Introduction:

Every year, around 300,000 students from over 100 countries across the world are found heading to Australia for their studies. Australia is also home to five out of the 25 most livable cities across the world. Insofar as Nepalese students are concerned, the country had stood third after the United Kingdom and the United States in the list of most sought-after academic destinations just a few years ago. Now, however, it has climbed to the top spot. The fact that Australia boasts world-class academic institutions, part-time and post-study work facilities and a relatively safe environment insofar as the students’ investment is concerned are what have made it the most preferred place for higher study at present.

Universities:

There are 37 public universities and two private universities in Australia which offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. University study can lead to the following awards: Undergraduate – Bachelor Degrees, Bachelor Degrees (with Honors’), Undergraduate Diplomas, Associate Diplomas; Postgraduate – Doctoral Degrees, Masters Degrees, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.
A recent ranking by the Times Higher Education shows the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales all fall among the top 100 universities in the world. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is preferred by many Australian Institutions as English proficiency.

Tuition Fee & Accommodation:

On average, the yearly tuition fee for the Bachelor’s and Master’s level stands at AU$20,000, while the Australian government has fixed the figure of AU$18,610 per annum as the living cost for a single student—in addition to the insurance premium. A bank balance of around Rs 3.5 million is also required as proof that one can bear the remaining costs.

Home stay is a good option for those who want to be totally submerged in the Australian culture as it will involve living with an Australian family either with your own private room, or shared. Generally meals are included with home stays. On-campus housing can sometimes be hard to secure as spaces are limited. Fees will vary depending on which school you attend, and most provide meals and some furniture. Housing located off-campus can be extremely fun, but also have many pitfalls. Generally, you would probably group together with a group of students to either rent a house or flat with fees varying depending on your location and size of dwelling. Some points to be aware of:

To locate off-campus you may need to use the services of an estate agent which will incur fees.

Work Prospects:

Students can manage their living expenses through part-time jobs that can be taken up for 20 hours a week and full time work during vacations, given that the minimum per hour wage in the country is around AU$16. However they are required to obtain a work permit by paying AUD 60 payable in Australia itself on course commencement, in favor of DIMA to obtain their work permits.

Required Test:

Scores of GRE, GMAT is needed by some business schools. Enrolling in to bachelor or masters degree student must obtain at least an IELTS score of 6.0. Whereas those enrolling in a diploma level program need an overall band of 5.5. However some courses like law, communications, MBA need a higher level of proficiency, as overall band score of 6.5 or 7 with no band less than 6.0.