• RMIT University
• Latrobe University
• Swinburne University of technology
• Deakin University
• ACU National-Melbourne campus
• Victoria University
• AMI University of Ballarat
• Box Hill TAFE
• Cambridge international College
• MIBT-Deakin University
• ATMC university of Ballarat
• Macquarie University
• University of western Sydney
• ACU-National-Sydney Campus
• IIBIT University Ballarat
• UTS Insearch
• Curtin University – Sydney Campus
• La Trobe (ACN)
• University of southern Queensland
• Southern Cross University
• TAFE NSW
• SIBT Macquarie University
• ISBT University of New England
• Charles Sturt University
• Study Group
• Victoria Sydney
• University of Adelaide
• Flinders University
• University Of South Australia
• Le Cordon Bleu
• TAFE SA
• Eynesbury College – Flinders University
• Curtin University of Technology
• Edith Cowan University
• Griffith University
• ACU National – Brisbane Campus
• James Cook University(JCU)
• Southern Cross University
• South Bank Institute oF Technology
• Gold Coast Institute OF Tafe (GCIT)
• QIBT-Griffith University
• Sarina Russo Schools Australia
• University Of Tasmania

The higher education system of Australia has both government and private institutions in it. If a university or college is seen as part of the higher education system (also known as tertiary education), then it was either established by or is recognized by the Australian government as a tertiary institution. Higher education programs include all of the schools that cover Levels I through 10 according to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Vocational and Technical Schools

There are hundreds of other schools out there that provide technical and further education (TAFE) and vocational education and training (VET). These schools offer short courses, certificates I through IV, diplomas, and advanced diplomas. They focus on training their students in a particular vocation or just to help their students get out into the work place. These include, but are not limited to:

• Commercial training providers, usually run by a company or of their own accord.
• The training department of manufacturing or service enterprises, which provide services to the employees that they already have or employees that have just been hired.
• The training function of employer or employee organizations in a particular industry, which provide services to the employees that they already have or employees that have just been hired.
• Group Training Companies.
• Community learning centers and neighborhood houses.
• Secondary colleges providing VET programs.

There are also a number of smaller schools that you can find, which are not accredited, that will give you the same quality of vocational and/or technical education for a lower price; you just have to do your research to see if you can find one that suits your needs.

Universities and Higher Education

As of 2009, the Australia higher education system had 41 universities. 37 of the universities are public, 2 are private, and 2 of them are Australian branches of universities that are located overseas. There are also 3 self-accrediting higher education institutions. There are also dozens of smaller schools that do not grant any degrees or have accreditation – these are private schools that focus on theology, business, information technology, natural therapies, hospitality, health, law and accounting.

Most Australian universities are self-accrediting institutions that each run under a legislation (usually at the state or territory level). They get most of their funding from the Australian government through the Higher Education Support Act 2003. This act put the existing aims of universities into legal terms, recognized each of the universities, and introduced measures to strength the knowledge base of the country. Essentially, this act made it so that Australian universities were able to obtain money from the federal government via grants and loans.

Most of the syllabus are set by the universities that are offering the courses, and are not controlled by any government entity. Even though the higher education system is more unified than that of other countries, each university is still able to set their own coursework and program requirements. As with most countries, the teacher education program is the exception to this rule; the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership oversees any and all requirements related to becoming an educator in any age group.

Many Australian universities are featured in top 100 lists for international universities from around the world. The University of Melbourne and the Australian National University are two of the most well-known and well-respected universities in the world. If you are considering pursuing your higher education, whether vocational or academic, in Australia, you are in good hands. You will get a world-class education at a fair price that will make you ready for the world that you will be working in.

Education costs

So you think that you want to study in Australia? One of the things that have probably come to your mind during your decision-making process is how much your education is going to cost. Thankfully, there are a lot of factors that can play into the costs of studying in Australia. Where the institution is located, whether the university is public or private, and what level of study that you are pursuing all factor into how much it’s going to cost you to attend university.

One convenient thing about being an international student that is going to Australia to study is that you can pay your tuition fees before you even start attending. This will help you with budgeting during your schooling and it can also help you with saving up money for your education before you even end up in Australia.

If you have decided that you are going to attend a university in Australia before finishing your secondary schooling degree, you could end up getting a lot of your education paid off before you step foot in the country. You may also have to pay fees related to the courses you are taking or the degree program that you are in.

If you are looking to attend university in Australia, then here are some of the numbers that you will be looking at when looking at your educational career in the country. Note: All values are estimated using the Australian Dollar (AUD).

English Language Courses

If you are only going to Australia in order to immerse yourself in the English language or to take English classes that could lead to a level I-IV Certificate, the cost is relatively inexpensive. English language courses, on average, cost about $300/week depending on the length of the course that you are taking.

Certificate Levels I to IV, Diploma, and Advanced Diploma

All of these fall into the category of vocational training. If you are going to Australia for vocational education and/or training, you will pay anywhere from $4,000 (for a 4 to 6 month Certificate I program) to $22,000 (for a complete advanced diploma program)

Bachelor’s Degree

These degrees will vary depending on whether you go to a public university or a private university. Public universities can run anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 per year; private universities can cost upwards of $33,000 per year (there are only a handful of private universities in the country, so you are more likely to be attending a public university). Much of the time, the costs related to these degrees can be taken care of through financial aid and scholarships.

Master’s Degree

Most Master’s degrees average approximately $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Some Master’s programs can end up costing more than that if you go to a prestigious university or a private university. There are a lot of research scholarships and bursaries that you can obtain to decrease the cost of postgraduate education, which we explore more in our page on scholarships.

Doctoral Degree

For a basic academic doctoral degree, it will end up costing you anywhere from $14,000 to $37,000 per academic year. It can cost upwards of $40,000 plus per year if you are working on a medical degree (veterinary, dentistry, medical doctor, surgeons, etc). There are a variety of research scholarships and bursaries available to help alleviate the costs postgraduate education, which we explore more in our page on scholarships.

Overall, Australia is a bit more expensive in terms of education costs than other countries (even higher than the United States in some cases). But the good news is that there is a lot of financial aid available for international students. If the numbers still make you nervous, there are a lot of ways for you to make ends meet.

Australian Student Visas