Latest NewsRecognition of Your Certificates in Australia

Recognition of Your Certificates in Australia

There’s a common question that comes up when looking to study at an Australian university. Will the work that you’ve already done (whether it’s your secondary school diploma, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree) actually count toward anything when applying for school in Australia? What needs to happen in order to actually be able to start attending university at the desired level? That’s what we’re going to take a quick look at.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements vary between your school and your visa. We talk about English courses in this article, but generally, the English language requirements are quite lenient. You normally have to take an exam and verify that you at least have a handle on the English language before you arrive in the country. You should also check with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to see what their English language requirements are as well.

The other important question comes with your education. Alright, so how do you determine how much education you need before you can attend school in Australia? There are some basic guidelines depending on the level of education that you have.

Vocational School Requirements

In order to go to vocational school (education or training; certificates I to IV), there are absolutely no prerequisites. You actually, technically, do not even have to have received a certificate or diploma from a secondary institution. It is recommended, however, especially if you have no work experience related to the vocation you wish to study. Vocational education and training programs are relatively simple to get accepted into.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

If you are looking to go into an undergraduate program, you must have the equivalent of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (known as Year 12 by the Australian Qualifications Framework).

Essentially, as long as you have a secondary education certificate or diploma (depending on what your country calls it), you should be eligible to apply for an undergraduate program.

Your secondary school courses may play a role in what you have to take at the beginning of your undergraduate studies, however. The secondary school that you attended may not have required you to take some of the courses that you would need for the undergraduate program that you are attending. This could depend on the scores on your records and any college entrance exams as well; those requirements differ based on the university you are applying to.

Your academic adviser and the admissions office at your university will help you determine if you have to take any specific classes at the university in order to meet those requirements.

Postgraduate Degree Requirements

Postgraduate studies are a bit more complicated to get into. Not only do you need to have completed at least one degree at the undergraduate level, but you also need to have satisfactory marks in a number of perquisites in order for your certificate to be accepted at a postgraduate institution. In some cases, the university will work with you and take research ability and relevant work experience into consideration when determining whether or not you are eligible for a postgraduate degree as well.

Then, you also have to be concerned with the specific requirements of the program; you may have to take a few undergraduate courses in order to make up any prerequisites that you may not have taken during your undergraduate career in your home country.

If you have any other questions about your entry requirements, contact the international studies or admissions office at the university that you are looking to attend. They will be better able to answer your questions in relation to the school that you wish to attend.

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