According to Countryaah, Australia is one of the two major countries in Oceania.

Higher education in Australia

In Australia, the academic year begins in February and ends in November. The academic year is divided into two semesters and in some cases three periods (trimesters).

Be aware that private educational institutions and their programs must be publicly recognized in Australia. A register of publicly recognized higher education institutions can be found here: National Register of higher education providers.

Most higher education institutions in Australia have an international office that assists foreign applicants and students. Read more at Study in Australia.

Institutions

In Australia, you can take a higher education at:

• Registered training organizations (RTOs): There are about 5,000 RTOs, including Technical and Further Education Colleges (TAFE). RTOs provide training leading to AQF qualifications. Some RTOs are also higher education institutions that are accredited to offer higher education, such as Associate Degrees and undergraduate programs.
• Universities: There are 43 universities, 3 of which are private.

Degrees at university level

Universities in Australia offer the following degrees:

• Diploma: 1-2-year full-time education based on 12 years of prior schooling. The education provides access to the labor market and can provide about 1 year of credit for a relevant bachelor’s education in Australia.
• Advanced Diploma: a 1½-2-year full-time education based on 12 years of prior schooling. The education provides access to the labor market and can provide 1 to 2 years of credit for a relevant bachelor’s education in Australia.
• Associate Degree: a 2-year full-time education based on 12 years of prior schooling. The education provides access to the labor market and can give 1½ to 2 years of credit on a relevant bachelor’s education in Australia.
• Bachelor Degree: obtained after a minimum of 3 years in science, humanities and business economics.
• Graduate Diploma: a 1-year full-time course based on a bachelor’s degree.
• Master Degree: is of 1½-2-year duration (full-time) on the basis of a 3-year bachelor’s degree or of 1-year duration (full-time) on the basis of a 4-year bachelor’s degree (Honors Degree). There are three types of Master Degree: coursework, research and extended.
• Doctorate (PhD): minimum 3 years on the basis of Master’s Degree or Bachelor Honors Degree. The Australian Ph.D. concludes with a doctoral dissertation.

Application for higher education

You must send your application directly to the educational institution where you want admission. Application forms can be found on the institutions’ websites. At Study in Australia you will find a comprehensive list of Australian universities and their websites.

The application must contain a completed application form as well as diplomas in English. In addition, it may be a good idea to enclose a motivated application, a description of your work experience and documentation of how you want to finance the stay.

Admission requirements

A Danish high school diploma gives access to apply for admission to a bachelor’s degree in Australia. You can get information about specific entry requirements at the individual educational institutions.

You must send your diploma with the application. If you are in the process of a Danish higher education, you must also send the grades that you have obtained in the study, as well as in most cases an official syllabus description of your subjects. Everything must be translated into English.

To be admitted to a bachelor’s program, you must have good grades from your bachelor’s degree. It can be an advantage – and in some cases a prerequisite – that you have done research-oriented work or have work experience.

Language proficiency

Applicants who do not have English as their mother tongue must pass a language test from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In Denmark, the test can be taken at the British Council.

You can also take the TOEFL test (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

It is often also possible to be admitted without a language test if you can document good English skills in another way. You can get information about the specific language requirements at the individual educational institutions.

Application deadlines

You must contact the individual educational institutions directly for information on application deadlines.

Recognition of foreign educations in Denmark

If you have completed a publicly recognized education abroad, you can have it assessed by the Danish Agency for Research and Education

Recognition of your Danish education

At Australian Education International, you can read about how you can get an assessment of your Danish education with a view to work or further studies in Australia.

Practical conditions

Through English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) you can attend language school in Australia. ELICOS is an Australian organization that manages international language schools in the largest cities in Australia. The language courses last from 4 to 48 weeks. You can get more information about the courses and other language courses at Study in Australia, where you can also find an overview of language school stays with the option of staying with an Australian family.

Danish citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 who are going on holiday, study or internship in Australia can apply for a working Holiday visa. The visa gives the right to work for up to 3 months with the same employer. You can usually only get a Working Holiday visa once. From 1 September 2005, persons who have been on a Working Holiday and worked as a seasonal worker in Australia for a minimum of 3 months can apply for another working Holiday visa and stay for a further 12 months.

Working Holiday in Australia

To obtain a visa for a Working Holiday, you must document that you have at least 5,000 AU $ (DKK 25,000) available, e.g. by presenting a bank statement. You must also have a valid return ticket.

The scheme is administered by the Australian New Zealand Friendship Society of Denmark / MyPlanet. Here you can get more information about the scheme and get an application form.

The organization Alott also organizes Working Holidays in Australia.

Housing

The Australian universities have attached dorm rooms, where you either get a full board or have a shared kitchen. The price for a dorm room ranges from DKK 2,400 to DKK 3,300 per month. It is also possible to find private accommodation.

There are also other options for finding places to sleep:

• Discover Australia Here you can find information about hotels, popular destinations and car rental.
• Camp in Australia Hotels, hostels, motels, apartments, bed and breakfasts and more.
• Hotels
• Hostels
• Bed & Breakfast in Australia

Insurance

The Australian state requires students to take out special health insurance, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), before coming to Australia. Some universities include the insurance in the tuition fee, other universities charge a separate fee. OSHC costs approx. NOK 1,000 (312 AU $) for one year.

OSHC does not cover everything, and you must therefore make sure you have travel insurance before you leave Denmark.

On the MyPlanet portal you can find more information about insurance in Australia.

Other things

You can find a lot of useful information at the Australian Embassy in Denmark as well as the Australian Embassy in Germany, where all Danes must also apply for a visa to Australia.

If you would like to travel, study or settle in Australia, you can find practical info at Citizenship and Immigration Australia. The Australian Government Portal is also a good website with links to various target groups such as tourists, students and job seekers.

Facts about Australia

Population: Approx. 19 million. Sydney is the biggest city in Australia with a population of 4,627,456.

Language: English.

Employment: Unemployment in June 2014 was 5.9% (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

Residence permit: Students must have a student visa.