Australia is one of the most popular study abroad destinations in recent years. Although Australia has only a population of 23 million, its number of international students ranks third in the world after the United Kingdom and the United States. Australia took home five of the world’s 30 best study cities after evaluating all the important factors students need to consider when choosing the best study destination, including student mix, spending levels, quality of life and employer activities. The Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland, Monash University, the University of Western Australia, and the University of Adelaide, referred to as the “Group of Eight”, are representatives of Australia’s outstanding universities. At the postgraduate level, compared with other countries, Australia has the following advantages:
- The Australian postgraduate study system is flexible, generally divided into 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, 3 years, etc. Among them, 1.5 years and 2 years are the main ones. Some majors (such as accounting, IT, engineering, etc.) have a variety of educational systems for selection. Master’s degree programmes can be independent research, classroom-based or a combination of the two, and are designed to prepare students to become elites in their field of expertise.
- It is convenient to work. International students who have completed a degree of more than 2 years can apply for a graduate work visa (485 visa; Temporary Graduate visa) for at least 2 years to accumulate overseas work or entrepreneurial experience.
- Immigration is convenient. Australia is an immigration country. International students can obtain immigration points by taking undergraduate or master’s courses in the local area and obtain legal residency in the local area (Permanent resident, different from Australian citizens). At present, the main immigration majors in Australia are accounting, actuarial, engineering, IT, nursing, education and so on.
- The cost of a postgraduate master’s degree program is approximately 20,000-37,000 Australian dollars, and the living cost is about 60,000 Australian dollars per year, which is lower than that of the United Kingdom and the United States. The Australian government has specially allocated more than 200 million Australian dollars as scholarships for international students to encourage overseas students to experience Australian education and provide better opportunities for their future careers.
- Compared with other western countries, Australia is a safer place. Australia’s low crime rate and strict gun control laws ensure overseas students enjoy a safe learning environment. In addition, Australia has a beautiful natural environment and is also very suitable for international students to live and travel.
- Teaching focuses on students’ subjective initiative. Students are usually required to complete part of the classroom lectures and a piece of research. In the classroom, every student is no longer the protagonist, and every student is a participant. A large number of professional-related topics are discussed, which improves students’ participation in learning.
- The learning content is novel and inspiring. Graduate students follow the characteristics of Western culture: not emphasizing standard answers, but attaching great importance to innovation and technology. This is very helpful for cultivating students’ innovative ability.
- Learning is independent and practical. Participating in projects and topics is an important part of studying postgraduate studies in Australia. A subject or project often requires students to go deep into the government, enterprises, communities and even streets, conduct field inspections and collect materials to obtain first-hand data and materials, which is conducive to cultivating students’ independent ability and practical ability.
- The Australian postgraduate study has a unique teamwork teaching mode. GROUP ASSIGNMENT is a highlight of Australian postgraduate education. In Australian universities, a large project usually requires 3-4 people to work together. From finding materials, designing article frameworks, content division, making speech slides, to the final speech, all are coordinated by a team. This has practical significance for cultivating students’ teamwork awareness and ability.
All in all, postgraduate study in Australia is a great study option. If you want to pursue a postgraduate degree abroad, you can give priority to it.
