Admission to non university higher education studies

Name of secondary school credential required: Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Second Cycle)

Minimum score/requirement: According to course and institution, student's age, whether student has disabilities or special needs

For entry to: For Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses

Admission to university-level studies

Name of secondary school credential required: Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Second Cycle)

Minimum score/requirement: Varies according to course and institution, student's age, whether student has disabilities or special needs

For entry to: All institutions/programmes.

Alternatives to credentials: Entry may be based on prior experience or other learning.

Numerus clausus/restrictions: Entry to a higher education course is normally determined by the student’s tertiary entrance score, rank or index (referred to here as the tertiary entrance score) which is calculated on the basis of results in the senior secondary school certificate. Tertiary admissions centres in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia coordinate admissions for those States.   The New South Wales tertiary admission centre also coordinates admissions to institutions in the Australian Capital Territory, while the University of Tasmania and the Northern Territory University coordinate their own admissions. Links to each of the tertiary admissions centres can be found on the website www.avcc.edu.au.

Other admission requirements: Other criteria such as a portfolio, interview, audition or questionnaire may also be taken into account in conjunction with the tertiary entrance score for certain courses. There are also alternative schemes for mature age students, students with disabilities, students with special needs, and so on.   Some universities that offer programmes by distance education have flexible admission policies.   Admission to the open learning programmes of Open Learning Australia (www.ola.edu.au) does not require any educational pre-requisites.

Foreign students admission

Definition of foreign student:  "Person who enters Australia on a student visa and attends a course on a fee paying basis".

Admission requirements: In general, applicants must be eligible for entry to a tertiary institution of good standing in their home country.

Entry regulations: Students require confirmation of enrolment, a student visa and sufficient funds to support themselves.

Health requirements: Students must undergo a medical examination as part of their visa application and must have Overseas Students Health Cover for the period covered by their visa.

Language requirements: Students should have a good command of the English language and may be required to pass an English test. Full-time courses are offered by accredited English language institutions in all Australian States and in the Australian Capital Territory.

Application procedures:

Apply to individual institution for entry to: All institutions.

Recognition of studies & qualifications:

Studies pursued in home country (System of recognition/accreditation): Australian universities are self-accrediting bodies. However, the higher education sector also includes non-university institutions – while some of these are self-accrediting, most of them are not.  Programmes and degrees offered by non-university institutions often have an applied focus and are most commonly in fields such as art, business, drama, hospitality, music, religion and theology, and teacher education.  Higher education programmes and awards offered by non-self-accrediting institutions are accredited by the relevant State or Territory higher education accreditation authority.The accrediting authorities are listed in the Register of Authorities Empowered by Government to Accredit Post-Compulsory Education and Training Courses and may be found on the Australian Qualifications Framework website at  www.aqf.edu.auIn addition, professional bodies and associations play a significant role as external arbiters in the quality assurance framework through their accreditation of professional courses in areas such as nursing and medicine, law, accounting, engineering and architecture. These bodies and associations also have an on-going role in monitoring the quality of such courses. The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) was established by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Ministers responsible for higher education on 7 April 2000 as an independent national quality assurance agency to monitor, audit and report on quality assurance in Australian higher education. The AUQA will conduct quality assurance audits of self-accrediting institutions (mainly universities) and State/Territory accreditation authorities on a five-yearly basis. The audits will be undertaken by panels of expert people with substantial senior academic and administrative experience in higher education. The outcomes of the audits will be made public. The first full audits are scheduled to take place in 2002.More than 150,000 students from overseas attend education institutions in Australia each year.  The Federal Government recognises the value of its international education industry and seeks to protect and enhance its reputation and integrity, while also offering  protection to overseas students studying in Australia.  The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 requires that providers of education and training to overseas students be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). The ESOS Act and its National Code provide nationally consistent standards for registration and the subsequent conduct of CRICOS-registered providers. It requires that providers: meet quality assurance standards; comply with tuition and financial assurance requirements; and encourage overseas students recruited to study in Australia to comply with the conditions of their visas, and report those who do not.Breaches of the Act and the Code can lead to the imposition of sanctions, including their suspension or cancellation from CRICOS.  Further information and the full text of the ESOS Act 2000 can be found at the following website: http://www.dest.gov.au/esos/ESOSguide/foreword.htm

Studies pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):

National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR)

Head: Margaret Pearce, Director

Administrative officer: Heather Gregory, Assistant Director

International relations: Adam Carlon, International Policy Officer

GPO Box 1407
Canberra
ACT 2601
Australia

Deals with credential recognition for entry to: University and Profession

Services provided & students dealt with: NOOSR publishes its assessment guidelines for mainstream postsecondary qualifications in some 90 countries; provides a written assessment service for individuals on a fee-for-service basis; and offers informal advice by telephone, e-mail and fax to institutions seeking information about foreign qualifications and education systems

Other information sources on recognition of foreign studies: Individual institutions determine the acceptability of foreign qualifications and studies for the purpose of admission or advanced standing (credit). In general,  NOOSR's assessment guidelines and advice inform university decisions where relevant. ( NOOSR does not assess academic secondary qualifications).

Special provisions for recognition:

For access to non-university post-secondary studies: Applicants for the recognition of studies and credentials obtained abroad can be directed in the first instance to NOOSR. The same provisions apply for Australian nationals and permanent residents as for foreigners, but a higher assessment fee applies to foreigners.

Multilateral agreements concerning recognition of foreign studies

Name of agreement: Convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the European region. Lisbon Convention

Year of signature: 2000

Name of agreement: Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific

Year of signature: 1985

Name of agreement: Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Europe

Year of signature: 1986

Bilateral agreements concerning recognition of foreign credentials

Name of agreement: Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (a Non-Treaty Instrument)

Year of signature: 1996

Country/state involved: New Zealand

References to further information on foreign student admissions and recognition of studies

Title: Directory of Postgraduate Courses (Annual)

Publisher: Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee

Title: The Directory of Higher Education Courses (Annual)

Author: Catherine Etteridge (ed.)

Publisher: New Hobsons Press

Title: The Good Universities Guide (Annual)

Author: Dean Ashenden and Sandra Milligan

Publisher: Ashenden Milligan Pty Ltd

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