ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDIZED TESTS
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate degree
For entry into undergraduate degree courses students should have completed 12 years of school and should have passed in all 5 subjects. Each institution you apply to would review your results in the light of the standards of Australian students.
Australian secondary school certificates are considered equivalent to GCE A-levels as well as the International Baccalaureate. Students from India usually need to complete an Australian foundation year. Some Australian universities offer this course of 1 year duration in the home country, e.g., in the Middle East some universities have started one year foundation courses so that before students go onto the degree course in the university they are familiarized to the higher education system in Australia. Similar linkages are being worked out also with India.
Pre-requisite subjects and entry requirements - Some courses define `pre-requisite subjects'. i.e., a student must have passed a subject as part of entry qualification. Pre-requisite subjects differ from course to course, e.g., a Bachelor of Commerce might require Mathematics, and a Bachelor of Engineering might require Advanced Mathematics as well as Calculus, Physics and Chemistry while a Bachelor of Arts degree might have no pre-requisites. A course, in art and design, expects students to submit portfolios of their work with their applications.
Those who have passed class XII in India or equivalent, and have the required subjects, have also to meet a minimum standard of entry set for international students for each course.
Entry requirements vary in the same university for different courses as well as for same courses in different institutions. Requirements may change from one year to the next particularly as the number of applicants and vacancies change. Some courses and some universities may be ranked higher according to demand on a yearly basis.
Some universities are more popular than others, especially older universities located in major cities. For example an average of over 90% is needed for entry into a business course at the University of Sydney, as compared to 65% for a similar course at a smaller university.
Universities publish their minimum standards of entry which gives an idea to the applicant as to the chances he or she has of getting in.
TAFE
The unique feature of TAFE is that it offers class X and XI students entry to its certificate and advanced certificate courses.
This information may be of particular interest to students who would like to acquire training for a specialized skilled job. The international exposure would be of great benefit particularly in the changing socio-economic scenario in the country.
Students who wish to upgrade their English can enroll for English language preparatory courses simultaneously. TAFE also offers bridge courses and foundation studies. Students passing class XII in the 1st division from CBSE or equivalent board are granted admission to advanced diploma (2/3 years) and diploma courses (2 years). Students passing class X in the 1st division can enroll in certificate II-III-IV level courses which are of 6 months to one year duration.
Entry to postgraduate programs
Postgraduate programs are also selective. International students with a bachelor’s degree from a good recognized university may apply. Proficiency in the English language is essential since universities expect higher standards for postgraduate programs. Entry to postgraduate programs can be quite complex. Universities prefer to admit students on individual merit.
MBA Courses - MBA programs generally prefer applicants with relevant work experience, but this varies from course to course or from university to university. MBA courses generally follow an interactive teaching approach, with emphasis on participation, teamwork and case studies as well as project work in the industry on real management and strategic issues.
IT Courses - Admission to a Bachelor of IT or Bachelor of Computing program requires knowledge of mathematics. Master of Information Technology (MIT) courses generally require a Bachelor Degree in a computing or a related course. Alternative pathways are available under the Australian Qualifications Framework. For example Diploma course in IT could lead to a Bachelor program. Many universities give a one-year credit for a two-year Diploma course, and students may get admission into the second year of the Bachelor course. Similarly, a student without Bachelor qualifications in IT could apply to do a Graduate Diploma in IT (usually a one-year course) which may to the second year of an MIT program.
In addition to the popular Bachelor of IT and Master of IT courses, there are several other computing related areas of study such as Information Systems, Business Systems, Digital Systems, Multimedia, Software Engineering, Network Computing or Information Management.
Doctoral studies
For doctoral studies (Ph.D.) selection committee reviews if work already done in the post-graduate course is comparable to that completed by a student of an Australian university who has obtained a Masters Degree and has adequate research preparation. Admission to a Ph.D. program is made by the relevant university
ADVANCED PLACEMENT:
Advanced placement implies joining a course with an advantage of time on the basis of academic work done in Australia or even outside. This is particularly used at postgraduate level, although undergraduates are also accepted on the basis of advanced standing since standards differ from country to country, students academic credentials have to be assessed on an individual basis. This assessment determines the credit that may be given to overseas qualifications, contributing or equating them to an Australian degree.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS AND TESTS
At all Australian universities English is the language of instruction. An applicant has to provide evidence of proficiency in the English language. Generally, universities have the following entry requirements for bachelor degrees from international students:
- An overall score of at least 6.0 in the international English language testing system (IELTS).
- A score of at least 550 in the test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) and a score of at least 4.5 in the test of written English (TWE)
`Conditional offer' is made if a student meets the academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements. English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) help students to meet the required standard.
IELTS
IELTS was introduced in Australia in 1989. It has become popular in Australia as it was specifically designed to measure English language ability of overseas students wishing to take further education in an English-speaking country. The test has four sections to get a profile of an individual's language ability. Each candidate has to take two general subjects, listening and speaking, and two specialized subjects, reading and writing. Since April 1995, students have a choice between two modules the academic module and the general training module. The academic module is designed for students intending to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. The general training module is for non-university courses, and is suitable for candidates seeking certification for employment. IELTS is scored on a scale from 1 to 9, with an overall score of 6.5 normally acceptable for university entrance. For TOEFL, institutions set the expected level at which they require a student to perform.
TEST CENTRES IN INDIA:
IELTS Administrator
British Deputy High Commission
British Council Division
Mittal Tower "C" Wing, 2nd Floor
Nariman Point Mumbai - 400 021
IELTS Administrator
British Deputy High Commission
British Council Division
5 Shakespeare Sarani
Calcutta - 700 071
IELTS Administrator
British High Commission
British Council Division
Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Connaught Place, New Delhi - 110 001
IELTS Administrator
British Deputy High Commission
British Council Division
737 Anna Salai
Chennai - 600 002
IELTS test centres of IDP are operative in Delhi, Chandigarh, Chennai and Bangalore.
English language training for the student with language deficiency - When an overseas student enters an Australian institution of higher education at undergraduate level, he may require some additional training in English; the enrolling institution indicates the amount of extra study needed for entry into a proposed course of study. All universities require a minimum standard of spoken and written English, and the standard varies depending on the university and the proposed course of study. Many universities have their own language centres to prepare students for higher study alternatively they make arrangements with a TAFE institution where English courses are offered. There are private English colleges throughout Australia, most of these colleges offer English for academic purposes. In Australia English Language Colleges conduct ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) which has a wide variety of courses in addition to preparing students for further study.
