Students can attend classes and lecture, in which there is no thesis involved.  Students may also choose to do course work with a combination of a minor thesis.  If student wishes to undertake Master degrees on Research base, heavy research times are required and normally will take up to 2 years to complete a degree.  Generally University may require students to satisfy certain requirement before admitting to a Master degrees course, for example. Students must have already hold a Bachelor degrees with honors, plus outstanding academic results.     For those who have no Research experience, it is possible that University may require students to first undertake a Graduate Diploma or master Qualifying course.

 Graduate Diploma
          Some university may offer a Graduate Diploma and normally the duration of study is 0.5 to 1 year (Course work base).  Graduate Degrees helps to broadens individual skills that obtained in an undergraduate program.  Graduate Diploma is a recognized degree and considers being a first step or first year of Master degrees.  Generally, it will require students to undertake a Graduate Diploma first, and then student may wish to continue study to achieve a Master degree may do so after students have successfully completed their Graduate Diploma.

Graduate Certificate
          Graduate Certificate will normally take up to 6 months to complete a course.  A Graduate Certificate provide preparation, improves knowledge, career skills, and higher class education in many branches especially in MBA arranging Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master Degree as a follow on course.

          Nowadays, there are many institutions that provide opportunity for people who did not meet certain institution requirement to undertake a study at Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma level with some condition attached before continuing their study in Master Degree.  Students are able to take a break from study while undertaking one of this certificate and able to return to continuing their study at higher level if desire.

 
 Bachelor Degree
          Bachelor degree in Australia usually lasts 3 years, 4 years for engineering course, 3-5 years for Architect, 6 years for Doctor if, however a high distinction is to be awarded a 1 year extension is needed, which will be a course on dissertation or research.  At present there are many universities arranging a course on combined degree, enabling students to take a bachelor degrees at the same time, expanding the 3 years course to becoming a 4 years course.

 Diploma/AQF: Advanced Diploma
          Diploma takes 2-3 years, a course trained for career skills.  Applicants must at least finish high school or equivalent to Year 12 in Australia.

Associate Diploma/AQF: Diploma
          Associate diploma is aim towards skills improvement, spending time on technical areas or administration area in each field of work like; Electrical engineering, Architect, Business administration, Science, etc.  Duration of course period is 1-2 years; applicants must at least finish high school or equivalent to year 12 in Australia.

Advanced Certificate
         A coursework aiming on building a foundation skill and career knowledge on a necessary basis, applicants must at least finish Year 10 in Australia or equivalent.

Certificate
          A course on basic training on knowledge and skill to be capable of working in the field, certificate ranges from the level of I-IV from a period of 2-3 weeks to 1 year.  Applicants must at least finish Year 10 in Australia or equivalent.